Students and staff to have say in board appointments

The government, the Danish People’s Party and the social democrats have agreed to allow students and staff to have a say in electing the chairmen of university boards.

In a statement on 11 April, the government said that it had signed a deal with the other two majority parliamentary parties on how to appoint university chairmen. Students and staff will be represented in the body that appoints the external members of university boards and the chairman, the government said.

The agreement differs from the government’s original plan, which said that the ministry of science should make the appointments. Universities and lobby groups have voiced their opposition to the original proposal, saying that the bill was “a departure from politically independent university boards and a breach of academic freedom”. They added that a representative body—which includes students, academics and support staff—should make the appointments.