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Universities alarmed over social sciences ‘taximeter’ cuts

Academic teaching of humanities and social science at Danish universities could be cut down severely from 2020 if the taximeter funding system is discontinued, professors have warned.

A decade ago, the Danish government of the time decided that humanities and social sciences were underfunded and introduced the so-called taximeter system. Under this system, study programmes that receive the lowest funding per full-time equivalent student get 5,000 Danish kroner (€670) extra per student, per year.

A proposal to axe this system was made as part of government budget plans revealed this month. However, this would have consequences for both private and public companies who need skilled humanities and social science graduates, according to Mette Fjord Sørensen, head of research, higher education and diversity at lobby group Danish Industry, and Jesper Langergaard, director of Universities Denmark, a representative body.

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