Denmark has appointed this month a new minster of Higher Education and Science, with Søren Pind officially taking over the post from Ulla Tørnæs, who moves on to the position of Minister for Development Cooperation. Pind as the outgoing Minister of Justice, has also held ministerial posts in Migration and Development Cooperation – he now coins himself in his new role for education as ‘’minister of the future’’.

With Denmark’s newly formed three coalition-government – comprised of the long standing centre-right liberal party, the Liberal Alliance and the Conservative People’s Party, according to the University Post (Copenhagen University’s independent newspaper) pending changes for the country’s education are on their way. An overhaul of the student financing system, commenced by Tørnæs, will entail a decrease of Danish SU Study grants to be replaced by a greater number of loans-based support. The boards of higher education are to enhance their societal relevance, that will entail governmental monitoring - a move underpinned by a report recommending ‘’government intervene more directly on who it is that should sit on university boards’’. Plans to simplify the current higher education funding system, a new committee to advance the match between education and employment standards, as well as a controversially looked upon, governmental ‘opening up’ to private universities, round off the debate around the triple-thread administration.

Søren Pind is a well-known figure in Denmark’s public eye, characterized by his strong social media presence, blogging, and provocative appearances on popular radio spots and television series. As one of his first ministerial acts he has appointed as special advisor Martin Ruby, serving Pind in the same role during his time at the Ministry of Justice, and has a background as head of public affairs at Google and the Liberal Party of Denmark. After being ‘’minister for freedom’’ in his role for development Cooperation, and ‘’the sheriff’’ in his forgone  judicial duties, what future he will deliver to Denmark’s current and next generation  in his role as ‘mister of the future’ remains to be seen. d Science – Press release