Like the rest of the world, DTU is affected by the energy crisis, inflation, cyberattacks, and rising prices. Particularly energy prices affect the University, whose state-of-the-art research infrastructure requires a lot of energy to operate.
Initiatives
The large deficit in 2022 and particularly the budgeted deficit for 2023 have led DTU to introduce a number of initiatives.
This includes continuing and expanding the energy-saving efforts that have already taken place over the last six months. In addition, maintenance tasks will be reduced, just as several planned new building projects and investments will be postponed.
The cost reductions will also include university staff. A hiring freeze will be introduced, and initially, employees will be offered the opportunity to apply for a voluntary redundancy scheme. At the beginning of the new year, it will be assessed whether there is a need to implement further cost reductions through dismissals.
"We are frustrated to be in this situation, but we need to act now to reduce costs. The world around us has become uncertain, and the initiatives taken this year have not been sufficient to ensure the robustness of our finances. Our goal is to initiate the necessary cost reductions now to make sure we will remain a strong university in the future. As a technical university, we have a significant role in society, where our knowledge and competencies are necessary to, among other things, implement the green transformation that Denmark and the rest of the world must carry out in the coming years," says University Director, Executive Vice President Claus Nielsen.
On Wednesday, 14 December, the University's employees were informed about DTU's deficit and the adjustments that will now be implemented.
