The Danish Government and all Parliament parties have recently passed an act that will ensure more freedom and mobility for university students between education and career. The act is based on the Agreement on Increasing flexibility of university education programmes, which was concluded on 6 December 2018. The agreement suggests providing students with more flexible ways through university to “match the labour market’s fluctuating competency needs”.

The so-called package flexibility reform contains the following elements:

• Better opportunities for starting work after completing a bachelor programme and then return to university later for a master programme - academic bachelor graduates’ legal claim to entry into a master programme is extended to up to 3 years;

• Supplementary possibility of obtaining a 1-year academic advanced level programme;

• More possibility of studying part-time.

Danish Minister of Higher Education and Research, Tommy Ahlers, stated that 100 Danish corporations are ready to hire bachelors and give them the possibility to familiarise themselves with the labour market before obtaining a master’s degree. He also stressed the importance of this act in enhancing lifelong learning and allowing students to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience. The act will enter into force on 1 July 2019 and will remain in force for five years. Students will be able to start the programme in the summer of 2019.

Government of Denmark - Minister of Higher Education and Science