New addendum advances the Master’s reform

Disclaimer: This text was translated using machine translation / AI and post-edited by Maria Nielsen Pedersen

While criticism of the Master's reform has increased over the past few months, the government and the coalition parties behind the agreement have now reached a new addendum to the reform. The addendum addresses some of the issues that Danish universities and students highlighted in the Master's degree committee’s report in November. 

The rectors of Danish universities have pointed out that the financial constraints of the reform were too strict, and that this would force students in the work-integrated Master’s degree programmes to accomplish too much in too short a time.

In the new addendum, which was agreed upon on 19 December between the government and the coalition parties Liberal Alliance, SF, the Denmark Democrats ed., and the Conservative People's Party, more types of work-integrated Master’s programmes are introduced. For example, a new type of study programme called the 1+2 model. Here, the first year is a full-time study of 60 ECTS with the possibility of Education Grant and Loan Scheme in Denmark (SU), followed by a two-year company internship totalling 60 ECTS, where part-time study is combined with relevant employment. This was a proposal from the universities and the National Union of Students in Denmark. The model targets the engineering field and various IT and STEM programmes - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

At the same time, the financial framework is eased, “enabling other types of work-integrated Master’s programmes that combine full-time study and company internships”. The ministry mentions the possibility of a six-month full-time study programme with SU worth 30 ECTS, followed by a company internship that combines part-time study with relevant employment, amounting to up to 90 ECTS.

As part of the addendum, the coalition parties have also included the option for part-time work-integrated Master’s programmes, where the student is employed throughout the entire study programme. 

Five different types of Master’s programmes 

The addendum means that in the future, there will be two regular Master’s degree programmes – the short and long ones – while there will be three career-focused Master’s degree programmes. 

Additionally, the addendum cancels the previously agreed upon study completion date of 1 August for the short Master’s degree programmes. This is also a point that universities noted in the report from November, where they suggested that “the duration of the study programme should be set by the universities.” 

Funds are allocated to enable the new 1+2 model, but the coalition parties agree that the financing will be found within the reform budget. 

“Starting in 2030 and permanently, the funding will come from a reduction in the allocated funds for academic Bachelor’s degree programmes and two-year Master’s degree programmes, the budget set aside for recommendations from the Master's degree committee, as well as a reduction in the pool allocated for enhanced guidance efforts”, as stated in the addendum. 

"More realistic to achieve" 

The criticism of the Master's reform has been widespread since its inception, but it has increased while the Master's degree committee worked on its report in 2024. The report indicated that universities did not consider the framework realistic. 

Among other things, the universities have pointed out that the original agreement made it impossible to achieve the intended distribution of 20 percent of students in career-focused Master’s degree programmes and 10 percent in short Master’s degree programmes. The reform is structured so that if there are fewer students in work-integrated Master’s degree programmes, the number of students in short Master's degree programmes increases, and vice versa. In the Master's degree committee's report from November, universities expected that they would only be able to convert seven percent of the spots to career-focused Master’s degree programmes, which would result in the number of short Master’s degree programmes reaching 23 percent. 

In the addendum, it is noted that the coalition parties now “agree that the ambition for 10 percent of Master's degree students to be enrolled in a work-integrated Master’s programme by 2028 has become more realistic to achieve.” The reform is being gradually implemented, with the goal that 10 percent of students will be in a career-focused Master’s degree programme by 2028. By 2032, when the reform is fully implemented, the goal is 20 percent. 

AU rector: Very positive that the criticism has been heard 

The addendum is a step in the right direction, says AU Rector Brian Bech Nielsen in a staff news update.

“The more flexible approaches that have now been agreed on increases the likelihood that the universities will be able to realise the political ambitions to forge a closer link between employers and the universities in how our programmes are designed and executed.  In addition to the existing Master's degree programme for working professionals model, we now have several other models for this type of programme. It’s to be hoped that both employers and students will find this new framework workable and attractive, which is crucial to the success of the reform.  Therefore, I’d like to acknowledge my appreciation for the willingness on the part of the minister and the parties behind the agreement to listen to the Master’s degree committee’s critique of the original agreement,” says Brian Bech Nielsen. 

Positive reactions 

It's not just AU’s rector who is positive about the changes. The union Djøf (Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists) wrote on X that they still believe it is a bad idea to shorten the Master’s degree programmes, “but we thank the coalition parties for several changes in the reform, which now looks more sensible than before for both universities, students, and the business and industry.”

However, Djøf is also critical that the new 1+2 model is not being expanded further. 

The Confederation of Danish Industry calls the addendum a step in the right direction. 

“The new addendum shows that the parties behind the Master's reform have listened to the concerns of the business and industry. Better and more attractive work-integrated Master’s programmes are now ensured,” DI writes in a press release. 

Lisbeth Lintz, the chair of the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC), is also positive. In a post on X, she calls the addendum a “more realistic solution for more work-integrated Master’s degree programmes”. 

At DM, former chair Camilla Gregersen thanks the political parties for making “small, good improvements”, as she writes on X.

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Rector Anders Bjarklev's wish for the 1+2 model has now been fulfilled. 

“It’s a solution model we have proposed ourselves, and we are very positive that the politicians have listened. The opportunity to start studying full-time will make it much easier for international students to find a company placement”, says Anders Bjarklev in a DTU press release.