Higher Education in Denmark Is Oﬀered at Three Levels: Short-Cycle Higher Education, Medium-Cycle Higher Education and Long-Cycle Higher Education

Published on Eurydice (https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice)

Higher education in Denmark is oﬀered at three levels: Short-cycle higher education, medium-cycle higher education and long-cycle higher education. The responsibility for higher education is divided between three ministries; the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, the Danish Ministry of Culture (medium and long cycle education within the area of arts) and the Ministry of Defence.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Science is responsible for both short-cycle, medium-cycle and long-cycle programmes. The short-cycle and medium-cycle programmes are the academy profession programmes taking place at the Academies of Professional Higher Education (Erhvervsakademier) and the professional bachelor programmes taking place at the University Colleges (Professionshøjskoler). The long-cycle programmes such as the bachelor, master and PhD programmes take place at the universities.

A number of university level institutions are regulated by the Danish Ministry of Culture and offer first, second and third cycle degree programmes in subject fields such as design, music and fine and performing arts. The bachelor, master and PhD programmes at these institutions are awarded after 180, 120 and 180 ECTS, respectively. A higher education degree within theatre or filmmaking is awarded after four years of study (240 ECTS). Music Academies offer a specialist degree of 2-4 years following the master's degree.

The academic year is normally divided in two semesters: The ﬁrst starting in August/September with exams in December/January and the second starting in January/February with exams in May/June. Some programmes are divided into four shorter terms.

In 1479, King Christian I received the Pope’s permission to establish the University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet). And for nearly 400 years it was the only higher education institution in Denmark, but during the 19th century, a number of specialised institutions were established. These include the Technical University of Denmark (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet), the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (Den Kgl. Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole) and the Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Danmarks Farmaceutiske Universitet). In the 20th century, eight new universities were added; the University of Aarhus (Aarhus Universitet), University of Southern Denmark (Syddansk Universitet), Roskilde University (Roskilde Universitetscenter), Aalborg University (Aalborg Universitet), Copenhagen Business School (Handelshøjskolen i København), Aarhus School of Business (Handelshøjskolen i Århus), the Danish University of Education (Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitet) and The IT University of Copenhagen (IT-Universitetet i København).

During 2006, a process to reduce the number of universities was started. The reason for this process was to strengthen research, education and innovation in Denmark. This has resulted in a new map of Danish universities and research institutions in 2007. Today, long-cycle higher education is concentrated at eight universities, among these three major universities where approximately 2/3 of all university activity is concentrated. The three major universities are the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University and the Technical University. The last ﬁve universities are the University of Southern Denmark, Aalborg University, Roskilde University, Copenhagen Business School and the IT University of Copenhagen.

In April 2006, the former Danish government launched a new "Strategy for Denmark in the Global Economy". The strategy contains 350 speciﬁc initiatives directed towards improving education, research and entrepreneurship and the overall conditions for growth and innovation in the society. The main objectives on the educational front are that all young people should complete a general or vocational upper secondary education program, that at least 50 % of all young people should complete a higher education program and that education and training programmes should be top quality at all levels. In the Finance Act of 2009, DKK 1,722 million was allocated to ensure that 50% of a year group is to complete an education at tertiary level (this amount is also intended to ensure that 95% completes a post-compulsory upper seconday education).

Among the key initiatives in the university sector was:

The basic funds of universities should be distributed according to results At least 50 percent of the public research funds should be subject to open competition Government research institutions should be integrated in universities All university programmes should be evaluated according to international standards. A new independent accreditation body has established for that purpose Systematic dialogue with employers The number of PhD scholarships should be doubled Special Master’s programmes for outstanding students There should be a global perspective in all educations

Legislative initiatives have already been taken on several on the above initiatives.

The former government reached the policy aim of allocating 1% of GDP to research and innovation from 2010-2012. In February 2010, the former government launched a new strategy: "Denmark 2020. Knowledge, growth, prosperity and welfare". The government listed 10 goals, which are to be met before 2020, and one of the goals is to have at least one Danish university in top 10 of European universities. Also, all Danish universities have to maintain or improve their international ranking measured in the most relevant and recognised comparisons.

Alongside the goal of having a Danish university in top 10 in Europe, the former government also wanted to improve the Danish university sector by making strong educational oﬀers which match the needs of the society, maintain the high ambitions for research and innovation as well as maintaining and improving the work with the internationalisation of the Danish universities. In 2010, the establishment of a Danish university centre in Beijing began.

References

Retsinformation, 2011. Lov om erhvervsakademiuddannelser og professionsbacheloruddannelser [Act on academy profession programmes and professional bachelor programmes]. [Online] Available at: https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=116203 [1] [Accessed 29 November 2011].

Retsinformation, 2011. Bekendtgørelse om bachelor- og kandidatuddannelser ved universiteterne [Order on bachelor and master programmes at the universities]. [Online] Available at: https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=132698 [2] [Accessed 29 November 2011]. Retsinformation, 2011. Lov om ændring af lov om videregående kunstneriske uddannelsesinstitutioner under Kulturministeriet [Act on changing of act on higher education art educational institutions under the Ministry of Culture]. [Online] Available at: https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=128962 [3] [Accessed 29 November 2011].

Danish Ministry of Culture, 2011. Uddannelse [Education]. [Online] Available at: http://kum.dk/Kulturpolitik/Uddannelser/ [4] [Accessed 29 November 2011].

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Source URL: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/higher-education-22_fr

Links [1] https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=116203 [2] https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=132698 [3] https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=128962 [4] http://kum.dk/Kulturpolitik/Uddannelser/