Debate post by Anders Bjarklev, President of DTU, Per Michael Johansen, Rector of Aalborg University, Brian Bech Nielsen, Rector of Aarhus University, and Jens Ringmose, Rector of the University of Southern Denmark. Published in Altinget on 03.02.2025.
Negotiations on a reform of Professional Bachelor programmes are said to be imminent. As we all know, the main focus of the reform is the welfare programmes at university colleges and the recruitment challenges that these programmes are plagued by.
However, the reform risks affecting thousands of students at universities, as the proposal also includes a shortening of the Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) programme.
We would like to warn against this shortening.
The BEng programme at universities does not have the same characteristics or challenges as the welfare programmes. In its current form, the BEng programme is one of Denmark's most well-functioning programmes.
Specializations match business needs
The BEng programme has the status of a professional bachelor's degree, but unlike welfare programmes, it is primarily offered at universities.
With over 8,500 students, universities actually host around 85 per cent of all Danish students in the BEng programme.
The programme lasts 3.5 years and combines theoretical teaching with an integrated internship that prepares students for the labour market.
It offers a range of specializations, including mechanical engineering, construction and IT, all of which match specific business needs.
Graduate engineers also have a remarkably low graduate unemployment rate of just 3.2 per cent in the second year after graduation.
Even though the BEng programme is extremely well functioning in its current form, and even though recruitment for it has been increasing in recent years and unemployment is at an all-time low, the government wants the programme to change in line with the more challenged welfare programmes.
The government's reform proposal thus proposes to reduce the BEng programmes by 15 ECTS - equivalent to a quarter of a full-time equivalent.
In the words of Danish politician and journalist Viggo Hørup (1841-1902): “What's the point?”
The bachelor thesis is already practice-oriented
In its proposal, the government suggests that the shortening of the programmes can generally take place in the final bachelor thesis, which will be changed to a shorter, more practice-oriented final professional exam.
However, the final bachelor's project is already extremely practice-orientated for BEng students.
Approximately 90 per cent of bachelor's projects in BEng programmes are carried out in collaboration with companies.
Here, BEng students combine professional work and education with a current problem and complete a real development-based engineering project, allowing them to demonstrate an understanding of theory, practice and the company's innovation needs.
It's very hard to see how shortening the programme will strengthen its professional orientation and make the transition to work smoother.
No indications that shortening the programme will improve education
Another intention of the reform is supposedly to increase the number of teaching hours, but Beng students already have a very packed teaching programme.
On top of that, there is a six-month internship programme. A further increase in the number of hours offered per week is therefore neither necessary nor appropriate.
Some BEng graduates go on to become civil engineers.
Shortening the programme and eliminating elements of scientific theory, as stated in the government's proposal, will put graduate BEng engineers at a competitive disadvantage compared to others who want to apply for the master's part of the Danish civil engineering programmes.
The BEng programme is a success story that delivers qualified graduates to Danish society with a relatively short study period and ensures a smooth transition to the labour market.
The current programme structure works and provides students with a solid academic foundation while ensuring strong interaction with the business community.
There are no indications that shortening the programme will improve it.
On the contrary, we risk harming something precious to the disadvantage of Danish industry and future engineers.
