The financial stability of universities is challenged. This is partly due to the shift in the balance between basic funds and external funds. The financial resilience of universities is a prerequisite for the institutions' long-term employment policies and talent development across various areas and tasks.
Universities must fulfill many different societal roles related to education, research, innovation, and dissemination. This requires a multifaceted approach to talent, ensuring that recruitment is not limited to researchers who excel at securing external research funding.
Danish Universities and six private foundations have taken responsibility with an agreement on funding associated costs, which, according to the parties involved, will free up approximately 750 million DKK in 2024 for the universities' own allocation. However, there is still a need for the political system to take responsibility for ensuring the balance between basic funds and external funds.
DFiR estimates that the research reserve will amount to 5 to 6 billion DKK in 2025. This is an excellent opportunity to increase the universities' basic funds, thereby providing university administrations with better frameworks for long-term employment policies.