It makes no sense.
This is what Lars Sandahl, CEO of the Confederation of Danish Industry, said about the university reform, which in his view directly counteracts the efforts made by the business community, universities and politicians to get more people to study science and technology:
"For years we have been working to increase interest in STEM among young people and especially among women. Now the interest is here - the civil engineering degree was the most sought-after degree in 2024. So it can't be right that it's exactly those people that we now have to turn away at the door. It simply makes no sense, said Lars Sandahl.
The university reform was the main topic of conversation on Wednesday, when DTU held the annual Education and Research Policy Summit, which brings together politicians, business and universities for debate and dialogue on the most important issues of the times.
Lars Sandahl was invited as a keynote speaker and began his speech by emphasising that Danish companies are currently feeling the effects of increasing global competition and that there is a need for more "smart minds" to counter the pressure. With this in mind, he asked the parties behind the university reform to return to the negotiating table:
"Scrap the sector dimensioning and loosen up the tight reform economy so that we can find good solutions. The key lies in an attractive business master's degree programme, which also attracts labour to the country," said DI's CEO.
Fence post
Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund did not initially want to enter into a discussion about the work process around the university reform until the Master's Committee's work is completed at the end of October.
However, she did open up the possibility that the terms of the reform could be changed if necessary:
"If the Master's Committee comes back and says ‘you need to move a fence post here or do something else there,’ then of course we'll listen to that. But I don't want to start drawing conclusions on work that isn't finished."
However, the minister emphasized that the political goals of the reform itself will not be changed:
"It is clear that the objectives and ambitions that we agreed on when we negotiated, we must do everything we can to fulfil. This includes the proportions of how many will be business graduates and how many will do something else," said Christina Egelund.
Over the cliff
The panel of education and research spokespeople were more willing to put the reform work on hold. Lise Bertelsen from the Conservative People's Party, who is part of the coalition behind the reform, believes that the criticism is cause for concern and that the political agreement should be reconsidered in light of it:
"It's important that we don't deliver a poorer educational landscape for the next generation - because we are a knowledge society. If we're going to compete with China, it's on knowledge and it's on research. So if the graduate reform is going over the cliff, we must try to stop it and think things through very carefully," said Lise Bertelsen.
Asked directly whether the Conservatives will put the reform on hold, Lise Bertelsen replied:
"This is a major reform that will affect many coming generations. So we simply have to think things through and do the right thing. And if that means putting it on hold and rethinking something, we're ready for that," said Lise Bertelsen, emphasising that the reform has been criticised from many sides:
"When Danish Industry, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, Akademikerne and students make appeals, we must of course listen to them."
Among the government parties' spokespersons, an outright pause was out of the question, but Trine Bramsen from the Social Democrats declared herself open to looking at elements of the agreement:
"We need to identify the things that won't work, and if we need to adjust some numbers of hours here and there, we'll talk about that. But the goal is and should be that we get more welfare graduates," she said.
Katrine Robsøe, education and research spokesperson for the Social Liberal Party, which is outside the agreement, was more direct. She warned that the reform could have ‘disastrous consequences’ and made a clear appeal to the university staff and students present who had criticised the plans:
"Keep using your voices. That's the only thing that will count..."
