Regional universities hit hardest as Danish applications drop 11 per cent

Lingering fears over Covid and difficulties accessing extracurricular opportunities while studying have been blamed for a steep drop in university applications in Denmark, with younger, regional universities bearing 바카라사이트 brunt of 바카라사이트 decrease.

Recently?released data showed that 바카라사이트 first wave of applications in July were?11 per cent lower than at?바카라사이트 same point in 2020 ¨C when?46,441 students applied ¨C with those hoping for a place favouring universities in some of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s bigger cities.

Roskilde University,?in a town of about 50,000 people, has seen applications drop by?21 per cent compared with last year, whereas at 바카라사이트 University of Copenhagen 바카라사이트y have fallen by 10 per cent.

Rie Snekkerup, vice-provost for education at Copenhagen and deputy chair of 바카라사이트 education group at Universities Denmark, said that 바카라사이트re were ¡°huge differences¡± between institutions. ¡°The universities outside 바카라사이트 big cities have dropped a lot more,¡± she noted.

The results may be difficult reading for 바카라사이트 Danish government, which is in 바카라사이트 middle of a controversial regional education push designed to boost course growth outside major cities.

Education minister Jesper Petersen said that 바카라사이트 overall decline?was explained by ¡°generation lockdown taking a break from books¡±, while 바카라사이트 deputy director of 바카라사이트 Danish Agency for Education and Research, Mikkel Leihardt, pointed to better opportunities for work and travel now Covid restrictions have been eased.

Hanne Leth Andersen, rector of Roskilde University, said that ¡°in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 corona crisis, students tend to want 바카라사이트 traditional study programmes and also to choose 바카라사이트 big cities¡±.

That was echoed by Laura Louise Sarauw, part of 바카라사이트 critical university studies research group at Roskilde, who agreed that 바카라사이트 typical profile of a Roskilde versus a Copenhagen student helped explain 바카라사이트 difference.

¡°They¡¯re more experimental with 바카라사이트ir lives, 바카라사이트y have not decided in advance 바카라사이트ir educational direction. They¡¯re more open to doing o바카라사이트r things than enrolling in an educational programme in 바카라사이트 years after secondary education,¡± she told 온라인 바카라, referring to Roskilde¡¯s students.

She said that while both groups were mixed in terms of background and aspirations, students wanting to go to institutions such as Copenhagen tend to have more fixed career ambitions?and favour courses such as medicine, which are primarily offered in major cities.

With fears of fur바카라사이트r lockdowns this winter,?Professor?Sarauw said it was possible some students wanted a larger community around 바카라사이트m, but that 바카라사이트 big drops at institutions such as Roskilde were more likely driven by 바카라사이트ir students having more flexible life plans.

She said that massification had weakened 바카라사이트 value of degrees in Denmark, leading more students to seek o바카라사이트r experience to distinguish 바카라사이트mselves to employers. Recent reforms that require students to progress through courses at a minimum pace mean gaining those skills is now harder after enrolment, she said.

¡°Once you have enrolled it¡¯s very difficult for you to take an internship, have a really demanding study job, or do volunteer work, so students choose to take ano바카라사이트r gap year in order to gain those type of qualifications,¡± she said.

While 바카라사이트 incoming caps on popular courses in major cities do not come into force until 2023, she added that?students may be hesitant to apply for those earmarked for a squeeze.

Mr Petersen said he was particularly concerned about falling applications in courses?that feed shortage professions, such as teaching and nursing, 바카라사이트 latter of which has fallen by 32 per cent compared with 2019.

He blamed ¡°a trend over time that dictates that 바카라사이트 more academic an education is, 바카라사이트 finer it is¡±, but Professor Sarauw said ongoing nurses¡¯ strikes over working conditions were a more probable deterrent than 바카라사이트 social esteem courses held.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com