Universities Denmark: “Quiet rooms may be permanently closed if not kept neutral”

Danish universities agree that users of the so-called quiet rooms at the country’s universities must show respect for other users and that social control must not be exercised in connection with the use of the rooms. 

This was announced in a statement from Universities Denmark, the joint interest organisation of Danish universities. The statement was published on March 27th. 

"Universities Denmark agrees that the rooms must be kept neutral, free of religious symbols, and not be used for religious preaching. Personal belongings must not be left in the rooms and should be removed when leaving. This will be ensured by the universities through regular inspection rounds," writes Universities Denmark, who concludes:

"If the above considerations are not respected, each university shall take the steps it deems necessary, including possibly closing the rooms permanently."

UCPH will keep a closer eye on the rooms in the future

The announcement comes at a time when quiet rooms - also known as reflection rooms and contemplation rooms - are up for debate. The debate flared up after a government commission on the rights of women with minority backgrounds published its recommendations in January. Eight out of ten members recommended that politicians at Christiansborg, home to Danish Parliament, introduce regulations to ensure that quiet rooms are welcoming to everyone, “regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion, and that all individuals have equal access to use them.” SDU closed its quiet room in February, as the room had been decorated with effects that did not appear neutral to all students and staff. Over 60 employees have written an open letter to SDU management demanding the room be reopened. The open letter was published in SDU's student media RUST on March 25th. 

On 28 March, the day after Universities Denmark's statement, the University of Copenhagen also commented on the quiet rooms. In the future, the university's quiet rooms will be kept free of anything that is not part of "the campus administrations’ design of the room," according to a news release on UCPH’s intranet. Students and staff had until April 3rd to collect any items from the rooms. 

"In line with the statement, UCPH will increase supervision of the rooms to ensure they remain neutral and accessible," writes UCPH, which according to its own records has seven quiet rooms. AU, in comparison, has four and is in the process of opening a fifth. 

The University Post, the university newspaper at UCPH, has reviewed a number of the quiet rooms at UCPH since the announcement. Pamphlets from Hizb ut-Tahrir and a book from a Canadian imam, Bilal Philips were found in one of UCPH’s quiet rooms. Bilal Philips is on Denmark's list of foreign religious preachers who are banned from entering Denmark for reasons of public order. When the University Post visited the room a few weeks later, it had been removed. 

Brian Bech Nielsen: Not reacting to political pressure

Rector of Aarhus University, Brian Bech Nielsen, is the chairman of Universities Denmark. When Omnibus asked the rector about the quiet rooms at AU in March, the answer was similar to what Universities Denmark has just announced - that the rooms should be kept neutral and be accessible to everyone. 

Danish government parties want to ban quiet rooms at universities. University of Southern Denmark (SDU) has already closed theirs temporarily. AU has four already and is planning to open another one.

Brian Bech Nielsen has denied to Kristeligt Dagblad that Universities Denmark is reacting to political pressure. 

We follow the debate and the world around us and felt it was important to express our stance so that our position is clear to everyone," he told the newspaper on April 1st.

"It sends shivers down my spine" 

Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek (Social Democrats) “generally thinks” that opening a fifth quiet room at AU “is a bad idea.” He said this on March 19th in the Danish Parliament, in response to a question from Peter Skaarup (Danish Democrats).

Minister on new quiet room at AU: "Generally, I think it's a bad idea"

Several people have recently criticised AU for opening another quiet room. Most recently, Liberal Alliance spokesperson for education, Sandra Elisabeth Skalvig, wrote in an opinion piece in Kristeligt Dagblad that it "sends shivers down my spine when I read that Aarhus University is about to open its fifth quiet room."

“The universities have autonomy, and that should not be tampered with. But that doesn't exempt management from responsibility. Therefore, I would like to remind the rector of Aarhus University that there is a managerial responsibility here that seems to be mismanaged. Universities are temples for science - not for religious worship," she writes. 

This text is machine translated and post-edited by Cecillia Jensen.