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Denmark to reduce English-language student numbers

Too many students leave Denmark after completing study programmes taught in English, says education minister Søren Pind, who has promised to cut down admissions to English-language programmes.

Published: 31 March 2017 13:07 CEST

Denmark to reduce English-language student numbers

Photo: Iris/Scanpix

The minister will work together with institutions to find a way to reduce the number of students following English-language programmes, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science confirmed in a press statement.

The ministry will aim to cut every fourth spot available on institutions running English-language vocational courses (erhvervsakademier and professionshøjskoler) – a total of 1,600 fewer places in 2017 compared to 2015.

According to a study carried out by the ministry, only one-fifth of graduates from vocational-related study programmes are working in Denmark two years after graduating.

The study also showed that many foreign students leave Denmark within two years after completing their studies, while many of those that remain do so to continue into higher education.

“We can see that the number of foreign students that come here to get an education paid for by Danish taxpayers has increased sharply in recent years. But there are far too few staying and contributing to Denmark afterwards. So we need to make a reduction in admissions,” said Pind.

READ ALSO: Foreigners fill more than half of all new jobs in Denmark

The minister also said that all further education programmes in Denmark should educate people for the benefit of the Danish employment sector, and that many programmes do not currently serve that purpose.

Jens Henrik Thulesen Dahl of the nationalist Danish People’s Party was supportive of the move by the education ministry.

“It makes no sense to admit so many foreign students to our study programmes if they go home again when they are done studying here. This is the first step towards making sure we only bring in the right amount that will be of tangible benefit to Denmark. Our education system is not supposed to educate young people from all of Europe,” Dahl said.

A similar analysis will now also be carried out of engineering programmes and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

The ministry will also look into how the content of English-language programmes can be adapted to make them more focused on the needs of the Danish job market, said the statement.

READ ALSO: ‘Denmark's constant residency curbs will turn away skilled workers'

How much Danish do you need to learn to get a job in Denmark?

There are many international companies in Denmark where the workplace language is English – opening up opportunities to many nationalities who want to live and work in Denmark. However for some professions, a certain level of Danish is a requirement and for others, working in Danish opens up more doors.

“The level we say you need to get a job is to have passed the Prøve i Dansk 3 (PD3), which is the official exam by the Ministry of Education. It is equivalent to the B2 European Framework level,” Maria-Sophie Schmidt, language consultant at Studieskolen’s private Danish department told The Local.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability. It uses a six-point scale: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, where C2 is for those who are advanced and fluent in the language. It means employers and educational institutions can easily assess language abilities.

“When you pass Prøve i Dansk 3 and are B2 level, you’re not completely fluent but you can function in Danish and read newspaper articles in Danish. Usually I say B2 level is like a driver’s license we give you on your Danish. So you can drive a car but if you want to be a really good driver, you have to go practice in traffic. So after PD3 and with practice and with help perhaps, you should be able to write an application in Danish and go through an interview,” Schmidt said.

“PD3 will always help you get a job because companies appreciate you have the certificate. There’s a worry for some companies that you aren’t fluent.

“It is also helpful because Danes like to socialise in our workplaces such as at julfrokost (Christmas lunch) or fredagsbar (Friday afternoon drinks) and some are uncomfortable having to change their language to English all the time, maybe because we don’t feel we speak it well enough. So if you come as a foreigner and have a certificate of Prøve i Dansk 3, I think it’s a big advantage,” Schmidt added.

Foreign dentists and doctors need to have passed Prøve i dansk 3, as well as other professional tests before being able to start an evaluation period of working.

However there are some sectors where passing the Danish language exam isn’t a requirement. Due to current pressure on hospital waiting times in Denmark, nurses outside of the EU are no longer asked to pass Prøve i dansk 3. Instead, they can demonstrate their Danish language ability, in line with the requirements used for nurses from EU and EEA countries. This includes a six-month probation period where Danish communication skills are assessed.

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The construction industry and engineering, as well as hospitality are other sectors where Danish language skills won’t necessarily need to be B2 level or need certification. But whether or not you require the Prøve i Dansk 3 certificate, practicing Danish is the key to gaining confidence in the Danish workplace.

“Sign up for a language course or sign up to a sports club and surround yourself with Danish language. Insist on speaking Danish and if you know anyone speaking native Danish, ask to have a coffee and practice your Danish. If you have kids and meet other parents, speak Danish, or volunteer at somewhere like a nursing home,” Schmidt suggested.

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Language schools offer a Module 6 course, called Studieprøve to get to C1 level. Here you learn to read, write and speak more academic Danish. It is a requirement for those wanting to study in Danish but you don’t need it for a job.

“At Studieskolen we offer Classes after PD3 – a conversation class at B2 and C1 level where you don’t focus on grammar and writing but on speaking relevant topics in society such as what’s going on now, newspaper articles, TV shows and practice speaking to colleagues in small talk and more complicated conversations. PD3 is a driver’s license but you often can’t join a conversation spontaneously or you may lack confidence and vocabulary, so those classes help that.”

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