Country report

1. STEM education

Skills shortages pose a risk to the competitiveness of the Danish economy. There are shortages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions, mainly ICT specialists and skilled workers in construction and other sectors (especially those linked to the green transition) (European Commission, 2025b). Skills shortages also affect the healthcare sector. In 2024, the government and the parliament reached an agreement on increasing the number of skilled workers for the green transition, called ‘Prepared for the future IV’ (UVM, 2024b). In particular, the agreement proposes to accelerate the green transition of VET and making VET more attractive. It provides for several key initiatives, such as: (i) establishing three climate business schools and other flagship schools; (ii) allocating funding for green equipment and teacher training in vocational schools; and (iii) encouraging young people to study green skills. In addition, the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument helped Danish authorities identify ways of re- and upskilling labour force with green and circular skills, notably in STEM.

Enrolment in STEM courses gradually increases. STEM enrolments in tertiary education increased from 19.6% in 2015 to 24.4% in 2023. However, this remains below the EU average of 26.9% and the proposed EU target for 2030 of 32%. On the other hand, the number of tertiary graduates per thousand 20-34 population (ratio) is high in Denmark compared to the other EU countries. (See figure 2 in the comparative report). Most STEM students are enrolled in engineering (54.1%), natural sciences and mathematics (23.8%), and ICT (22.1%). STEM participation in Denmark is strongly influenced by teachers’ motivation and confidence in teaching the subject. Teachers with positive attitudes and strong STEM teaching skills can significantly increase student engagement and interest, helping to foster more inclusive and encouraging environments for all students (Madsen & Poulsen, 2024).

Denmark is pursuing a broad range of measures to meet its national STEM enrolment goal by 2028. In 2018, the Danish government adopted the ‘Technology Pact’, aiming to increase over a decade the number of students choosing STEM subjects in VET and higher education by 20% (10 000 additional students). The Pact aims to better prepare individuals for a digital and technological future; and meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in technology, engineering, and innovation-driven industries (Regeringen, 2018). In 2019, the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence was published, providing a framework for businesses, researchers, and public authorities to harness the potential of AI, while maintaining high responsibility in AI use. The strategy encourages the use of AI tools while acknowledging the challenges and potential risks, particularly ethical concerns (Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, 2019). In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Danish government spent EUR 16.6 million to expand study places, with a significant focus on STEM programmes, to support progress toward its 2028 target for enrolment in STEM courses. In addition, various non-profit organisations support these efforts, such as Astra or High5Girls, which work to improve diversity and inclusion in STEM fields by engaging young people, educators, and industry partners through outreach programmes, competitions and awareness campaigns.

Despite progress, significant gender disparities in tertiary enrolment in STEM courses remain. In 2023, 34.8% of higher education students enrolled in STEM courses were female, above the EU average of 32.2%, but below the 40% proposed EU target for 2030. Within STEM subjects, women mainly chose natural sciences and mathematics, where they outnumbered men (54.4%). Although the proportion of women enrolled in ICT programmes increased by 3.7 pps between 2017 and 2023, they still represented only 24.7% of ICT students (EU 20.3%). Qualitative and longitudinal research from Denmark shows that some students who enjoy STEM subjects choose not to pursue them because they perceive STEM careers as rigid, narrow and limiting to their self-expression. Concerns about work-life balance further discourage many people, particularly women, from entering these areas despite their interest and abilities (Holmegaard et al., 2014). Motivating young girls and addressing gender stereotypes early on is crucial to increase the talent pool.

Denmark makes significant investment in VET in STEM areas. The share of VET pupils enrolled in STEM courses stood at 45.9% in 2023, exceeding the EU average (36.3%) and the proposed EU-wide target of a least 45% by 2030. However, the share of female pupils is low (10.9% in 2023; compared with an EU average of 15.4% and a proposed EU-wide target of at least 25% by 2030). As part of the “Prepared for the Future IV” agreement, approximately EUR 28.2 million will be allocated to VET schools for the green transition over a four-year period (2024-2028) (Regeringen, 2024). This funding aims to enable these schools to modernise standards and curricula to integrate skills relevant for the green transition. The investment targets VET schools offering programmes in two main areas play a crucial role in supplying workers for the green transition: food and agriculture; and technology, construction, and transport. Around EUR 12.1 million will be allocated over the same four-year period for the in-service training of teachers in all VET programmes. This funding aims to ensure that students learn from qualified teachers with up-to-date knowledge on the green transition. EUR 13.4 million will be set aside for 2025 and 2026 for continuing VET (CVET), as part of a previous tax reform. The agreement allocates a total of EUR 67.1 million for green training, upskilling, and equipment.

2. Early childhood education and care

Denmark has one of the highest participation rates in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the EU. In 2023, the share of children between three years of age and the age at which compulsory primary schooling begins participating in ECEC fell to 95.7%. This is slightly below the EU-level target (96%), but higher than the EU average of 94.6%. The share of children below the age of three in formal childcare or education is also among the highest in the EU (62.9% in 2024, EU: 39.3%), but with a drop of around 6.9 pps since 2023. Most children attended formal childcare for 30 hours or more (57.1% vs 24.8% at EU level).

There continue to be differences in the quality of ECEC across Denmark. Good quality is a precondition for ECEC to be beneficial for all children. However, municipalities in Denmark have autonomy to organise ECEC, which leads to significant disparities in the provision (VIVE 2023 and 2025). Quality differences can be seen in staffing levels, child/staff ratios, the share of professionally trained staff, and ECEC leadership. There are six areas for improvement: (i) interaction with children; (ii) children’s communities; (iii) playtime; (iv) educational activities; (v) opportunities for children in vulnerable positions; and (vi) the creation of engaging physical indoor environments (VIVE 2025). To increase quality, new requirements for the child/staff ratio entered into force as of 2024 for public ECEC and in 2025 for private ECEC (UVM, 2025b). The implementation of the new regulation will require 3 800 new full-time ECEC staff members, despite Denmark already facing systemic shortages of ECEC assistants (European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2025). Municipalities will receive additional annual compensation worth EUR 241 million from 2025 onwards to finance lower child/staff ratios (UVM, 2025c).

Denmark reduced administrative burden on ECEC service providers, but there needs to be monitoring of the impact of measures to improve quality. The Day-care Act was amended in late 2024 aiming at simplification for municipalities (Folketinget, 2024). The amendment made three major changes: ECEC centres no longer need elaborate written curricula; their biennial evaluation has been removed; and documentation on the supervision of ECEC centres by municipalities has been simplified. The amendment also gives ECEC institutions more freedom on administrative issues (UVM, 2024e). The impact of these simplifications must be closely monitored to avoid negative effects on ECEC quality. In addition, the government has limited the use of digital devices by staff mainly for communication, especially with parents, and pedagogical tasks not directly involving children (UVM, 2024a).

3. School education and basic skills

Underachievement in basic skills increased over time but remainsrelatively low in EU comparison. The 2022 OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that every fifth young Dane had not reached a minimum level of proficiency in maths (20.4%), reading (19.0%) or science (19.5%). While this is below the EU average, it is well above the EU-level 2030 target of less than 15%. This trend was broadly confirmed by the International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2023. In fourth grade, about every fourth pupil showed low performance in mathematics or science in 2023 (24.5% and 25.2%, respectively), showing a clear increase since the 2015 TIMSS (+4.8 pps in low performance in mathematics and +3.3 pps in low performance in science), (Kjeldsen et al., 2024), although results remained stable since 2018. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) paints a similar picture, showing the share of low performance in reading increasing by 7 pps from 2011 to 2021 (Fougt et al., 2023).

The share of top-performing students fell in maths and science and is now around the EU average. Between 2015 and 2022 the share of top-performing students declined in reading (-0.2 pps) and mathematics (-4.0 pps) to 6.3% and 7.7%, respectively, while remaining constant (7.0%) for science. For maths, this trend could restrain the access to STEM studies. Denmark is seeking to reverse this trend through screening procedures for detecting gifted students; and providing targeted support and materials for them (See European Commission, 2024). The latest national test results show that top-performance in Danish and mathematics increased in recent years (UVM, 2025d).

Digital skills remain relatively strong in EU comparison but show a declining trend. 32% of eighth graders did not reach a basic level of digital skills in the ICILS 2023 study, and while this is better than the EU average (43%), it still falls short of the EU target of reducing underachievement in digital skills to below 15% by 2030. Denmark experienced a significant decrease in average computer and information literacy, with a 15 pps increase in underachievement since 2018. Supported by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, Denmark drew up a National Strategy for Digitalisation in 2023 to improve the digital skills of children and young people and strengthen higher education to better equip graduates and the workforce with digital skills and a better understanding of the digital context.

Underachievement is high among students with a migrant background. According to PISA 2022, almost half (46.0%) of students born abroad underachieve in maths, with a 28.7 pp. performance gap with non-immigrant students (17.3%), one of the highest in the EU. The performance gap associated with migrant background also remains significant after accounting for socio-economic background (21 PISA score points), showing the persisting difficulties of the Danish education system in addressing fully the needs of students with a migrant background.

Inequalities have grown over time, but disadvantaged pupils still outperform their European peers. In 2022, about a third (34.1%) of students from disadvantaged backgrounds did not achieve a minimum proficiency level in maths, significantly below the EU average (48%). The share of students from disadvantaged backgrounds performing well in basic skills (reaching at least level 4 in OECD PISA in one of the domains) decreased from 26.2% in 2015 to 19.6% in 2024 (-6.6 pps) but still remains above the EU average (16.3%). In 2024, Denmark announced investments amounting to EUR 5.4 million annually to support the municipalities with the highest shares of academically challenged students (UVM, 2024c). The EU’s 2025 country specific recommendations advised Denmark ‘to tackle attainment inequalities in education and training and to ensure the provision and acquisition of the skills needed for the green and digital transition’ (Council of the EU, 2025).

Early school leaving remains at a high level, despite a declining trend in the EU. At 10.4% in 2024, the share of early leavers (18-24) from education and training (ELET) in Denmark remained unchanged compared with 2023. This is above the EU average of 9.4% and the EU-level target of below 9%. Denmark has seen a 2.3 pp. increase in the rate of early school leaving since 2015 in contrast to a 1.6 pp. reduction in the EU overall. Early school leaving is higher for boys (11.1%) than for girls (9.6%), but the gender gap of 0.5 pps is smaller than the EU average of 3.3 pps. Early school leaving is also much higher in Denmark’s rural areas (15.5%) than in cities (6.2%) and suburbs (12.3%). In 2025, Denmark is introducing a Junior Master Apprenticeship scheme to reengage students who either want a more practical education or are at risk of early school leaving during secondary school and to prepare them for a VET education (Cedefop, 2025).

Denmark continues to implement its quality programme for primary and lower secondary school ‘Prepared for the Future II’. This programme follows a reform focused on higher education (Section 5) and is the second in a series of seven programmes to reform the Danish education system. It has a total of 33 measures within three themes: (1) Autonomy with responsibility, and more influence for school boards, (2) more practical teaching and greater freedom of choice for the oldest students, and (3) stronger class communities. Reducing the importance of social background on learning outcomes remains a key goal combined with improving outcomes in reading and mathematics, strengthening pedagogical methods, increasing well-being of students and ensuring better coherence between school and the labour market (Regeringen, 2023a). A key initiative is 'renewal and streamlining of the primary and lower secondary learning objectives, reducing considerably the number of learning objectives – an initiative supported by the Association of School Leaders as one of the most important elements of the reform package (Folkeskolen, 2024). Several measures are also taken to give teachers and schools greater autonomy by removing rules and regulations and delegating greater responsibility. Industry representatives support the new ‘junior master apprenticeship’ scheme and compulsory vocational training (Dansk Industri, 2024). To improve students’ well-being, the use of mobile phones will be strictly limited in Danish schools (UVM, 2024a). Recent studies show that mobile devices are already banned in 88% of the surveyed schools during instruction time and are banned in 74% of schools during school breaks. Most parents indicated their support for a ban on mobile phone use by school children, and 60% said they had seen a positive impact on their child since the introduction of schooltime bans on mobile phones (UVM, 2025a).

4. Vocational education and training

Denmark has committed to building a future-ready VET system. Work-based learning in Danish VET is extensive (78.8% of recent graduates in 2024, compared to 65.2% EU-wide). Recent VET graduates have a high employment rate (87.7% in 2024; compared with 80.0% in the EU). In 2024, Denmark launched several initiatives under the ‘Prepared for the Future’ comprehensive reform strategy. VET-related initiatives emphasised skills for the green transition, the mobility of VET learners, knowledge centres for VET, attractiveness of VET (Prepared for the Future IV), and securing more skilled workers for healthcare and elderly care (Prepared for the Future III). The initiatives also aimed to improve vocational higher education, with investments intended to improve teaching quality, establish flexible education options, and promote lifelong learning (Prepared for the Future V, VI, and VII).

Denmark is working to promote entrepreneurship with dedicated funding. In 2024, the Danish government and parliament concluded the ‘Entrepreneurship package’ agreement, which aims to respond to the global talent competition and make Denmark more attractive to entrepreneurial talent (Cedefop1, n.a.). A total of EUR 160 million has been allocated for 2024-2026, and thereafter EUR 147 million annually. The agreement aims to promote entrepreneurial culture and foster young entrepreneurial talent in VET institutions, university colleges, business academies, maritime education institutions, and higher artistic education institutions. These institutions can apply for funding from Denmark’s Foundation for Entrepreneurship (Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, 2024).

In 2024, Denmark continued its pilot programme offering introductory VET courses to lower secondary education students. This programme (Cedefop2, n.a.), targeted students in grades eight and nine, and is designed to meet the diverse needs of young learners and encourage completion of basic education and subsequent enrolment in VET programmes. In 2024, municipalities could apply to participate in this initiative, which runs until the 2025/2026 academic year. Selected learners follow a reduced curriculum, integrating practical VET electives, which occupy two days per week at vocational schools. The programme specifically targets students at risk of not completing a youth education programme (UVM, 2024d).

5. Tertiary education

Denmark’s tertiary educational attainment (TEA) rate has continuously increased and now surpassed the EU-level target. Since 2015, it increased by 8.2 pps to reach 51.2% in 2024. In 2024, 59.1% of women aged 25-34 had a degree, compared with 43.7% of men, leading to a significant gender gap of 15.4 pps (4.2 pps above the EU average). The share of foreign-born young people with a degree has also strongly increased (+12.2 pps since 2015) to 60.9%, which is well above those born in Denmark (49.5%). The share of foreign-born young people with a degree is higher among young people coming from other EU countries (68.0%) than those born outside the EU (55.9%). The current university reform aims to better manage access to higher education. Fewer places at bachelor’s level (a reduction of up to 8% (UFM, 2025)), should motivate more students to enter VET. The number of students allowed to tertiary courses is linked to unemployment among graduates of specific programmes and labour market demand (UFM, 2024).

Recent graduates from higher education and VET have strong employment prospects in Denmark. In 2024, the employment rate for 20-34-year-olds with ISCED 3-4 VET education (87.7%) decreased towards the 87.8% of higher education graduates (ISCED 5-8). While both are declining recently, employment of VET graduates shrank more quickly (by 2.9 pps) since 2023, compared to 0.5 pps in higher education. The employment rate for those with a VET qualification remains higher than the EU average (80.0%). The education reforms in higher education discussed above aim to direct students towards subjects more relevant to the labour market and to prepare and motivate students from an early age to also choose more vocational paths.

Denmark continues the reform of higher education to improve its quality and labour market relevance. Following the 2023 government agreement on the introduction of shorter master’s degree programmes, a committee was established to implement the university reform. The committee was tasked with making proposals for the concrete design of the new master’s degree landscape. (UFM, 2025). Universities must decide which of their programmes they want to offer as 1-year master’s programmes. The new shorter programmes are expected to be developed in close dialogue with the social partners. Apart of the new programmes there will be master’s degree programmes for working professionals, where students work part time as part of their studies (Regeringen, 2023b). Parts of the reform have been met with scepticism from students and rectors, who are critical of the framework conditions and financing (Forskerforum, 2024). The Danish Financial Sector Employers' Association and Finansforbundet (the trade union for finance employees), while welcoming the strengthening of lifelong learning in these new shorter programmes, is not convinced that such a high share of master’s programmes needs to be shortened (Union Finans, 2023).

6. Adult skills and learning

Denmark is among the EU’s top performers in adult learning participation. This is partly due to the presence of a strong learning culture in the population but can also be ascribed to a well-functioning and comprehensive adult education system and a high degree of political consensus on the importance of adult education. Specifically in the context of vocationally oriented adult education and training, the trade unions and employers’ groups in Denmark are actively involved, playing a vital role not just as advisers but also with very direct and formal responsibilities in policymaking, governance, skills monitoring and curriculum development. In the latest Adult Education Survey (2022), 47.1% of adults in Denmark said they participated in learning activities in the last 12 months (EU average: 39.5%). However, the participation rate is lower than the national 2030 target of 60% participation. More highly educated individuals participate in learning activities substantially more than less educated individuals (61.5% vs 25.3%). The participation rates of women and men is almost equal (47.1% vs 47.0%). Individuals aged 25 to 34 are more likely to participate in learning activities than individuals aged 55 to 64 (56.7% vs 39.7%), while individuals from cities (56.3%) and towns and suburbs (44.2%) are more likely to participate than individuals from rural areas (38.8%), which is in line with the EU average (cities: 43.3%; towns and suburbs: 38.4% vs rural areas: 35.1%).

Shortages of skilled workers are a challenge for the economy. The Danish economy is very strong and employment continues to rise. However, labour supply cannot keep up with demand, leading to serious labour shortages, in particular for skilled labour in trade, service and sales. As recruitment to initial VET is now dwindling, there is a pressure to increase participation in adult education even further. The green and digital skills development of the workforce is also supported with the Cohesion policy funds, most recently with the REACT EU, ERDF, ESF+ and JTF.