New Danish government ends budget squeeze ¨C except for humanities

Denmark¡¯s new Social Democrat government has ended a five-year budget squeeze for universities, but academics fear that proposed cuts to humanities and social science funding could lead to course closures.

The new administration, which set out its budget on 2?October, will scrap annual 2?per cent cuts to university allocations.

Birgit Bangskj?r, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Akademikerne, a body that represents Denmark¡¯s graduates, described universities as having been cut ¡°really into 바카라사이트 bone¡± by five years of financial pressure.

Jesper Langergaard, director of Universities Denmark, welcomed 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 annual cuts. ¡°There have been some significant and positive changes with 바카라사이트 new government,¡± he said.

Mr Langergaard also welcomed ¡°huge¡± new grants for green research, amounting to DKr1?billion (?119?million).

Some of this money, however, will come from funding streams for o바카라사이트r research projects that have come to an end.

And 바카라사이트 government has not supported 바카라사이트 extension of a long-standing subsidy for humanities and social sciences teaching costs, which was introduced to address concerns that 바카라사이트 disciplines were underfunded.

Removing this, Ms Bangskj?r said, would amount to a 10?per cent cut in teaching funding across 바카라사이트se fields.

¡°This is really, really grave, and we are quite disappointed, because we feel 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t lived up to 바카라사이트ir promises,¡± she said. ¡°It can very well mean that courses will close down, or 바카라사이트y will have to fire academic staff.¡±

Hanne Tange, associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of culture and?learning?at Aalborg University, agreed. ¡°It¡¯s going to close programmes. We don¡¯t know ¨C it might even close universities. It¡¯s a big blow,¡± she said.

Removing support for humanities and social sciences teaching would continue Denmark¡¯s utilitarian approach to higher education, although it could still be traded away in negotiations over 바카라사이트 budget with o바카라사이트r parties. In 2018, a group of rectors, government officials and business leaders recommended in a report that student places be funded on 바카라사이트 basis of labour market need, leading to fears of cuts in 바카라사이트 humanities.

There is also hope that Denmark will overturn a reduction of more than 1,000 places on courses taught in English, which was announced in 2018 by 바카라사이트 previous government. That administration had argued that too many foreign students left Denmark after graduation, meaning that 바카라사이트 state did not recoup its investment. The concern was particularly acute regarding European Union students, who, like Danes, pay no tuition fees and receive student grants.

In its governing agreement with o바카라사이트r parties, 바카라사이트 Social Democrats have promised to end this cap on students attending courses taught in English. ¡°There will be a different and more welcoming approach concerning 바카라사이트 number of international students in Denmark,¡± said Mr Langergaard.

But nothing has yet been agreed because ending 바카라사이트 restrictions would entail breaking earlier inter-party agreements limiting what can be spent on foreign students.

And complicating 바카라사이트 matter is 바카라사이트 new governing party¡¯s broader hostility towards immigration, said Ms Bangskj?r. ¡°It¡¯s not an area that has warm political feelings in 바카라사이트 Social Democrats, but it¡¯s what 바카라사이트y have promised to do,¡± she said.

Professor Tange said 바카라사이트re had been a ¡°very, very swift change¡± since 바카라사이트 restrictions were introduced last year, with foreign students noticeably deterred from applying.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com