The implementation of the Master’s reform is being eased slightly
The government platform for Denmark's new government calls for changes to the criticised Master's reform, a new national AI strategy for the educational sector, more money for research and education, 2.000 new STEM bachelor's student places, and the prospect of a national strategy "from quantum research to quantum industry".
What the Government wants:
Six key points in the government platform that are important for Aarhus University.
Page 7: “Develop a national strategy for the use of artificial intelligence for the entire school and educational sector.”
Page 10: “The Government will (…) evaluate the 2028 intake of Master’s students and convene the political parties behind the agreement for a status discussion in 2028. In order to ensure a stronger implementation of the reform, the Government will propose to the parties behind the reform agreement that 90 percent of students in 2028 will still be able to access a standard 120 ECTS Master’s degree programme, should they wish to do so.”
Page 44: “At least 1 percent of GDP is allocated to research.”
Page 50: “Strengthen Denmark's research position by ensuring that Denmark invests at least 1 percent of GDP in publicly funded research, and look into the possibilities of attracting more EU research funds.”
Page 50: “Present a national strategy ‘From quantum research to quantum industry’.”
Page 50: “Create 2.000 additional bachelor’s student places in degree programmes primarily within natural sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).”
With the formation of a new government comes a new government platform, which puts into words the political ambitions for the coming years.
Although the word university is only mentioned once in the 77 pages, the government platform nevertheless provides insight into what the new government, consisting of the Social Democrats, the Socialist People’s Party, the Moderates and the Danish Social Liberal Party, intends to do within the area of education and research. One of the most striking aspects is that the Government is proposing to ease the Master's reform, which, during the last government term, prompted strong opposition from universities across the country.
The 2023 Master’s reform changed up to 30 percent of Master’s degree programmes, so that 10 percent of admissions were allocated to new, shorter programmes, while 20 percent were allocated to work-integrated Master’s degree programmes combining study and work.
Originally, the plan was that 10 percent of Master's degree students would be admitted to the short Master's degree programmes as early as 2028, and that another 10 percent of students would be admitted to a work-integrated Master’s degree programme in 2028. In 2030 and again in 2032, an additional 5 percent would be admitted to a work-integrated Master’s degree programme, bringing the total number to 30 percent. With the rule, however, that if fewer work-integrated Master’s degree students are admitted, a corresponding increase must be made to admissions to the shorter Master’s degree programmes.
The Government is now planning to ease the implementation of the reform:
"In order to ensure a stronger implementation of the reform, the Government will propose to the parties behind the reform agreement that 90 percent of students in 2028 will still be able to access a standard 120 ECTS Master's degree programme should they wish to do so," the government platform states. But the Government also states that it will "continue the work of implementing the Master’s degree reform and will work to fulfill the ambitions of the parties behind the reform.”
However, it requires support from the other parties behind the reform before the Government's proposal can become a reality.
2.000 new STEM bachelor's student places
The government platform proposes that an extra one billion DKK per year be allocated for research and education, without specifying where the money will be spent, and that 2.000 new bachelor's student places will be created within the so-called STEM area, which covers natural sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
In the government platform, the Government also promises to develop a national AI strategy covering the entire educational sector from primary and lower secondary schools to universities. Additionally, it proposes another national strategy, “From quantum research to quantum industry,” which will “support growth and competitiveness as well as digital and technological sovereignty towards 2035 and work to ensure that Denmark develops new industrial positions of strength and maintains production, knowledge and value creation domestically amid intensifying global competition and geopolitical change.”
This text is machine translated and post-edited by Mie Skov Jeppesen.