Op-ed by Mikkel Haarder, Vice President for Education and Research at the Confederation of Danish Industry, Anders Bjarklev, President of DTU, and Per Michael Johansen, Rector of Aalborg University. Published in Børsen on 18.11.2024.
You don't send a car to the garage when it's running perfectly well. Yet, that's exactly what the government wants to do by shortening the Bachelor of Engineering programmes.
In its latest education reform proposal, the government aims to improve the quality of the country's professional bachelor's degree programmes.
The reform aims to better prepare bachelor's degree graduates for the workforce, but this is already happening to a large extent in the case of engineering graduates. This is clearly reflected in the unemployment figures. Only 3.1% of technical university graduates, including Bachelor of Engineering graduates, are not yet in a permanent job two years after graduation. According to an employer analysis of engineering students conducted by Epinion, two-thirds of the companies hiring graduates believe they have a deep level of professionalism.
The Bachelor of Engineering programme as we know it today is a leading example of everything the government is trying to promote with its focus on Industry Master of Science in Engineering graduates and shortened master's programmes: a strong connection to the labour market. But this is precisely what they are now planning to weaken.
Reduced quality
The reform proposes to increase the amount of teaching and intensify the course of study in exchange for shortening the programmes by 15 ECTS credits, equivalent to two months of study time.
For programmes with few teaching hours, the adjustments are undoubtedly worthwhile. But if we look at the 3.5-year Bachelor of Engineering programmes in isolation, it can only mean a deterioration in quality.
With a 40-45 hour work and study week, a packed teaching programme, a six-month internship and a final Bachelor of Engineering project in close collaboration with a company, there is no room to increase the amount of teaching. If the programme is shortened anyway, it will just get worse.
BEng project is crucial for job creation
Currently, the first four semesters of the programme are spent acquiring necessary and fundamental skills in the students' field. This is done through lab and workshop activities, company visits, and class collaboration.
Subsequently, the last three semesters build a bridge to the labour market, which the reform aims to address. With a focus on practice and the necessary specialization, students will be ready to enter the workforce and create value for Danish companies from day one.
If we look at the last semester, which the government wants to shorten by two months, this is where the programme is directly linked to the labour market.
87% of students do their final Bachelor of Engineering project in close collaboration with a company where they work on solving important issues. The project makes up two-thirds of the final semester, and this is where everything they have learnt comes together - and the students' knowledge turns into skills. We know that this collaboration often leads to a permanent position.
The reform will remove this opportunity for job creation, as with 15 ECTS points less, it will not be possible to complete the final Bachelor of Engineering project.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Several programmes will be exempt from the reform, namely the teacher education programme, the journalism programme at the Danish School of Media and Journalism and programmes in the maritime field. It must be a mistake that the Bachelor of Engineering programme is not also exempt.
Lars Sandahl Sørensen, CEO of the Confederation of Danish Industry, hit the nail on the head when he commented on the government's reform plans at an Education and Research Policy Summit at DTU in early October:
"The Bachelor of Engineering programmes are a success. They are the foundation for large parts of the Danish industry – so we shouldn't try and gamble with them. Let me say it clearly: If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
The Bachelor of Engineering programme is teaching-intensive, practice-oriented and gets graduates into work. All the things the government wants to achieve with its reform. Why would you want to jeopardize something that works as it should and adds great value to our society.
