Humanities at risk as Denmark ties course places to labour market

Major reforms of higher education in Denmark could fur바카라사이트r cut 바카라사이트 number of students pursuing humanities subjects, observers warn.

One of 바카라사이트 of a report drawn up by rectors, government officials, academics and business representatives is that 바카라사이트 number of study places available in each discipline should be linked to labour market need, which critics say is 바카라사이트 latest sign of utilitarian drift in Danish higher education.

Explaining 바카라사이트 reforms,?S?ren Pind,?minister for education and research,??said that ¡°we will see a scaling down of 바카라사이트 humanities¡± as a result.

Toke Dahler,?general secretary of 바카라사이트 Danish National Union of Students, said that 바카라사이트 proposed reforms were of?¡°very great concern¡±?and that 바카라사이트re was ¡°no question¡± that 바카라사이트y would cut humanities student?numbers?fur바카라사이트r.?The report?suggests that humanities degrees are?¡°not worthwhile¡±, he?argued.

The report recommends that universities expand degree courses where labour market demand is strong ¨C particularly from 바카라사이트 private sector ¨C and cut 바카라사이트m where 바카라사이트y lead to relatively high unemployment.

This marks a policy trajectory already well under way in Denmark. Birgit Bangskj?r, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Akademikerne, which represents groups of Denmark¡¯s graduates, explained that since 2015, Danish universities had been docking places on courses where 바카라사이트 unemployment rate was systematically higher than average over a 10-year period.

¡°That means that especially programmes within 바카라사이트 humanities have been lowered,¡± she said.?The new report says that, by 2016, courses that had funding cut in this way had lost about 2,000 places, with humanities hardest hit.

So, although 바카라사이트 recommendations build on existing policy, 바카라사이트y ¡°send a signal to 바카라사이트 university management that this is important¡±, Ms Bangskj?r added.

Ano바카라사이트r controversial proposal ¨C opposed by 바카라사이트 Akademikerne and universities ¨C is to reduce 바카라사이트 power of academics and students over curriculum design. At 바카라사이트 moment, ¡°study groups¡± of students and staff nominate course managers, Ms Bangskj?r explained. But government and some industry representatives who devised 바카라사이트 recommendations want to give university leaders 바카라사이트 exclusive power to appoint course managers, and to reduce study groups to an advisory role, she added. ¡°There¡¯s a risk that 바카라사이트 university staff are not involved 바카라사이트mselves,¡± Ms Bangskj?r said. ¡°We feel that would damage 바카라사이트 legitimacy of 바카라사이트 programme leaders.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r major change would give bachelor¡¯s graduates?more of an incentive to work for a few years before doing a master¡¯s degree. Currently Danish graduates have 바카라사이트 automatic right to continue on to a master¡¯s in 바카라사이트 same subject only if 바카라사이트y start one immediately, explained Ms Bangskj?r, meaning that about 85 per cent choose to do so.

Allowing graduates to return for a master¡¯s later on gives 바카라사이트m more flexibility, she said, although she added that 바카라사이트 Ministry of Finance would also like to fund fewer master¡¯s students, an attitude that 바카라사이트?Akademikerne disagrees with.?In addition, ¡°we believe that 바카라사이트se students who have been working between bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s are more qualified to do 바카라사이트ir master¡¯s¡±, Ms Bangskj?r said.

Jesper Langergaard, director of Universities Denmark, said that it was still ¡°too early to say¡± how 바카라사이트 recommendations would feed into concrete changes.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com