Students protest against university cuts

Students at the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University have held demonstrations against the government’s plan to reduce student numbers.

On 19 November, students blocked the entrances to the media department at the University of Copenhagen, reports the Danish national daily Politiken. The protesters were expressing concern that the government’s plans will make education too industry-focused, by reducing student numbers in the arts and humanities.  

The Danish government and universities have agreed that 2,400 student places will be cut from graduate programmes and 3,500 places from undergraduate programmes between 2018 to 2020, in an attempt to cut the level of graduate unemployment. Originally, the government proposed to reduce intake in areas where long-term unemployment is at the highest levels.