Government to introduce group exams and develop new exam system

The Government will reintroduce group tests and exams at all levels from school to university.

The higher education minister and the minister for children and education will hold discussions with students, institutions, recruiters and examiners to find out how best to adapt regulations for group tests and exams at different levels. All exams will have individual assessments.

Higher Education Minister Morten Østergaard emphasises the importance of stakeholders' contributions to how best to adapt the framework for tests and exams.

– I am delighted that we are now beginning the process to reintroduce a form of testing that has been sought after since the former government decided to remove it in 2005. The Government is looking forward and developing exams regulations that will improve education programmes. We want to ask students and other stakeholders what they think is lacking from current types of exams and hear their ideas for new regulations. The dialogue will help clarify if there for example should be a limit on the number of participants in a group and if students should have the right to individual exams. It is also important that recruiters are considered as they know what skills are required of graduates, says Morten Østergaard.

The Higher Education Ministry will carry out a number of meetings with stakeholders in January 2012. On the basis of these meetings, the ministry will draft a proposal for new regulations, which will be sent to a hearing with the aim of it taking effect from September 1st 2012. The ministry will also unify all exam regulations for higher education programmes.

Education falling under the remit of the Ministry of Children and Education will also see the reintroduction of group testing in relevant areas from the start of the 2012/2013 school year.

These will include maths and science in primary/lower secondary school, drama and media subjects in the STX upper secondary programme, business case studies in the HHX upper secondary programme and the introductory exam in the commercial vocational education programmes.

The ministry will also enter into dialogue with relevant stakeholders who can contribute ideas on which tests can benefit in the short and long term from group testing.

A development period will take place between 2012 and 2014 as part of the general development of tests. Group tests will form part of the development of new types of testing. The introduction and use of group tests should be seen in connection with development and renewal of tests and exams in general.

The minister for children and education, Christine Antorini has actively worked to reintroduce the possibility for group testing.

– It is important that group testing can be used again as one of the many types of tests and exams. Different forms of exams should reflect real working methods. After the summer, should be able to take part in group tests and exams in a range of subjects. We will also try out new types of tests and exams in a development programme that encompasses the entire education field, says Christine Antorini.

Further information:

Higher Education Ministry: Press officer Ingeborg Nielsen, tel: +45 2211 0200.

Ministry of Children and Education: Communications officer Karen Ormstrup Søndergaard, tel: +45 3392 5009.