A partial reopening of higher education

Students following other programmes may resume their studies with 20 % attendance.

The Government, the Liberal Party, the Danish People's Party, the Socialist People's Party, the Danish Social Liberal Party, the Red-Greens, the Conservatives, the Liberal Alliance and the Alternative have agreed a plan for the partial reopening of higher education.

- I am really pleased that our higher education courses are coming to life again. And what's more, I am very proud that an almost unanimous Parliament has come together to agree on a responsible plan for reopening. The next step is to work closely with educational institutions and students concerning the precise model to be used, says the Minister for Higher Education and Science, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen.

The reopening in practice

The reopening will take effect on April 6. The general framework for reopening is as follows:

• For higher education programmes containing many practical elements, students in their final semester may resume their studies with 50% physical attendance.
• All other students may resume their studies with 20% physical attendance - and in this case, students in the first year must be given special priority.
• It will be possible for students - using measures to decrease the risk of infection - to meet physically at their educational institutions, for example in study groups, reading groups in libraries, etc.
• Researchers and PhD students who, for example, need access to laboratories as part of their research,  will continue to be allowed to attend physically.

he detailed guidelines will be discussed within the sector partnership for higher education. This sector partnership includes rectors, representatives of student organisations, employers' organisations and the health authorities.

- Although we can now begin to open up our educational programmes, many students will still be working from home, and these we must not forget. At the same time, it is important to focus on how to tackle feelings of dissatisfaction and the academic backlog in the time ahead, adds the Minister for Higher Education and Science, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen.

One way of tackling this will be through a  'Welfare Forum', focusing on getting student life started again after lockdown, which the Ministry of Higher Education and Science has set up in conjunction with student representatives. This forum will enable students to present practical ideas and other input related to initiatives that support individual well-being. At the beginning of May, the government will initiate further negotiations concerning the academic backlog and initiatives that can improve the well-being of children and young people.

Requirements for reopening

In connection with the reopening, all staff and students in physical attendance will be required to show a negative test result obtained within the last 72 hours and based on either an antigen or PCR test for COVID-19.

Long-term reopening

Once the vaccination of the eldest and most vulnerable citizens, as well as citizens over the age of 50, who choose to be vaccinated, has been completed, schools and courses of study will in principle be able to reopen fully. Until that milestone has been reached, the parties to the agreement will assess at each transition phase whether there is a basis for allowing even more children and young people to resume physical attendance. In this connection, flexible models are being considered - e.g., with a focus on outdoor activities, staggered attendance, teaching sessions with partial physical attendance, etc., as well as regional and local models.

For further information:

Queries from institutions of higher education regarding COVID-19 may be addressed to: info-covid-19@ufm.dk .

Press inquiries may be made using the press line of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science: +45 7231 8181.

Students will receive additional information from their educational institutions, which they should contact if they have any questions.