This chapter provides a thematic and chronological overview of national reforms and policy developments since 2020.

The introduction of the chapter describes the overall education strategy and the key objectives across the whole education system. It also looks at how the education reform process is organised and who are the main actors in the decision-making process.

The section on ongoing reforms and policy developments groups reforms in the following broad thematic areas that largely correspond to education levels: Early childhood education and care; School education; VET and Adult learning; Higher education; and Transversal skills and Employability. Inside each thematic area, reforms are organised chronologically. The most recent reforms are described first.

The Danish government has put forward initiatives to improve the area of early childhood education and care, compulsory education, youth education programmes, vocational education, higher education and adult education. The main reasons for the initiatives are to improve the quality of teaching and the programmes as well as to reduce the drop-out rate in youth education programmes and higher education. Also, increasing the number of apprenticeships is of high importance and many initiatives have been put forward within this area.

Finally the section on the European perspective provides links to European strategies in which education and training have a prominent role.

Overall national education strategy and key objectives

The government has put a great deal of focus on education, especially on school education, as a reform on how to make a good school better has been approved. From the beginning of the period, the Prime Minister has emphasised that the quality of the Danish public school, Folkeskole, has to be improved. This will, among other things, mean longer school days and more lessons in mathematics and Danish. Also, the time spent on movement and activity will increase as the vision is that pupils learn more and better if they are more active.

Within the area of vocational education, new legislation has been passed which, among other things, mean that the number of training places will increase, the number of drop-outs has to be decreased and the employability rate when finished should rise.

With regards to higher education, focus is especially on encouraging the students to start higher education as soon as possible and to complete the studies as quickly as possible. Also, a new agreement on how to develop a talent culture in higher education has been adopted.

Please refer to the chapter Ongoing reforms and policy developments for more information.

Overview of the education reform process and drivers

The educational policy-making and reform process in Denmark is carried out in the Ministry of Children and Education, The Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Ministry of Culture with input and expertise from different experts, education leaders and stakeholders.