More Danish students should study abroad

Even though the number of Danish students availing of a study abroad exchange or pursuing a whole education programme at an international educational institution is increasing, there was still only an average of 17 per cent of a year group studying abroad in 2011/2012. Minister for Science, Innovation and Higher Education Morten Østergaard believes this is too few.

- Even though it is positive that more students are studying abroad, I have a vision that in the long-term, we will see all students having an international element to their higher education. International knowledge and experience benefit the individual student and society as a whole. It provides insight into other countries’ development and culture and makes graduates more attractive to Danish and international employers. It is therefore crucial that in the face of global competition, more students study abroad, says Morten Østergaard.

A new report from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education shows the number of Danish exchange students increased by 17 per cent from the study year 2010/2011 to 2011/2012. It also shows that the number of Danes who pursued a whole education programme abroad increased by 8 per cent from 2010 to 2011.

But as the numbers of students in higher education as a whole have increased in recent years, it means that only an average of 17 per cent of the year group studied abroad in 2011/2012 – an increase of just one percentage point on 2010/2011.

A recently released action plan for internationalisation contains a number of initiatives to encourage even more Danish students to study abroad.

- The action plan for internationalisation will make it easier and quicker for students to study abroad. We have already removed a number of financial and administrative barriers and have reduced the case management times. But it is not enough and we must do much more so that students have better opportunities to gain international experience as part of their education, says the Minister.

Number of Danish students abroad and international students in Denmark in 2011:

Source: Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education

For further information please contact:

Chief Adviser Ken Thomassen, tel. +45 7231 7985, email: keth@vus.dk

Press Officer Ingeborg Nielsen, tel. +45 2211 0200, email: imen@fivu.dk