1. Introduction

The Danish education system is a big and mobile entity. New generations, new and different requirements from the labour market and from international cooperation partners leave their natural marks on the education system.

For several decades, there have been many central objectives for the education sector, e.g. education and training for all, quality in the education system, demands regarding efficiency, decentralisation and target and framework management, a more flexible education system with credit transfer possibilities, openness and transparency etc.

This publication presents a number of general indicators, which are to be seen as directions of where the development goes or is expected to go in the education system.

The indicators are grouped under the following headings:

• Resources, i.e. expenditure, number of teachers, schools etc.
  
  
• Pupil/student flows, i.e. number of pupils/students, intake, graduation and transition from one level of education to another.
  
  
• Results, i.e. the outcome of the educational efforts, such as the final educational profile of a year group and the correlation between level of educational attainment and unemployment.

In the light of the Danish Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2002, the focus of the international sections of this version of "Facts and Figures" will in particular be on comparisons with the other EU-Member States.

One must be cautious about comparing the indicators in this publication with those appearing in previous editions of "Facts and Figures". This is among other things due to the so-called retrospective corrections made on a regular basis by Statistics Denmark.

2.1 The Education System

The Danish education system is normally divided into a number of main areas according to level and branch of education. The main areas of the education system is presented below, see also Figures 2.1.1 and 2.1.2.

The basic school (primary and lower secondary school)
Education is compulsory for nine years in Denmark, but there is no compulsory schooling. Compulsory education commences in August in the calendar year of the child's 7th birthday. The municipal Folkeskole is responsible for most of the provision, supplemented by the private school sector, i.e. free elementary schools and continuation schools as well as special schools for severely handicapped pupils. Pupils are normally between 6 and 17 years old.

According to the Act on the Folkeskole, the school must provide the children with both subject-specific qualifications and prepare them broadly for the role as citizens in a democratic society. There is a close co-operation between the school and the parents. The teaching takes its point of departure in the individual pupil's abilities and desires. Pupils are normally taught in classes, and they remain together throughout the entire period of basic school. The teaching is differentiated within the framework of the class.

The basic school as such comprises municipal primary and lower secondary schools (folkeskoler), free elementary schools and continuation schools (efterskoler). The municipal primary and lower secondary schools and the free elementary schools comprise a one-year pre-school class, a nine-year basic school and a one-year 10th form. The pre-school class is voluntary for the pupils but must be offered by the municipalities. Since 1986, it has been possible to integrate parts of the teaching of the pre-school class with that of the 1st and 2nd forms of the basic school. Today, almost all children accept the offer of pre-school education. Also the 10th form is voluntary, but in 1999/2000 45% of the pupils in the basic school (excluding continuation schools) chose to continue in the 10th form. When you look at the entire basic school sector (i.e. the municipal primary and lower secondary schools, the free elementary schools and the continuation schools), a total of 64% chose to continue in the 10th form.

The Folkeskole is responsible for most of the basic school provision. The private school sector offers teaching which compares with that required in the Folkeskole, but the framework for the organisation of the teaching is less restrictive. The private schools are so-called private, self-governing institutions. The municipalities pay contributions to the State for pupils attending free elementary schools. This contribution, which is laid down in the annual Finance Act, constitutes 85% of the State's operational grant per pupil, excluding expenditures for pensions. In 2000, 11.5% of the basic school pupils attended private schools, and 3.4% attended continuation schools.

Continuation schools are boarding schools which normally offer teaching at the 8th to 10th form levels. An increasing proportion of young people complete their schooling with the last year(s) at a continuation school.

Special schools offering extensive special education to pupils with severe handicaps only cater for a small proportion, i.e. 0.6% of all basic school pupils in 2000/01. Almost all pupils who receive special education are integrated into the ordinary classes or attend special classes at ordinary schools.

The pre-school class corresponds to level 0 in the international ISCED97-classification, and the basic school corresponds to levels 1 (1st to 6th forms) and 2 (7th to 10th forms).

Production schools
Production schools are schools for young people under 25 years of age, who have not completed a youth education programme (upper secondary education). It is the aim to enhance the personal development of the participants and improve their possibilities in the education system and in the labour market. The teaching is organised with a view to providing the young people with qualifications that can lead to completion of a vocationally qualifying course of education.

The production schools distinguish themselves from most other school forms in that they have continuous intake and very great variations in the duration of the individual participant's stay. A typical stay is of approx. 6 months' duration, but one fourth of the students attend the production school for less than a month and one fourth for more than 6 months.

Youth education (upper secondary education)
The youth education programmes are primarily academically oriented (i.e. they prepare for further studies) or vocationally oriented (i.e. they prepare for the labour market) or both. As an additional offer for young people, there are the individually organised programmes: the vocational basic training programme (egu) and until 2002 the open youth education programme (fuu).

Irrespective of the branch of education, great emphasis is laid on the development of the pupils'/students' personal qualifications. This is also the main objective behind the individually organised programmes. All young people must be given the offer of a youth education programme and, through a varied supply of programmes, it is largely possible to take into account the abilities and desires of all students. This is among other things to ensure high motivation so that the young people will complete their programmes. Today, around 83% complete a youth education programme.
The normal duration of a youth education programme is approx. 3 years. The duration may however vary between 2 and 5 years. The students are typically between 16 and 19 years of age, but many are older.

The academically oriented upper secondary programmes comprise the traditional general upper secondary programmes of the Gymnasium and HF (higher preparatory examination) and the more vocationally oriented general upper secondary programmes of HHX (higher commercial examination) and HTX (higher technical examination). These programmes are meant to prepare students for admission to higher education by providing them with the necessary general and theoretical qualifications for pursuing studies at this level. All students, who have received relevant teaching and passed the prescribed examinations, may continue in a general upper secondary education programme unless their previous school finds that they have made their choice on an insufficient or unrealistic basis. In such cases, the students in question will be recommended to sit for an admission test. Access is thus not totally free to the general upper secondary education programmes.

The traditional general upper secondary programmes comprise the 3-year Gymnasium, the 2-year HF-programme and the 2-year adult upper secondary level course (studenterkursus). The individual programmes comprise compulsory subjects and optional subjects. It is therefore to some extent possible to compose programmes individually. The programmes are academically oriented and are completed with the upper secondary school leaving examination (studentereksamen) or the higher preparatory examination (højere forberedelseseksamen/HF-eksamen). Both examinations qualify for admission to higher education, although often dependent on the choice and level of subjects taken as well as the examination results. These qualifications can also be used for entrance to a vocational training placement in a business enterprise.

The vocationally oriented general upper secondary programmes are 3-year programmes offered at business colleges and technical colleges. They are completed with the higher commercial examination (højere handelseksamen - HHX) and the higher technical examination (højere teknisk eksamen - HTX), respectively. There is an intensive 1-year HHX-course for young people who have already completed a Gymnasium- or HF-programme. The vocationally oriented general upper secondary programmes are academically oriented with emphasis on either commercial or technical subjects. These programmes provide general study competence and qualify for admission to higher education. An HHX- or HTX-examination furthermore qualifies for occupational employment in trade and industry - usually in training positions. The special 1-1½-year entrance examination for the engineering programmes is also considered to be general upper secondary programme.

The vocational upper secondary programmes comprise the vocational education and training programmes (VET), the social and health education programmes (SOSU) as well as the other programmes within the areas of agriculture, forestry, home economics and maritime education etc. These programme are to provide the students with solid vocational, personal and general qualifications, which are formally and actually recognised by and in demand in the labour market. They prepare directly for employment in certain branches of the labour market. All vocational upper secondary programmes provide formal vocational competencies. The programmes must also prepare the young people for further studies. The only requirement for admission to a vocational upper secondary programme is normally that the applicant has completed compulsory education.

The vocational education and training programmes (VET) make up the major part of the vocational upper secondary programmes. On 1 January 2001, a new act on vocational education and training came into force. The VET has now been reduced to only having 7 access channels into the basic course which leads to different main courses. The students are to draw up a personal education and training plan, and it is possible to pursue individual courses of education and training. Before the VET-reform, there were 90 different programmes within the commercial and technical areas with a total of more than 200 specialisations. As early as in the autumn of 1999, a pilot period started within the framework of the reform, where almost all students started on the new basic course contained in the reform.

The vocational education and training programmes are of 1-5 years' duration, the most normal, however, being 3½-4 years. It is possible for adults over 25 years of age with occupational experience from a relevant branch of trade to complete a programme in a shorter period of time. Relevant VET-qualifications qualify for admission to a number of higher education programmes, short-cycle and medium-cycle higher education, on a par with the general upper secondary programmes.

A vocational education and training programme starts either at a vocational college or in a practical training place, depending among other things on whether the young person has found a practical training place or not. There is free access to both the voluntary 1st school period (voluntary as from 1996) and to the 2nd school period. A total of approx. 30-50% of the time is spent at school, and 50-70% is spent in the business enterprise or - if it has not been possible to find a practical training place - in school-based practical training organised by the vocational college.
The commercial and clerical programmes are directed at office jobs, e.g. different types of IT- or accountancy-oriented jobs, and at jobs in retail or wholesale trade in shops and businesses. The technical programmes lead to jobs in traditional branches as smiths, bakers, carpenters, agricultural assistants, hairdressers, photographers, electronics mechanics, transport workers and jobs in new IT-related branches such as data communication and digital media.

Parallel with the vocational education and training programmes, there are the basic social and health education programmes (SOSU), in which practical training alternates with theoretical education at school. The programme leading to the qualification of social and health care help is of one year's duration. It forms the basis for the 1½-year superstructure programme which leads to the qualification of social and health care assistant. Young people, who come directly from basic school, must start the programme for social and health care helps with an introductory year, which requires a contract with a municipality. Admission to the social and health education programmes requires a training contract with a municipality or a county. The SOSU-programmes replace the former programmes leading to qualifications as home care assistants, practical nurses, nursing home assistants and occupational therapy assistants. As from 1 January 2002, a new reform of the SOSU-programmes came into force which has several elements in common with the new VET-reform.

The social and health education programmes also comprise the programme leading to the qualification of educator assistant (pgu). The pgu-programme is a basic programme, which aims at qualifying the students for pedagogical and care-related work with children, young people and adults. The pgu leads to qualifications as educator assistants, registered child minders and special needs care assistants etc. The programme alternates between theoretical education at school and practical training with a total of 1 year's theoretical education and 6 months of practical training.

In addition to the VET- and SOSU-programmes, there are also a number of agricultural, forestry, home economics and maritime programmes. The maritime programmes lead to such qualifications as able seaman, engineer and telegraph operator. The agricultural programmes are programmes which may be completed with the "green certificate" for farmers.

The individualised programmes are primarily programmes which aim at the personal development of the participants. These programmes are directed at young people who have not yet chosen an educational direction or who prefer to acquire a practical qualification rather than an academic one. A completed vocational basic training programme may provide vocational competence, whereas an open youth education programme is aimed at the development of the young person's competence and at continued education in the broadest sense of the word.

The vocational basic training programme (egu) normally takes 2 years but may be extended by a further year. This programme is not directed at a specific branch of trade but may be composed of elements from one or several programmes/trades. It is required that the individual student enters into a training agreement, an egu-agreement, with the municipality or a vocational college. The programme alternates between school periods and periods of practical training. Students are offered individual guidance during the entire course. Under certain circumstances, the programme may enable the student to continue in a vocational education and training programme or another programme.

The open youth education programme (fuu) was an individualised programme, which was normally made up of at least three different education and training elements. The programme normally took 2 years, but could take 3 years as a maximum. The programme will be phased out in accordance with Act No. 79 from 2002.

The youth education level covers level 3 in the ISCED97-classification.

Higher education
The higher education programmes provide occupational competencies. Generally, the higher education programmes are divided into levels according to their duration, namely short-cycle higher education programmes, medium-cycle higher education programmes, including the bachelor programmes, and the long-cycle candicatus programmes of the universities. To this should be added the PhD programmes.

The higher education programmes build on to a youth education programme. The higher education programmes are theoretical programmes, and some programmes have practical training included in the course. The programmes are of varying duration. Today, 44% of a year group complete a higher education programme, and this proportion has been on the increase.

There is free intake to most higher education programmes, i.e. it is the educational institutions themselves that determine the number of students to be admitted on the basis of such factors as the individual institution's physical capacity, qualified teaching staff and the employment prospects of the graduates. For some programmes, e.g. health and teacher education programmes, the number of students to be admitted is decided at central level.

The admission requirements for the programmes are laid down at central level, whereas the selection criteria (in case of numerus clausus) are decided by the institutions themselves.

The admission requirement for the short-cycle higher education programmes is normally either a general upper secondary or a vocational education and training qualification, supplemented by study competence in typically mathematics and English. The short-cycle higher education programmes are normally of 2 years' duration.

In August/September 2000, the reform of short-cycle higher education (or KVU) led to the establishment of 13 new programmes which all entitle the graduates to place the designation of AK (i.e. Academy) after the educational title. The 13 new programmes replace the former approx. 75 programmes (except for the programmes in advanced computer studies and transport logistics etc.). These programmes give access to relevant diploma programmes.

The medium-cycle higher education programmes are normally of 3 or 4 years' duration. This type of programme may for instance lead to qualifications as diploma engineer, librarian, Folkeskole teacher, journalist, educator, social worker, nurse, occupational and physiotherapist and midwife. The admission requirement is most often a completed examination at general upper secondary level (or parts hereof). Also certain VET-programmes may meet the admission requirements. A completed SOSU-programme may for instance give access to the health education programmes.

The medium-cycle higher education programmes are undergoing reform and are about to be transformed into professional bachelor programmes. This among other things means that the teaching must be based on research affiliation, and that the programmes and the teaching must be more closely linked to the profession. The professional bachelors are to be given access to relevant candidatus programmes (see below).

At the same level as the medium-cycle higher education programmes, we find the academic bachelor programmes of the universities. Their officially stipulated duration is 3 years. Such programmes exist within the social sciences, the humanities, the natural sciences etc.

The present structure of the university programmes (bachelor 3 years + candidatus 2 years + PhD 3 years) was adopted in 1993. Prior to that time, all programmes consisted of one unbroken course up to the candidatus-degree, which was the first academic degree. Today, almost all university programmes consist of a bachelor programme, a candidatus programme and the possibility of a subsequent PhD-programme.

The admission requirement for the bachelor programmes is normally a qualification at general upper secondary level with specific subject requirements as for the other higher education programmes. The bachelor programme constitutes a complete programme in itself, but it may also give access to the candidatus programme.

The candidatus programmes are higher education programmes normally of 2 years' duration in continuation of a bachelor programme - i.e. a total of 5 years of studies. A few candidatus programmes are however still organised as one unbroken course without the bachelor level, e.g. the programmes in pharmacy, dentistry, architecture and land surveying.

The candidatus programmes consist of programmes within the following areas: humanities, pedagogy, engineering, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, veterinary and agricultural sciences etc.

As a superstructure building on to the candidatus programme, a researcher programme has been introduced which is completed with the award of a PhD-degree. This programme is of an officially stipulated duration of 3 years.

The higher education level covers level 5 in the ISCED97-classification. The short-cycle higher education programmes which are of a duration of less than 2 years do however belong under level 4 in the ISCED97-classification. Under level 4, we may also find supplementary examination courses at general upper secondary level.

The PhD programmes are considered to be level 6 in the ISCED97-classification.

Adult education
In Denmark, there is a long and strong tradition of liberal adult education (folkeoplysning) and adult education. The adult education dealt with here is publicly financed and regulated by law, but in addition to this there is a wide range of private offers.

Adult education can be divided into three categories: courses that are leading to formal qualifications, courses that are not leading to formal qualifications and private courses etc.

The courses that are leading to formal qualification among other things comprise general adult education (avu), single-subject HF, labour market training courses (AMU/short courses directed at a specific branch of trade), adult vocational education and training (special adult courses within ordinary VET-programmes) and adult education.

The so-called "parallel adult education system" furthermore comprises preparatory adult education (FVU), which replaces the former literacy courses for adults, and further adult education (VVU), which corresponds to the level of short-cycle higher education in terms of competency. The system furthermore consists of diploma and Master programmes which lead to competencies corresponding to the levels of the bachelor and candidatus programmes, respectively.

Courses that are not leading to formal qualifications are among other things found at evening schools, folk high schools (folkehøjskoler)and day folk high schools (daghøjskoler).

The adult education courses may be publicly and/or privately financed, but in principle a certain level of user payment has been introduced. At the adult education centres (VUC) and the day folk high schools, the participants for instance pay a fee, which is smaller than that charged in open education and by folk high schools.

The extent of the teaching within the various types of adult education varies from a few hours to complete full-time courses of several years' duration. The teaching normally takes place on a part-time basis.

The further education system for adults
Figure 2.1.2 gives a presentation of the further education system for adults where youth education and mainstream education is placed at the levels of adult education and continuing and further education and training.

Some of the teaching in open education is now carried out in the form of distance learning.

In principle, adult education extends from level 2 to 5 in the ISCED97-classification.

Adult education is not included in international surveys of education in Denmark.

Figure 2.1.1
The Danish Mainstream Education System - 2000

1)International Standard Classification of education.

Note:The age is the theoretical minimum age for the formal courses of education,i.e.excluding adult education.After basic school,the pupils are often older due to sabbaticals, waiting time,change of study programme etc.The arrows illustrate general connections between basic school,upper secondary and higher education but not all actual transitions. Moreover,see section 2.1.

Source: The Danish Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

Figure 2.1.2
The further education system for adults - 2000

Abbreviations:
KVU: Short-cycle higher education.
MVU: Medium-cycle higher education.
EUD: Vocational education and training etc.
VVU: Further adult education.
GVU: Basic adult education.
AMU: Labour market training.
hf: Higher preparatory examination course.
avu: General adult education.
FVU: Preparatory adult education.

2.2 Young People's Journey through the Education System

79.5% of the 2000-youth year group are expected to complete a vocationally qualifying education programme.

Young people's journey through the education system gives a general view of the flows in the education system and can be briefly described as the end result arrived at by a given year group at the 8th form level, if for the next 25 years they display a behaviour corresponding to that of their older fellow students in the course of that year, and at the same time the education system will be frozen in the structure that applied to year 2000.

The figures show the situation in 2000 with regard to student flows and reflect the changes of the year in study preferences, educational structure etc. The flow through the education system has become more effective. 79.5% of the 2000-year group are expected to complete a vocationally qualifying programme. At the beginning of the 1980s, this proportion was only approx. 60%.

The proportion of young people, who do not continue with a qualifying programme after basic school, is still low. 4% do not commence a qualifying upper secondary programme, but around 1% (does not appear from the figure) will however start on a higher education programme later on. Of the remaining 3%, there will even be a great part, who will attend a non-qualifying course of education, e.g. egu, production schools etc.

20.5% finish without a vocational competency. Of these, 13% even finish without a competency to pursue studies at further levels.

Of the 2000-year group, 83% will complete upper secondary education, distributed with 32% with a vocational upper secondary qualification, 38% with a general upper secondary qualification and 13% with both qualifications. To this should on a rough estimate be added a couple of per cent with: egu, production school etc.

10.5% of the year group will complete a commercial vocational education and training programme, 19% a technical vocational education and training programme and 6% will complete a basic social and health education programme.

44% of a year group will complete a higher education programme. Of these, 9% will complete a short-cycle, 23% a medium-cycle and 12% a long-cycle higher education programme.

Figure 2.2
A year group's journey through the education system after basic school 2000. Graduation from basic school = 100%

1) Persons who never start on an upper secondary education programme.

Note that the sum of students entering and leaving the individual boxes may deviate due to rounding up/down.

Source: Statistics Denmark and model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

2.3 Financing of the Education System

In Denmark, the education system is financed either by the State, the counties or the municipalities. Some institutions are independent and self-governing, while others are owned by the State, counties or municipalities.

Figure 2.3 does not cover all educational institutions. It only covers some selected groups of institutions with a view to illustrating the sources of funding and forms of ownership. Some of the groups belong under the responsibility of other ministries. In addition to the public financing, there are tuition fees at for instance the free elementary schools and user payment for a number of the adult education programmes.

Municipal primary and lower secondary schools (folkeskoler) as well as youth schools are owned and funded by the municipalities, whereas the free elementary schools and continuation schools are independent, self-governing institutions which receive grants from the State.

Vocational colleges, private Gymnasiums and production schools are all independent, self-governing institutions funded by grants from the State. The other Gymnasiums, the adult education centres, the special education centres as well as the social and health centres are owned and funded by the counties. Maritime schools and schools of marine engineering are State institutions belonging under the Ministry of Business and Industry.

The institutions governed by the Act on Universities etc. (e.g. universities and business schools) are owned by the State. On 1 January 2001, however, the Technical University of Denmark became an independent, self-governing institution. As from November 2001, the universities belong under the responsibility of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. Design schools and academies of music are State institutions, which belong under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The colleges of education and educator training colleges are typically independent, self-governing institutions which receive funding from the State. Some of these are now part of centres for higher education (CVU).

In the area of adult education, institutions such as the folk high schools (folkehøjskoler), the day folk high schools (daghøjskoler) and the AMU-centres are independent, self-governing institutions which are primarily funded by the State. Evening schools etc. and language schools on the contrary receive funding from the municipalities.

In addition to the above, there are a number of private educational institutions, of which some are approved by the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme Agency (SU).

Figure 2.3
Survey of funding forms for selected educational institutions - 2000

1) The vocational colleges also offer short-cycle higher education programmes.
2) Partially funded by the municipalities.
3) Funded by the counties until 1 January 1999.

Note: The survey only covers selected educational institutions.

Source: The Danish Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

3. Resources

The education system is one of the largest sectors in Denmark. Huge amounts flow through it every year.

The education system is primarily funded by the public purse with its provision of education leading to qualifications which extend from basic general qualifications to specialised and scientific qualifications.

The indicators concerning the resource consumption cover expenditures on teaching, staff, students support and research, i.e. in principle all forms of public and private education.

The indicators concerning the staff in the education sector show the number of teachers and other staff employed in the education system.

Support schemes designed to cover students' cost of living expenses, such as State education grants, can be used to measure how much extra society allocates to education in addition to the purely education-related expenditures.

In order to show the extent of and priorities given to the use of resources in Denmark, information is also provided on how and how much Denmark invests in education compared with other countries.

A country's expenditures on education say something about its possibilities of giving new generations good qualifications and of creating a well-qualified workforce and population.

Denmark spends DKK 103.3 billion per year on education. The total public expenditure has been on the increase since 1991.

In 2000, the total public expenditure on education amounted to DKK 103.3 billion. The total expenditure on education and training increased by DKK 26.8 billion, or 35%, between 1991 and 2000.

The rate of increase is not the same, however, for all areas of education. The expenditure on primary and lower secondary education increased by DKK 9.5 billion, or 29%, from DKK 33.2 billion in 1991 to DKK 42.7 billion in 2000.

The expenditure on upper secondary education increased by DKK 4.6 billion, or 31% between 1991 and 2000. In 2000, the expenditure on the State education grant and loan scheme amounted to DKK 2.1 billion.

The expenditure on higher education in total increased by DKK 4.5 billion, or 30%, between 1991 and 2000. It did however drop between 1996 and 1997. Part of the total increase in the expenditure on higher education may among other things be attributed to increased expenditures on the State education grant and loan scheme, which amounted to DKK 5.8 billion in 2000, as opposed to DKK 3.9 billion in 1991.

Finally, the expenditure on adult education increased by DKK 6.8 billion, or 64%, between 1991 and 2000.

It should be noted that in this section another method has been used for calculating the expenditure than the one used in the following sections (sections 3.2-3.10). This section takes its point of departure in Statistics Denmark's survey of expenditures in the entire public sector.

The expenditures for the individual levels of education thus do not correspond to the total expenditure on education and training in this section. This is among other things due to the fact that the survey given in this section includes expenditures on education and training belonging under other ministries as well as other forms of educational support than that provided by the State education grant and loan scheme.

Table 3.1
Public expenditure on education and training, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

Figure 3.1
Development in the overall public expenditure, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

Source: "Statistisk Tiårsoversigt 2001" and "Finance Act", various years.

3.2 Public Expenditure on Education in % of Total Public Expenditure in Denmark and in Selected Countries

In 1998, the public expenditure on education and training in Denmark made up 14.8% of the total public expenditure, which is a little more than the OECD-average. Denmark invests a lot in education, and there is a tradition for public financing of the education sector.

In 1998, the public expenditure on education and training made up 14.8% of the total public expenditure, which is more than the OECD-average of 12.9% and the EU-average of 11.6%. The proportion was however higher in Iceland (17.8%), Norway (16.1%) and Korea (16.5%).

The public expenditure on primary and secondary education made up 8.8% of the total public expenditure in Denmark against an OECD-average of 8.7% and an EU-average of 7.8%. In Iceland, Portugal, Switzerland and Australia, the proportion was above 10%, and in Korea it made up 12.7% of the total expenditure.

The public expenditure on higher education made up 3.9% of the total public expenditure in Denmark, which is above the average both in the OECD (3.0%) and in the EU (2.8%). In Norway, the proportion was 4.2%, and in Iceland it was 5.6%.

The expenditures in this survey comprise all public expenditures on education and training, incl. student support etc.

The survey must be seen in the light of the fact that Denmark has very huge public expenditures compared with other countries. The total public expenditure in 1998 made up 55.9% of the GDP, which - seen in an international perspective - is in the very top, only Sweden spent more - namely 58.2%. So even though the actual educational expenditure is high in Denmark, there are many other items, which weigh heavily on the public budget in Denmark (this does not appear from the table).

The fact that a country spends a large proportion of its national budget on education in relation to the total public expenditure of the country may reflect that education has a high priority but also that education is largely the sole responsibility of the public sector. In most countries, apart from the Nordic countries, education is to a much greater extent privately funded.

Table 3.2
Public expenditure on education and training in relation to total public expenditure in Denmark and in selected countries - 1998

Figure 3.2
Public expenditure on education and training in relation to the total public expenditure in Denmark and in selected countries - 1998

Source: "Education at a Glance, 2001", OECD.

3.3 Total Expenditure on Educational Institutions by Level in % of GDP in Denmark and in Selected Countries

Compared with other countries, Denmark spends a lot of resources on educational institutions at all levels. The total expenditures (public and private) on educational institutions made up 7.2% of the GDP in 1998, which is the highest in the OECD.

In 1998, the total public and private expenditure on educational institutions in Denmark in relation to the GDP was above the average in both the EU and OECD.

Denmark spends what corresponds to 7.2% of its GDP on educational institutions, and that is the highest in the EU and the OECD. It is however at the same level as Korea (7.0%) as well as Iceland and Norway (6.9%).

This survey only comprises expenditures on educational institutions, and expenditures on student support etc. are thus not included. The private expenditures among other things comprise school fees/user payment, which constitute a considerable amount in a number of countries. The pre-school level comprises the pre-school class as well as kindergartens for the 3-6-year-olds. The expenditures on higher education institutions comprise expenditures on both teaching, support services and research. As it appears from the table, it is not possible for all countries to distribute the expenditures by levels of education. The sum of all levels of education does not correspond to the figure for "all levels" in the table, as some countries calculate expenditures for a level between upper secondary and higher education.

The priority given to the different levels of education varies somewhat from country to country.

Compared with the other countries, the expenditures on the pre-school provision and the basic school in particular are relatively high in Denmark. In Denmark, the expenditure on the basic school made up 2.9% of the GDP. In Sweden and Norway, the expenditures did however make up 3.0% of the GDP, whereas other countries do not spend as much.

The expenditures on upper secondary education made up 1.4% of the GDP in Denmark, which is above the average in the OECD and the EU of 1.2% and 1.3%, respectively, whereas the proportion was higher in Norway, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland.

The expenditure on higher education corresponded to 1.5% of the GDP in Denmark as opposed to an average in the OECD of 1.3% and of 1.2% in the EU. In the USA and Korea, the higher education institutions are given high priority, and the expenditure made up 2.3% of the GDP in the USA and 2.5% in Korea.

Table 3.3
Total public and private expenditure on educational institutions by level of education in relation to the GDP in Denmark and in selected countries - 1998

1) Here, pre-school comprises the pre-school class as well as kindergartens for the 3-6-year-olds.
2) The expenditure on higher education comprises both teaching, support services and research.
3) The sum of all levels of education does not correspond to the figure for "all levels" in the table for all countries, as some countries calculate the expenditure for a level between upper secondary and

Note: Luxembourg is not included in the survey.

Figure 3.3
Total public and private expenditures on educational institutions by level of education in relation to the GDP in Denmark and other EU-countries - 1998

Source: "Education at a Glance, 2001", OECD.

3.4 Expenditure per Pupil/Student in Denmark and in Selected Countries

Compared with other countries, Denmark spends a high amount per pupil in primary and secondary education. Denmark also spends more per student in higher education than the OECD-average, but some countries' expenditure per student is higher.

In 1998, the expenditure per pupil in the basic school in Denmark corresponded to approx. USD 6,700 (adjusted to the real purchasing power in the country). The expenditure per pupil in Denmark is thus considerably higher than the average for both the OECD and the EU, and for the primary level (1st-6th form) the expenditure per pupil is highest in Denmark.

For the upper secondary level, the expenditure amounts to USD 7,705 per pupil in Denmark as opposed to an OECD-average of USD 5,916. Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Norway, however, spend more.

In 1998, the average student in higher education in Denmark cost USD 9,562 (expressed in PPP's). The average in the EU and the OECD is USD 9,063 and 8,307, respectively. The Danish expenditure per student is thus somewhat higher than the EU-average, but just a little above the OECD-average, and countries such as the USA, Canada and Switzerland in particular spent a relatively high amount on higher education compared with Denmark and the rest of the OECD-countries.

For a number of countries, it is possible to distinguish the expenditure per student spent on teaching from the total expenditure on higher education. The remaining expenditure is spent on research and support services.

In Denmark, the expenditure per student spent on teaching amounts to USD 7,007, which is a relatively high amount compared with the other countries, which are able to distinguish the expenditure on teaching.
As it appears from the table, it is not possible for all countries to distribute the expenditure on all levels of education.

Apart from some uncertainty in this type of calculation, the figures reflect that there are real differences in the way in which the countries traditionally allocate resources to the different levels of education. A number of Anglo-Saxon countries for instance have a tradition of giving higher priority to higher education than Denmark.

Table 3.4
Expenditure per pupil/student in Denmark and in selected OECD-countries in USD converted using PPP's - 1998

1) Flamish-speaking community.

Note: PPP means that the conversion rate has been adjusted to the real purchasing power in the country.

Figure 3.4
Expenditure per pupil (primary education) in Denmark and the other EU-Member States - 1998

Source: "Education at a Glance, 2001", OECD.

3.5 Public Expenditure on Primary and Lower Secondary Education

In 2000, the expenditure on the Folkeskole amounted to approx. DKK 26.3 billion. The public expenditure on free elementary schools and continuation schools amounted to DKK 3 billion and DKK 1.6 billion, respectively. The total public expenditure on the basic school thus amounted to DKK 30.9 billion in 2000.

In total, the public expenditure on primary and lower secondary education rose by approx. DKK 5.2 billion, or approx. 20% between 1991 and 2000, even though there was a drop in the number of pupils over the same period. The expenditure per pupil has thus risen during the period concerned.

The total public expenditure on the Folkeskole rose by DKK 3.5 billion between 1991 and 2000, corresponding to an increase of approx. 15%. The expenditure per pupil in the Folkeskole rose from approx. DKK 42,100 in 1991 to DKK 47,200 in 1998, corresponding to an increase of approx. 12%.

The public expenditure on free elementary schools rose from DKK 1.8 billion in 1991 to DKK 3 billion in 2000. The expenditure per pupil also rose from approx. DKK 26,900 to DKK 38,500 over the same period. The development in the expenditure per pupil in the free elementary schools is parallel to the development in the expenditure on the Folkeskole, as the grant per pupil received by these schools depends on the municipal expenditure on the Folkeskole in the previous years.

The public expenditure on continuation schools rose by approx. DKK 0.4 billion between 1991 and 2000. The expenditure per pupil in the continuation schools rose from approx. DKK 62,700 in 1991 to DKK 79,200 in 2000. The high expenditure per pupil may among other things be attributed to the fact that the pupils live at the schools. The increase in the expenditure from 1993 to 1994 is primarily due to a readjustment of the grant awarding system.

In addition to the public expenditure on free elementary schools and continuation schools, there is a certain statutory minimum fee to be paid by the participants.

The expenditure on primary and lower secondary education dealt with in this section only comprises the operational expenditure of the schools. The total expenditure therefore does not correspond to the expenditure on primary and lower secondary education in section 3.1, which among other things also comprises support awarded to pupils.

Table 3.5
Public expenditure on the Folkeskole, free elementary schools and continuation schools, 1991 - 2000

1) During the period 1989-1992, the continuation schools belonged under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The expenditure on continuation schools increased from 1993 to 1994 due to a re-adjustment of the grant awarding system.

Figure 3.5
Public expenditure per pupil on the Folkeskole, free elementary schools and continuation schools, 1991 - 2000

Source: "Statsregnskabet 1991-2000", Ministry of Education and the statistics database of Statistics Denmark.

3.6 Public Operational Expenditure on General Upper Secondary Education

The public operational expenditure on general upper secondary education (the Gymnasium, HF, HHX and HTX) amounted to approx. DKK 5.3 billion in 2000. The expenditure has risen from approx. DKK 5.1 billion in 1993, corresponding to an increase of approx. DKK 0.2 billion or approx. 4%.

The public operational expenditure on general upper secondary education amounted to a total of approx. DKK 5.3 billion in 2000. The expenditure has risen from approx. DKK 5.1 billion in 1993. From 1993 to 2000, the increase was approx. DKK 0.2 billion or approx. 4%.

The HHX- and HTX-programmes and the private Gymnasiums are financed by the State, although there is a certain user payment at the latter. The county Gymnasiums are financed by the counties.

The expenditure on county Gymnasiums was approx. DKK 3.8 billion in 2000 and thus made up 73% of the total expenditure on the general upper secondary area. In 1993, the expenditure on county Gymnasiums was approx. DKK 4 billion.

The expenditure on the HHX- and HTX-programmes amounted to a total of approx. DKK 1.2 billion in 2000 against approx. DKK 0.9 billion in 1993. The figure for HHX and HTX build on the vocational colleges' reports of accounting figures and only comprise the direct teaching expenditures of the colleges. The figure only covers the 3-year HHX-programme.

The public expenditure on private Gymnasiums only amounted to DKK 189 million in 2000.

The expenditure per pupil at county Gymnasiums (covers both the Gymnasium and HF) was DKK 61,200 in 2000 against DKK 57,600 in 1993.

The expenditure per pupil per year at county Gymnasiums went up from DKK 57,600 in 1993 to DKK 61,200 in 2000.

The public expenditure per pupil per year in the private Gymnasiums was DKK 52,200 in 2000. In 1993, the expenditure was DKK 46,400.

The expenditure per pupil per year in HHX was DKK 39,000 in 2000 against DKK 33,900 in 1993.

In HTX, the expenditure per pupil per year fell from DKK 58,900 in 1993 to DKK 58,100 in 2000.

Due to different accounting principles etc., it is not possible to compare the expenditure on the Gymnasium and HF with the expenditure on the HHX- and HTX-programmes directly.

Table 3.6
Public operational expenditure on general upper secondary education, 1993 - 2000

1) Excluding the one-year HHX-programme.
2) In 1995 and 1996, the HTX- and the HHX-programmes were extended by one year.

Note: The figures for HHX and HTX build on the vocational colleges' reported accounting figures and only comprise the colleges' direct teaching expenditures. The expenditure per pupil per year therefore differs from the rates in the Finance Act for the programme in question. The Gymnasium covers pupils enrolled in the Gymnasium, adult upper secondary level courses and in HF-courses. As the figures have been rounded up/down, there may be deviations in the sums.

Figure 3.6
Public operational expenditure per pupil per year in general upper secondary education, 1993 - 2000

Source: The Finance Act, several years, Statistics Denmark and the vocational colleges' reporting of accounting Figures to the Ministry of Education.

3.7 Teaching Expenditure in Vocational Education and Training

The direct teaching expenditure of the vocational colleges for the vocational education and training programmes amounted to approx. DKK 2.7 billion in 2000. The expenditure increased by approx. DKK 0.8 billion from 1992 to 2000. The expenditure per student per year was approx. DKK 54,000 on average in 2000.

In 2000, the vocational colleges' total direct teaching expenditure for the vocational education and training programmes amounted to approx. DKK 2.7 billion. The expenditure on the programmes in the commercial and clerical area amounted to DKK 595 million and thus, in addition to the basic amounts, made up the largest proportion (22%) of the expenditure on vocational education and training.

The total expenditure rose from DKK 1.9 billion in 1992 to DKK 2.7 billion in 2000, corresponding to an increase of approx. 41%.

The expenditure on the programmes in the iron and metal area as well as in the building and construction area made up 14% (DKK 376 million) and 13% (DKK 343 million), respectively, of the total expenditure.

The average expenditure per student per year also increased from approx. DKK 38,000 per student in 1992 to approx. DKK 54,000 per student in 2000. The expenditure per student per year thus increased by 42% between 1992 and 2000.

There are big variations in the expenditure per student per year in vocational education and training. The expenditure per student per year is highest for the programmes in the food technology area with DKK 89,000 in 2000 and lowest for the programmes in the commercial and clerical area with DKK 35,000.

The figures in this section build on the vocational colleges' reports of accounting figures and only comprise the direct teaching expenditure of the colleges. The expenditure per student per year may therefore differ from the rates indicated in the Finance Act for the programmes in question.

A reform of the vocational education and training programmes has been implemented with experiments starting already in 1999. The 1st and 2nd school periods have been replaced by new basic courses, which has led to a relative drop in the expenditure on the individual programmes from 1999.

Table 3.7
Direct teaching expenditure in vocational education and training, 1992 - 2000

1) Technical designer, hospital technical assistant, theatre and exhibition technical assistant.

Note: Due to a readjustment of the grant awarding system, it is, for the sake of comparison, not possible to show expenditures from before 1992. The figures build on the vocational colleges' reports of accounting figures and only comprise the colleges' direct teaching expenditure. The expenditure per student per year may therefore vary from the rates indicated in the Finance Act for the programmes in question. The former 1st and 2nd school periods have been replaced by a new basic course.

Figure 3.7
Direct teaching expenditure per student per year for selected vocational education and training programmes, 1992 - 2000

Source: The vocational colleges reports of accounting figures to the Ministry of Education.

3.8 Expenditure on Higher Education

In 2000, the Ministry of Education's expenditure on higher education amounted to approx. DKK 5.4 billion. The expenditure increased by approx. DKK 0.9 billion from 1994 to 2000.

The Ministry of Education's expenditure on higher education increased from approx. DKK 4.5 billion in 1994 to approx. DKK 5.4 billion in 2000. The number of students enrolled in higher education has risen, but the average expenditure per student full-time equivalent has dropped.

The expenditure on teacher training and other pedagogical programmes amounted to approx. DKK 1.3 billion in 2000, or 24% of the overall expenditure on higher education. The pedagogical programmes thus constituted the largest expenditure area in 2000. The expenditure on the pedagogical programmes furthermore increased significantly from 1994 to 2000 (by approx. 88%).

The expenditure on the technical sciences programmes made up 14% (approx. DKK 0.7 billion) of the total expenditure. The expenditure on the technical sciences programmes did however drop from 1994 to 2000 by approx. DKK 0.2 billion, among other things due to a drop in the number of students enrolled.

There are big variations in the expenditure per student in higher education. In 2000, the expenditure per student in the social sciences programmes amounted to DKK 31,200 against DKK 65,200 per student full-time equivalent in the technical sciences programmes. In short-cycle higher technical education, the expenditure per student full-time equivalent was DKK 72,000 in 2000.

It must be noted that the expenditure on the independent, self-governing institutions include VAT (but not salary expenditures). This leads to a higher allocation to the short-cycle higher education programmes offered by the vocational colleges as well as to some of the pedagogical programmes.

The expenditure on higher education in this section only comprises the Ministry of Education's expenditure (allocations) on education (capital expenditure is not included). The total expenditure thus does not fit with the expenditure on higher education indicated in section 3.1.

Table 3.8
The Ministry of Education's expenditure on higher education, 1994 - 2000

1) Includes expenditures for pools etc.

Note: Due to a readjustment of the grant awarding system, it is, for the sake of comparison, not possible to show figures from before 1994.

Figure 3.8
The Ministry of Education's expenditure on higher education per student full-time equivalent (fte), 1994 - 2000

Source: Finance Act, 2000.

3.9 Expenditure per graduate

The total expenditure per graduate in 2000 varied a lot, in particular in higher education, where the price primarily depends on the time of study. In upper secondary education, the general upper secondary programmes are the most expensive.

The total expenditure per graduate varied a lot in 2000. Here, the estimated expenditure per graduate depends on the duration of the programmes as well as on the grant per student per year/student fte or the average expenditure per student. Dropouts have not been taken into account - among other things because grants for higher education depend on whether the students pass their examinations.

The calculation does not cover all programmes - only a selection of them.

The expenditure per graduate has been calculated with the point of departure in the expenditure per student per year and the stipulated or theoretical time of study. The expenditure is typically based on the taximeter grant (the education and joint expenditure taximeter grant) per student per year as well as the expenditure on the student grant and loan scheme (SU).

For upper secondary education, the expenditure on SU is not included. Some of the students are under 18 years of age, and in vocational education and training the students typically receive wages during practical training. In upper secondary education, the general programmes are evidently the most expensive with a price of between DKK 117,000 and DKK 183,600 per graduate. The expenditure per graduate in vocational upper secondary education varies a lot.

The expenditure per graduate in higher education primarily depends on the time of study and the grant allocated per student fte. The long-cycle candidatus-programmes, which are typically of 5 years' duration, are therefore generally more expensive than the medium- and short-cycle higher education programmes.

The expenditure per graduate varies a great deal. Health and natural sciences graduates are more expensive than social sciences graduates.

Of the selected medium-cycle higher education programmes, the journalism programme was the cheapest with a price of DKK 200,600 per graduate, and the training of teachers for the Folkeskole was the most expensive with a price of DKK 376,800 per graduate. The price per graduate from the educator training and social work programmes was DKK 246,900 and DKK 271,000, respectively. Of the selected candidatus-programmes, law and economics graduates as well as humanities graduates in the subject of Danish were the cheapest with a price of DKK 386,900 per graduate, whereas graduates in medicine were the most expensive with a price of DKK 655.700.

Table 3.9
Prices per graduate, by selected programmes - 2000

Note: The expenditure is calculated with the point of departure in the expenditure per student per year and the stipulated time of study. The expenditure is based on the taximeter grant (education and joint expenditure taximeter grant) per student fte as well as the expenditure on SU.

Figure 3.9
Prices per graduate, by selected candidatus-programmes - 2000

Source: Table 3.6 and Finance Act 2000.

3.10 Public Expenditure on Adult Education

The public expenditure on adult education amounted to DKK 7.1 billion in 1999. The expenditure on adult education dropped by 11.5% from 1998 to 1999.

The expenditure on public sector adult education was increasing constantly between 1991 and 1998, from DKK 5.6 billion to DKK 8 billion or approx. 43%. In 1999, the expenditure dropped to DKK 7.1 billion, a drop of 11.5%. The drop in the expenditure from 1998 to 1999 was primarily caused by the day folk high schools, AMU and open education, which all experienced significant drops in their activities in 1999 compared with the year before. In AMU, the expenditure dropped by 19.6%, the expenditure on open education dropped by 32.1%, and at the day folk high schools the expenditure dropped by 38.2%. One of the few areas with expenditure growth was the courses in Danish for adult immigrants, where the public expenditure increased by 22.4% from 1998 to 1999.

This expenditure does not include the fees paid at folk high schools, in open education, at evening schools, university extension programmes and at adult education centres, and it does not include educational support for participants in special education and training offers, leave allowances and support for persons undergoing rehabilitation or continuing training in the private sector etc.

The expenditure on AMU-courses constitutes the biggest single item in the public expenditure. In 1999, it amounted to DKK 1.9 billion, or approx. 27% of the total expenditure.

In 2000, the expenditure on open education amounted to DKK 760 million, and it increased significantly over the period. This big increase was due to the extension of the target group of open education in 1994, when a more flexible framework was created for the education and training supply. The open education area was moreover extended to include new programmes. The increase from 1997 to 1998 was largely due to the PC-user course offered by the vocational colleges.

Remedial instruction for adults is a very special measure which takes its point of departure in the individual person's handicap and compensatory potential. This instruction most often takes the form of individual teaching, which makes it particularly expensive. Expenditures on special education for adults increased from DKK 561 million in 1993 to DKK 673 million in 1999.

The expenditure on VUC has remained quite stable at around DKK 1.1 billion since 1995, and the municipal expenditure on the evening schools (under the act on liberal adult education) amounted to DKK 484 million in 1999. From 1993, this expenditure dropped by 4.9%.

Table 3.10
Public expenditure on public sector adult education, 1993 - 2000

1) The municipal share of the expenditure prior to 1996 is estimated.
2) The bulk comes from section 17.42 in the Finance Act, excluding initial expenditure and participant support. To this should be added various expenditures for a.o. teacher training, development and the adult education pool. Finally, the public employment service and the municipalities have had to pay an unknown amount for AMU-courses for the unemployed in connection with the re-allocation of funding.
3) Including in-service training of teachers, educators, SOSU, pgu-credit student fte's and retraining courses for home helps.
4) Only covers the supplementary taximeter for adult participants.
5) For 1993-99, an hourly price is calculated of DKK 61.70. For 2000, the hourly price is DKK 61.60. It comprises course participants under the Integration Act, course participants referred under the acts on active labour market policy and active social policy, self-supporters and other participants.
6) Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. Course under the Directorate for Development.

Note: Figures for 2000 were not yet available for all areas. The figures are rounded off.

Figure 3.10
Public expenditure on adult education and selected public sector courses, 1993 - 1999

Source: "Voksenuddannelse i tal - 2002", Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

3.11 Expenditure on the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme

Considerable sums are spent on the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme (SU), i.e. approx. DKK 9.7 billion in 2000. The sum is getting bigger every year. In 2000, the grants made up approx. 80% of the expenditure; the rest was spent on SU-loans. In 2000, 75.3% of the total expenditure went to students enrolled in higher education.

In 2000, the total public expenditure on student support (SU) amounted to approx. DKK 9.7 billion. Approx. 295,000 students received DKK 7.8 billion of this amount in grants (80.4%) and the rest in loans.

The socalled voucher system was introduced at the end of 1988. Today, two sets of rules apply in this area, dependent on whether the student are enrolled in upper secondary education (outside the voucher system) or in higher education (inside the voucher system). SU is allocated in the form of grants and loans (voluntary). There is one grant rate for students living with their parents and one for students living on their own, whereas the loan rate is the same for both. Loans are available in conjunction with grants. For all types of courses, the beneficiaries are awarded a socalled free amount for personal income for each month of the support year, i.e. they are entitled to have a certain salaried income each month.

From 1991 to 2000, the expenditure on SU increased by DKK 3.2 billion from DKK 6.5 billion to DKK 9.7 billion. This was mainly due to an increase in the total grant allocation from DKK 5.2 billion in 1991 to DKK 7.8 billion in 2000.

The increase in the grant allocation was a natural consequence of the fact that more courses of education became eligible, and that all beneficiaries, whose grants were dependent on the parents' income, could get a basic grant (from 1996) irrespective of their parents' income. Furthermore, the special youth action meant significantly lower cash and unemployment benefits for young people under 25 years of age, which made more young people enrol in education and receive student support. The SU-loan level was relatively stable between 1991 and 1995, after which there has been an increase in the expenditure. In 2000, the expenditure on SU-loans amounted to DKK 1.9 billion. The increase in the loan expenditure between 1995 and 1996 may be attributed to the fact that the loan rate increased extraordinarily as a compensation for a simultaneous reduction of the grant rate for students living with their parents. From 1996, there was moreover a growing proportion who chose to take out SU-loans.

In 2000, the average SU-beneficiary in upper secondary education received DKK 17,700 in grants and DKK 14,600 in loans. For higher education, the corresponding average amounts were DKK 32,400 (grant) and DKK 17,800 (loan).

In 2000, the total expenditure on SU made up 0.74% of the GDP against 0.63% in 1991.

Table 3.11
Expenditure on State education grant and loans, 1991 - 2000

Note: As the figures have been rounded up/down, there may be deviations from the sums. Converted into 2000-prices.

Figure 3.11
Expenditure on State education grants and loans, 1991 - 2000

Source: "SU-støtte og SU-gæld", various issues, the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme Agency, "Statistisk 10-års oversigt", Statistics Denmark and calculations made by the Ministry of Education.

3.12 Expenditure on Research

The expenditure on research has been increasing constantly. In 1999, approx. DKK 25.1 billion was spent on research, corresponding to 2.0% of the country's GDP. In 1989, the expenditure on research corresponded to 1.5% of the GDP.

In 1999, the total expenditure on research amounted to approx. DKK 25.1 billion, of which DKK 15.8 billion came from the private business sector (63%) and DK 9.3 billion came from the public sector (37%).

The amount spent on research is thus increasing. In 1989, a total of approx. DKK 14.9 billion was spent on research, or 1.5% of the country's GDP, whereas the expenditure had risen to approx. DKK 25.1 billion, or 2% of the GDP, in 1999.

From 1989 to 1999, the total expenditure on research increased by 68.3%. The private sector's expenditure increased by 92.9% and the public sector's expenditure increased by 38.3% over this period.

The amount spent on research varies significantly from one scientific field to the other. In 1999, most funds were spent on research in the natural sciences area (approx. DKK 2.7 billion) followed by the health science area with approx. DKK,1 billion.

The total increase in the public expenditure on research covers various trends. The expenditure on research in the fields of agricultural and veterinary science, social sciences, technical sciences as well as the humanities/psychology/
education area for instance dropped between 1989 and 1991.

From 1989 to 1999, the biggest increase in the public sector expenditure was seen in the social sciences area with an increase of approx. 66%, followed by the humanities/ psychology/education area with an increase of approx. 56%.

The area, which received the lowest public funding was the agricultural/veterinary science area with approx. DKK 1 billion.

Table 3.12
Private and public expenditure on research, by sectors and subject-areas, 1989 - 1999

1) In 1999, no calculations were available about the private business sector's research and development work. Figures have therefore been used for 1998.

Note: This calculation is only made for uneven years. The sums may deviate due to rounding up/down. Converted into 1999-prices.

Figure 3.12
Public expenditure on research, by subject-areas, 1989 - 1999

Source: "Forskning og udviklingsarbejde i den offentlige sektor - Forskningsstatistik 1999", the Danish Institute for Studies in Research and calculation made by the Ministry of Education.

3.13 15-Year-Olds' Use of Computers at School in Denmark and in Selected Countries

In 2000, approx. 23% of the 15-year-olds used computers at school almost every day, and approx. 37% a few times a week. Danish pupils thus used computers more often at school than the pupils in the other OECD-countries, who participate in this study.

Approx. 23% of all young Danes use computers at school almost every day, and approx. 37% use computers a few times a week or once a month. Only approx. 13% of the 15-year-olds in Denmark use computers less than once a month or never.

The Danish pupils are thus using computers at school often compared with the pupils in the other OECD-countries participating in this study - and also compared with the pupils in the other Nordic countries. For instance, only 6% of the young people in Finland use computers almost every day against 16% in Sweden and 23% in Denmark.

Approx. 60% of the 15-year-olds in Denmark are using computers on a weekly basis at school (almost every day or a few times a week) against an average of approx. 38% among the OECD-countries participating in the study. In Finland and Sweden, 48% and 45%, respectively, are using computers on a weekly basis, whereas 66% of the Hungarian pupils access computers on a weekly basis

There are great variations as to how often the pupils are using a computer at school. Approx. 53% of the pupils in Mexico for instance never use a computer at school, whereas this is only the case with approx. 3% in Denmark and approx. 8% in Australia.

It is surprising that approx. 16% of the 15-year-old pupils in the USA never use computers at school.

In Denmark, it is worth noting that it is pupils with less developed reading skills who are to the greatest extent using computers at school. Also pupils with less developed skills in mathematics and science use computers at school to a greater extent than others.

These data emanate from the OECD-study "Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)", which in addition to testing the pupils' skills highlight a number of issues regarding the pupils and their schools. Not all OECD-countries participate in this part of the study concerning IT.

Table 3.13
15-year-olds' use of computers at school in Denmark and in selected countries - 2000

Figure 3.13
15-year-olds' use of computers at school in Denmark and in selected countries - 2000

Source: Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

3.14 Number of Educational Institutions

In 2000, there was a total of 3,468 educational institutions in Denmark. Of these, the basic school made up as much as 68%.

In 2000, 3,468 educational institutions were registered in Denmark. The number of institutions has varied over time with a downward tendency over the past few years.

In 2000, there was a total of 2,370 basic schools, of which the municipal primary and lower secondary schools made up 71.2%, the self-governing private schools made up 19.0%, and the continuation schools made up 9.8%.

From 1991 to 2000, the number of municipal primary and lower secondary schools dropped by 5.6%. In 2000, there was a total of 1,688 of these schools.

The number of self-governing private schools are on the increase. From 1991 to 2000, they increased by 8.9%, and in 2000 there was a total of 451 self-governing private schools.

Also the continuation schools experienced an increase in the number of schools in the period from 1991 to 2000 (this increase corresponds to 8.5%). From 1999 to 2000, the number of continuation schools did however drop by 15.

In 2000, there were 150 Gymnasiums, HF-and adult upper secondary course establishments, of which 21 were self-governing private institutions.

In 2000, there were 244 vocational colleges etc. (including departments). 47.1% of these were only business and technical schools.
In 2000, there were 190 registered higher education institutions (including university act institutions) against 207 in 1991.

The number of colleges of education dropped from 24 in 1991 to 19 in 2000. Also the schools of nursing experienced a drop, from 27 to 21.

The other educational institutions experienced an increase, which may in particular be attributed to the production schools and the day folk high schools which increased by 30 and 83, respectively. On the other hand, the number of VUC-centres dropped from 80 in 1991 to 74 in 2000.

Also the AMU-centres and the transport schools as such experienced a drop in the number of institutions over this period. In 2000, there was a total of 28 AMU-centres and transport schools.

Table 3.14
Number of registered educational institutions in Denmark on 1 June,
1991 - 2000

1) Excluding special schools for children and adults, language schools and municipal youth schools. (In 2000, this group consisted of 605 schools).
2) Excluding HF offered at colleges of education (they are included under the colleges of education).
3) Including Statistics Denmark's registration of departments under the main colleges.
4) Has status as open youth education (fuu), e.g. the school for ecological entrepreneurs. A number of other schools also offer fuu, but they are registered according to their main objective under for instance
folk high schools, textile design schools etc.

Note: Sought classified according to highest level of education. Excepted are however vocational colleges etc. which refer to upper secondary education, although a number of the vocational colleges also offer short-cycle higher education programmes.

Figure 3.14
Number of registered municipal primary and lower secondary schools, self-governing private schools and continuation schools in Denmark on 1 June, 1991 - 2000

Source: "Institutionsregisteret" - special run by Statistics Denmark as well as calculations made by the Ministry of Education.

3.15 Number of Teachers

In 1999, there were around 55,000 persons employed as teachers in the Folkeskole and in the free elementary schools. In 2000, there were around 9,000 persons employed as teachers in the Gymnasium and HF-courses, and the institutions under the Act on Universities had approx. 32,000 teachers.

The statistics concerning teachers are sparce for certain areas. The survey shows that there were at least 135,000 teachers in 1999, corresponding to approx. 85,000 teacher full-time equivalents.

In the Folkeskole and the free elementary schools, there were approx. 55,000 teachers in 1999. The share of the Folkeskole was greatest with approx. 89% or 49,000 teachers. The free elementary schools had around 6,000 persons employed in teaching posts.

Before 1993, the calculation of teacher full-time equivalents for the Folkeskole and the free elementary schools was based on teacher salary hours converted into full-time teachers. After this time, the annual working time has been used as a basis, and it comprises time spent on teaching, preparation and other tasks. It turns out that there are only minor differences between the number of teachers and the number of teacher full-time equivalents, and this signifies that relatively few teachers are employed on a part-time basis or for shorter periods of time.

The Gymnasium, the 2-year HF-course and the adult upper secondary level courses had around 9,000 teachers employed in 2000, corresponding to around 8,000 teacher full-time equivalents. From 1991 to 2000, the number of teachers increased by approx. 1,000. The number of teacher full-time equivalents has however been constant over the entire period.

In 2000, the vocational colleges etc. (incl. the HHX- and HTX-programmes at the vocational colleges) had approx. 21,000 teachers employed, corresponding to 12,000 teacher full-time equivalents. From 1996 to 2000, the number of teachers declined by about 2,000, whereas the number of teacher full-time equivalents remained stable.

The medium-cycle higher education institutions (see note to Table 3.15) had a varying number of persons employed in teaching posts. In 2000, they had approx. 16,000 teachers against 19,000 in 1996, whereas the total number of teacher full-time equivalents remained constant - at around 3,000.

At the institutions under the Act on Universities (see note to Table 3.15), there were 32,000 persons employed as teachers in 2000 against approx. 30,000 in 1996.

At the institutions under the Act on Universities, there is a significant difference between the number of teachers and the number of teacher full-time equivalents. This indicates that the area is characterised by many part-time employed teachers.

Table 3.15
Teachers, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

1) Changed calculation method: Figures are therefore not immediately comparable. Continuation schools not included.
2) VET, HHX and HTX and short-cycle higher education.
3) Comprises teachers/researchers and part-time and temporarily employed teachers.
4) In 2000: Universities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Roskilde and Aalborg, Technical University of Denmark, the business schools in Copenhagen, Aarhus and South Denmark, the Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, the Royal Danish Veterinary and Agricultural University and the Royal Danish School of Educational Studies.
5) Estimate.
6) As from 1997, the figures exclude head teachers, pre-school class teachers and educators.
7) In 2000: schools of social work, colleges of engineering, business school departments, schools of occupational and physiotherapy, school of midwifery, schools for medical laboratory technologists, colleges of education, colleges of home
economics, textile design and educator training, Danish Teacher Training Centre for Sloyd, Craft and Technology, the advanced
college of nursing in Aarhus, Danish School of Journalism and Danish University of Education (very few).
-: No data.

Note: The figures for the basic school cannot be calculated for 2000.
1991 corresponds to the school year 1991/92.

Figure 3.15
Number of teacher full-time equivalents, by selected levels of education, 1996 - 2000

Source: SCL-data as well as key figures from various basic school and Gymnasium statistics, Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

3.16 Teacher/Pupil Ratio and Normal Number of Pupils/Students per Class

In 1999, the teacher/ pupil ratio was 1:10.7 in the Folkeskole, and in the free elementary schools it was 1:9.7. The ratio in the commercial branch of VET was the highest, i.e. 1:11.8.

In 1999, the teacher/pupil ration in the Folkeskole was 1:10.7 against a ratio of 1:9.7 at the free elementary schools. From 1998 to 1999, the teacher/pupil ration in the Folkeskole rose from 1:10.5 to 1:10.7, and in the free elementary schools the ratio fell from 1:11.4 to 1:9.7 over the same period.

The normal class size indicates the number of pupils in a class who receive socalled ordinary teaching. This means that socalled pure special classes are not included in the normal class size. In 1999, there were 19.1 pupils per class on average in the Folkeskole. In the free elementary schools, the normal class size was 17.

In general upper secondary education, the teacher/pupil ratio was lower than the ratio in the Folkeskole and the free elementary schools. In 2000, the ratio was 1:8.6. The teacher/pupil ratio has dropped somewhat over the period for the entire area. In 1991, it was for instance 1:9.2. This corresponds to 0.6 fewer pupils per full-time teacher today in general upper secondary education.

For the general upper secondary area, it can furthermore be seen that the normal class size in 2000 was highest for the HF with 24.2. The class sizes for the Gymnasium and the adult upper secondary level courses were 24.2 and 21.6, respectively.

For the adult upper secondary level courses, there has been an almost constant increase in the normal class size from 1992 to 2000, and the increase corresponds to 7.2 more students per class.

In vocational upper secondary education (commercial and technical vocational education and training), the teacher/student ratio varies somewhat according to type of institution and programme.

In the commercial programmes, the teacher/student ratio was 1:11.8 in 2000 against 1:12.4 in 1991.

In the technical programmes, the teacher/student ratio was 1:7.9 in 2000 against 1:8.9 in 1991.

For both the commercial and the technical programmes, there has been a tendency towards a drop in the teacher/student ratio.

Table 3.16
Teacher/pupil ratio and normal number of pupils/students per class in the Folkeskole, the free elementary schools, general upper secondary education, commercial and technical education etc., 1991 - 2000

1) Excluding continuation schools.
2) It is not for the moment possible to indicate the teacher/pupil ratio for the entire area of HHX and HTX. It is known that the
ratio for the multiannual HHX is 1:11.3, 1:13.1 for the 1-year HHX and 1:7.7 for HTX.
3) Including agriculture and maritime education.
-: No data.

Note: The teacher/pupil ratio is calculated on the basis of the total number of teacher full-time equivalents, i.e. one teacher working full-time for a whole school year. The normal number of pupils/students per class is the reported number of pupils per class, excluding special classes. Ex.: 1991 means the school year 1991/92.

Figure 3.16
Teacher/pupil ratio, calculated for the Gymnasium and HF-courses, commercial and technical programmes etc., 1991 - 2000

Source: "Folkeskolen i tal", Ministry of Education, "De frie grundskoler i tal", "Nøgletal for Gymnasier, 2-årige studenterkurser og hf", Ministry of Education and "Cøsa", Ministry of Education

4. Pupil/Student Flows

By pupil/student flows is understood the number starting education and training, the number undergoing education and training, the number completing education and training, and the number dropping out of education and training. Also the transition between the different levels of education is measured. This is an area, where there is a relatively great deal of good basic information and calculated model figures.

Indicators for the number of pupils/ students at the different levels of education are interesting seen in the light of the demographic development.

The survey of bilingual pupils and pupils receiving extensive special educational assistance are separate surveys for the basic school provision, as these pupils normally require additional resources.

A central indicator is the expected total duration of education of a child starting in the first form of the Folkeskole. It shows how long a young person on average remains in the education system.

There is often focus on the proportion of young people who continue at the same or higher levels of education and special interest in the distribution of pupils between general upper secondary education and vocational upper secondary education, respectively.

Also the distribution of applicants and admitted students on the different subject-areas in higher education is important in relation to the current employment situation for different professional groups in the labour market.

The transition time and the actual length of study are also much used indicators, among other things seen in the light of the debate about the relatively high age of Danish graduates, when they leave the education system.

Finally, we show the completion rates for those levels of education, which are often followed with great interest.

4.1 Number of Pupils and Students

The number of pupils and students is the highest seen over a 10-year period. On 1 October 2000, approx. 1,110,000 persons were undergoing education and training, i.e. approx. every fifth person was enrolled in a course of education. In the same year, approx. 234,100 students were enrolled in an upper secondary programme, and approx. 202,800 students were enrolled in a higher education programme. Of these approx. 75,100 were enrolled in a medium-cycle higher education programme.

On 1 October 2000, there were 1,110,000 pupils and students in the education system, i.e. approx. every fifth person was undergoing education. The size of the year groups has an influence on the number of pupils, in particular in basic school and in upper secondary education, but also the transition rates are crucial. Adult education is not included in this section.

In 2000, 60.7% of the pupils/students attended basic school (incl. the pre-school class and the vocational introduction courses), 21.1% attended an upper secondary programme, and 18.2% attended a higher education programme. If you compare 2000 with 1991, you will see that the proportion enrolled in higher education had increased (it was 15.6% in 1991). The proportion attending upper secondary education had also increased a little.

In 2000, there were approx. 669,400 pupils in the basic school. From 1991 to 1994, the number of pupils in the pre-school class to 7th form declined, after which there has been a constant increase. There has however been a constant decline for the 8th to 10th form levels up to 1999.

In 2000, there were approx. 234,100 pupils in upper secondary education, of which approx. 135,700 attended vocational upper secondary education. In general upper secondary education, there were approx. 98,500 pupils, of which approx. 64,000 attended the Gymnasium and HF, and approx. 34,500 attended HHX or HTX. From 1991 to 2000, the Gymnasium and HF experienced a 14% decline in the number of pupils, whereas HHX and HTX experienced a 2.4% increase.

In 2000, approx. 202,800 students were enrolled in higher education. The number has increased by 28.3% over a 10-year period. The number of students in short-cycle higher education increased from approx. 14,000 in 1991 to approx. 23,800 in 2000 (the consequence of the new reform of short-cycle higher education does not yet appear from the figures). The medium-cycle higher education programmes had most students - 37.0% of the total number in 2000, and the number increased from approx. 54,600 in 1991 to approx. 75,100 in 2000. The number of students enrolled in a candidatus-programme dropped due to the introduction of a new structure. Today, most of the candidatus-programmes can only be commenced on completion of a bachelor programme. In 2000, approx. 99,300 students were enrolled in a bachelor or candidatus programme against approx. 86,500 students in 1991 (i.e. an increase of 14.8%). In 2000, 4,650 persons were enrolled in a PhD-programme against approx. 3,000 in 1991.

Table 4.1
Number of pupils/students, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

Note: Calculated on 1 October of the year.

1) Apart from commercial (HI) and technical (TI) introduction courses, the group also comprises short vocational basic courses such as the introductory year of the social and health education programmes, technical preparation courses etc. As a result of experiments with the new VET-reform from 1999, the intake to HI and TI has been declining.
2) In 1994 and 1995, the HTX and the HTX, respectively, were extended with a year to become 3-year courses. At the same time,
the access route was changed from a VET-school period to direct access from basic school. For the period up to and including 1995, Statistics Denmark extended the programmes artificially by adding the basic year of efg and school period as an introductory year, and the reforms thus do not appear from the figures.
3) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility. The open youth education programmes are included from 1995. On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
4) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other longer vocational upper secondary programmes etc. The decline in the student population in 2000 may among other things be
attributed to the fact that the basic course became variable from 20 to 60 weeks.
5) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
6) The candidatus programmes both comprise undivided candidatus programmes and the candidatus part of the divided programmes.
7) The figures come from "Data om Dansk Forskeruddannelse", the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Figure 4.1
Number of pupils/students, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark, the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division's figures and own model calculations as well as the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

.

4.2 15-34-Year-Olds Enrolled in Education

Just over 1/3 of the 15-34-year-olds were enrolled in education in 2000. Generally speaking, the proportion is increasing for all age groups. The majority of the 15-19-year-olds were enrolled in education, i.e. a total of 82.5%. The proportion of women enrolled in education was constantly higher than that of men.

In 2000, just over 1/3 of all 15-34-year-olds were enrolled in education. Of the 15-19-year-olds, the majority, or eight out of 10, were undergoing education and training. These figures do not include adult education.

Of the 20-24-year-olds, 44.1% were enrolled in education in 2000, and of the 25-29-year-olds 22.8% were enrolled in education. In the oldest group, the 30-34-year-olds, 7.7% were still enrolled in education.

Today, many young people do not complete a youth education programme till after they are 20 years old, after which an increasing proportion continue in higher education, some after a break. This means that the students are in their late 20s and some in their 30s, before they complete their course of study.

This is among other things the reason why an increasing number of young and younger year groups are still enrolled in education. Seen in an international context, Danes are relatively old, before they leave the education system. This however also covers over the fact that Danish children start school late compared with other countries, that many choose to take the voluntary 10th year of the basic school, that many take a course at upper secondary level and a higher education programme, and that some choose to take a break of one or several years' duration, before they finish their education.

The proportion of students in all the shown age groups has been increasing almost constantly since 1991. From 1991 to 2000, the group of 20-24-year-olds increased the most - by almost 13 percentage points.

Previous studies show that there was an equal proportion of men and women enrolled in education at the end of the 1980s. This picture has changed. In 2000, there were 36,8% women against 34.0% men.

For de 15-19-year-olds, the proportions of men and women are almost identical, but for for instance the age group of 20-24-year-olds they vary a lot. Here the proportion of women enrolled in education made up 47.0% against of the men, which only made up 41.2%.

Table 4.2
Proportion of the 15-34-year-olds enrolled in education, by gender and age group, 1991 - 2000

Note: Pupils/students at all levels of education (excl. adult education) are included. The pupils/students are calculated on 1 October. The 7-14-year-olds are not included, as more or less all of them attend basic school.

Figure 4.2
Proportion of 15-34-year olds enrolled in education, by age group, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistic Denmark and the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Divisions own calculations.

4.3 Expected Duration of Education

A child, who started in the first year of basic school in 2000, is expected to stay in the education system for 15.1 years. Some receive less education and some much more. The total expected duration of education has increased by 1.1 year over 10 years. In 2000, the girls were expected to be in the education system for 15.5 years and the boys for 14.7 years.

A child, who started in the 1st form of basic school in 2000, is expected to stay in the education system for 15.1 years. The time a child is expected to stay in the education system is increasing.

The expected total duration of education is an average calculation, as some young people will not stay in the education system for 15,1 years, while others will stay for a lot longer than that. The figures cover all forms of education, irrespective of whether the young person completes the programme or changes over to another programme.

Adult education and the pre-school class level are not included in the calculation. Today, almost all children attend the pre-school class, and there is a lot of continuous upgrading of qualifications in the form of adult education in Denmark.

From 1991 to 2000, the expected duration of education of a child commencing the 1st year of the basic school went up from 14 to 15.1 years. The increase was thus 1.1 year over a 10-year period. The increase in particular started accelerating from around 1993.

In 1991, the total expected duration of education was 14.3 years for girls against 13.7 years for boys. During the entire period, the expected duration of education was higher for girls than for boys. Until 1994, there were however no big differences in the expected duration of education of boys and girls. After this, the difference became more pronounced. In 1999, the girls were for instance expected to spend 1 year more than boys in the education system.

There are several reasons for the difference in the time spent by girls and boys in the education system. Girls for instance more often than boys complete a general upper secondary programme. Certain programmes with a vast majority of female students (e.g. the educator training programme) was furthermore extended in the period covered.

Boys more often choose to start on a vocational upper secondary programme after basic school. And more women than men today complete a higher education programme. In 2000, approx. 56% of those who completed a higher education programme, were women against 52% in 1991 (does not appear from the table).

Table 4.3
Expected total duration of education for pupils starting in the 1st form, by gender, 1991 - 2000

Note: Excluding pre-school class and adult education. Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figure 4.3
Expected total duration of education, by gender, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark and model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

4.4 Bilingual Pupils

The number of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole has increased significantly. In 2000, 9% of the pupils were bilingual. The biggest proportion of the bilingual pupils came from Turkey, the former Yugoslavia and the Middle East. At the free elementary schools, the bilingual pupils made up 9.6% of the pupils in the same year.

The number of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole more than doubled between 1991 and 2000. But the number of bilingual pupils varies from municipality to municipality and from region to region. Other studies show that the largest proportion of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole is found in the Metropolitan area.

In 2000, there were 50,350 bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole, corresponding to 9% of the pupils. In 1991, the figure was 24,815 pupils or 4.6% of the pupils.

It turns out that in those periods, when the number of pupils in the Folkeskole dropped, both the number and proportion of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole increased constantly.

Although the largest group of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole are of Turkish descent, and the number increased, they make up a diminishing proportion of the total number of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole. In 1991, they made up 28.8%, against 20.2% in 2000

The second largest group of bilingual pupils come from the former Yugoslavia (incl. Bosnia). These children make up an almost constantly increasing number of pupils. From 1991 to 1996, their proportion of the total number of bilingual pupils increased from 7.7% to 15,7% (corresponding to 6,294 pupils). The proportion subsequently dropped, and in 2000 they made up 12.5% of the bilingual pupils.

The Somalis constitute a group of bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole which has increased substantially since the beginning of the 1990s. In 1991, they made up 0.8% of the bilingual pupils. In 2000, this proportion had increased to 6.6%, corresponding to 3,334 bilingual pupils.

At the free elementary schools, the number of bilingual pupils has increased constantly. From 1993 to 2000, it has almost doubled, increasing from 3,901 to 7,337 pupils. From 1999 to 2000, there was a drop in the number of bilingual pupils of 3.1% or 236 pupils.

The proportion of bilingual pupils in the free elementary schools showed a constant increase up to 1999 (10% of the pupils). In 1993, they made up 5.8% of the pupils, in 2000 they made up 9.6%.

Table 4.4
Bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole, by country of origin, and bilingual pupils in the free elementary schools, 1991 - 2000

1) Incl. Bosnia.
2) Incl. Lebanon.

Note: The sums may deviate due to rounding up/down.
Note: The bilingual pupils have been computed irrespective of their need for supplementary teaching.
The bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole have been computed for the 5 biggest countries in 2000.
Ex. 1991 means the school year
1991/92.

Figure 4.4
Bilingual pupils in the Folkeskole, by country of origin in %, 1991 - 2000

Source: Reporting from the municipalities to the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

4.5 Pupils Receiving Extensive Special Educational Assistance

The number of pupils in the Folkeskole receiving special educational assistance made up 1.27% of the 6-16-year-olds in 2000. For the free elementary schools, they only made up 0.06% of the pupils.

By special education is meant teaching which, according to the Act on the Folkeskole, must be provided for pupils whose development requires special consideration and support, which cannot be provided within the framework of the ordinary teaching.

Extensive special education is a part of the special education provision which is particularly specialised and expensive.

Extensive special educational assistance is primarily provided in the Folkeskole, but it is also provided in the free elementary schools (in the free elementary schools, this group is called "severely handicapped pupils").

In 2000, 8,636 pupils in the Folkeskole received extensive special educational assistance against 5,831 pupils in 1991. From 1999 to 2000, the number of pupils receiving extensive special educational assistance dropped by 5.3%.

The provision of extensive special educational assistance is not so common in the free elementary schools. In 2000, there was a total of 409 pupils receiving extensive special educational assistance. The number has however increased a little each year from 1995 to 2000. In 1995, there were 318 pupils.

The proportion of children and young people receiving extensive special education in the Folkeskole and in the free elementary schools gives an indication of the proportion of pupils for which support is asked by the municipalities.

In 1994, approx. 1% of the 6-16-year-old pupils in the Folkeskole received extensive special educational assistance. This proportion has been increasing steadily up to 1999, where it made up approx. 1.4%. In 2000, the proportion fell to approx. 1.3%.

For the free elementary schools, there has been an almost constant proportion of 0.05% of the 6-16-year-olds who received extensive special educational assistance. But in 1999 and 2000 the proportion was increasing slightly to 0.06%.

Table 4.5
Extensive special educational assistance in the Folkeskole and in the free elementary schools for the 6-16-year-olds, 1991 - 2000

Note: Part of the increase may be attributed to the fact that from 1996/97 there has been a change in the registration of pupils in the municipality of Copenhagen and in those counties in which visitation and funding have been delegated to the municipalities. At the same time, the County of Aarhus has adjusted its pupil figures over the entire period. Nevertheless, the Association of County Councils in Denmark estimates that there has been an increase in the provision of extensive special educational assistance.

Note: Age computed on 1 January. Ex. 1991 means the school year 1991/92.

Figure 4.5
Proportion of pupils receiving extensive special educational assistance in the Folkeskole (6-16-year-olds), 1994 - 2000

Source: "Folkeskolens vidtgående specialundervisning", Association of County Councils in Denmark.

4.6 New Entrants in Education

The number of pupils entering the 1st year of the basic school follows the size of the year group. From 1991 to 2000, the number of new entrants to the 1st school year increased by approx. 30%. The intake to higher education also showed an increase.

The number of new entrants to the different levels of education is among other things determined by the number of children and young people in the age groups concerned. The number of new entrants also depends on the young people's choice of and chances of being admitted to a given programme. Although the intake shows a drop in absolute terms, the proportion of the year group, which is undergoing education, may nonetheless be on the increase.

The intake of pupils to the basic school is naturally determined by the size of the respective year groups. In 2000, approx. 69,400 children started in the 1st form. It was approx. 30% more than in 1991.

The intake to the vocational introduction courses dropped significantly from 1991 to 2000. The drop may be attributed to the fact that the commercial and technical introduction courses were being phased out over this period.

In 2000, the number of new entrants to the Gymnasium and HF was approx. 24,100, which was the lowest for the period. From 1991 to 2000, the intake fell by 17.4%.

In 2000, the number of new entrants to HHX
and HTX was approx. 14,900. From 1991 to 2000, the intake increased by 4.7%.

In 2000, the number of new entrants to the open youth education programmes was 1,800.
In 2000, approx. 10,400 students started on a commercial vocational basic course, and 33,200 started on a technical vocational basic course.

For the vocational main courses etc., the intake in 2000 was approx. 40,100 students against approx. 38,500 in 1991, an increase of 4%. The highest intake was seen in 1996 with approx. 47,000 students.

The number of entrants to all types of higher education increased. In 2000, the intake to medium-cycle higher education was approx. 22,500 students, and approx. 12,500 chose to start on a short-cycle higher education programme. The same year, the intake to the bachelor and candidatus programmes was the same with approx. 13,400 students. The candidatus programmes were reorganised during the period so the intake to these programmes now takes place upon completion of the bachelor programme as far as the majority of the programmes are concerned (see note to table).

Table 4.6
New entrants, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

1) Apart from commercial (HI) and technical (TI) introduction courses, the group also comprises short vocational basic courses such as the introductory year of the social and health education programmes,technical preparation courses etc. As a result of experiments with the new VET-reform from 1999, the intake to HI and TI has been declining.
2) In 1994 and 1995, the HTX and the HTX, respectively, were extended with a year to become 3-year courses. At the same time, the access route was changed from a VET-school period to direct access from basic school. For the period up to and including 1995, Statistics Denmark extended the programmes artificially by adding the basic year of efg and the school period as an introductory year, and the reforms thus do not appear from the figures.
3) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility. The open youth education programmes are included from 1995. On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
4) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other longer vocational upper secondary programmes etc. The decline in the student population in 2000 may among other things be attributed to the fact that the basic course became variable from 20 to 60 weeks.
5) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
6) The candidatus-programmes both comprise undivided candidatus-programmes and the candidatus part of the divided programmes.
7) The figures come from "Data om Dansk Forskeruddannelse", the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Note: The calculation shows the intake to the individual groups. This means that the intake to for instance the Gymnasium and HF largely corresponds to the intake to the first year of the Gymnasium, HF and adult upper secondary level courses.
Note: Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figure 4.6
New entrants to selected higher education programmes, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark, the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division's own figures as well as the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

4.7 Applicants for and Students Admitted to Higher Education

In 2001, 49,353 applicants were admitted to a programme under the Coordinated Enrolment System (KOT). The same year, 60,433 applicants had a programme under the KOT as their first priority.

Since the end of the 1970s, the 'Coordinated Enrolment System' has been responsible for an annual joint application and admission procedure for the entire country. However, new areas, new programmes and new institutions are included every year. In the following, only 1st priority applicants and students admitted to their 1st priority study programme are included in the calculation.

In 2001, there was a total of 60,433 applicants to the programmes under the Coordinated Enrolment System (KOT). From 1994 to 2001, the total number of applicants dropped by 7%.

In 2001, 24,685 persons applied for admission to a programme at one of the University Act institutions. 22,826 applied for admission to a medium-cycle programme, and 9,277 applied for admission to a short-cycle higher education programme. Furthermore, 2,782 persons applied for admission to the 1-year HHX.

From 1994 to 2001, the number of applicants to the medium-cycle higher education programmes dropped by approx. 23%. The drop may among other things be attributed to a decreasing number of applicants to for instance the educator training colleges. The applications dropped by 43.4% (from 12,055 to 6,822) over the period.

In 2001, 4,836 persons applied for admission to the colleges of education, and 2,485 applied for admission to the nursing programme.

It appears from the applications for the short-cycle higher education programmes that 8,577 persons applied for admission to the vocational academies.

In 2001, the total number of admitted students to the programmes under the KOT (incl. students on a waiting list) was 49,353 against 43,444 students in 1994. The intake area of the KOT thus increased by 13.6%. Over time, new areas have been included in the KOT, and therefore the real increase may not be quite as big as the figures indicate.

For the candidatus programme, it is also possible to see an increase in the intake from 1994 to 2001, i.e. by approx. 500 persons. Also the medium- and short-cycle higher education area experienced an increase in the intake of approx. 2,600 and 3,000 persons, respectively.
The 1-year HHX-programme experienced a drop in the intake over the period (by approx. 300 persons).

Table 4.7
1st priority applicants and students admitted to programmes under the Coordinated Enrolment System (KOT), 1994 - 2001

1) University Act institutions: Universities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, South Denmark, Roskilde and Aalborg, business schools in Copenhagen and Aarhus, Technical University of Denmark, Veterinary and Agricultural University, School of Pharmacy and dental colleges. Other: Vestsjælland and Storstrøm Business School Centre and Herning Business School and Engineering College Centre. 2) Comprise: Design schools (new from 2001), colleges of nutrition and home economics, schools of radiography, schools of librarianship, the Forestry School (in 1994 and 1995, the programmes offered by the Forestry School were classified as short-cycle HE-programmes, but here they are classified as medium-cycle HE-programmes), Centre for Sign Language (from 1997), Schools of marine engineering. 3) From 1994 to 1998, school for chemist's assistants. 4) Also comprise the surgical appliance maker's/orthopedist's programme. 5) Comprise: catering officers' school, the Glass and Ceramics School (only applicants in 1997 and 1998) and dental hygienist's programme (only applicants) in 1998.

Note: The number of institutions and programmes under the Coordinated Enrolment System varies over time. Therefore historical comparisons should be made with caution. The difference between 1st priority applicants and students admitted is not equal to the number of turned-down applicants, as some applicants are admitted to their 2nd or lower priority study programme.

Figure 4.7
The number of admitted Students under the KOT-system, 1994 - 2001

Source: "KOT hovedtal" various year, Enrolment Secretariat, University of Copenhagen.

4.8 Transition from Basic School to Continued Education

Of the year group who left the basic school in 2000, 96% are expected to continue in the education system at some point of time. 52% will proceed to general upper secondary education, and 38% to vocational upper secondary education. An increasing number of young people are continuing in the education system after basic school. 97% of the girls and 95% of the boys today continue in the education system.

Of the 2000-year group, 96% are expected to continue in the education system after basic school against 94% in 1991. Model calculations have been used here (the figures are rounded up/down). Adult education is not included here.

Seen over a 10-year period, there were 2 percentage points more who continued in the education system after basic school. This modest increase must be seen in the light of the fact that there was a pronounced reduction in the proportion who did not continue in the education system in the 1980s. In 1982, there were still 12% who did not continue after basic school (it does not appear from the table).

52% of the 2000-year group are expected to choose a general upper secondary programme, 38% a vocational upper secondary programme, and approx. 4% will not continue in the education system.

Of the 2000-year group, 36% are expected to start on a Gymnasium- or HF-programme and 16% on an HHX- or HTX-programme. In 1994 and 1995, both the HTX and the HHX-programme could be commenced directly after basic school (see note 2 to table 4.8).

35% of the 2000-year group will continue in a vocational basic course and fuu and 3% in a vocational main course. From 1991 to 2000, the transition to the vocational basic courses and fuu increased by 15 percentage points, and the transition from basic school to vocational main courses was halved over the period and went down from 6% to 3%.

There are differences in boys' and girls' choice of education. 97% of the girls (the 2000-year group) are expected to continue in the education system after basic school against 95% of the boys.

Of the 2000-year group, 61% of the girls are expected to start on a general upper secondary programme and 28% on a vocational upper secondary programme (of these, 25% will start on a vocational basic course or fuu ). In 1991, 23% continued in a vocational upper secondary programme.

The boys will first and foremost start on a vocational upper secondary programme, i.e. 47% (of these, 44% will start on a vocational basic course or fuu). 44% of the boys will start on a general upper secondary programme. In 1991, only 35% of the boys continued in a general upper secondary programme.

Table 4.8
Proportion of young people who continue in other programmes after basic school, by gender, 1991 - 2000

1) Apart from commercial (HI) and technical (TI) introduction courses, the group also comprises short vocational basic courses such as the introductory year of the social and health education programmes, technical preparation courses etc. As a result of experiments with the new VET-reform from 1999, the intake to HI and TI has been declining.
2) In 1994 and 1995, the HTX and the HTX, respectively, were extended with a year to become 3-year courses. At the same time,
the access route was changed from a VET-school period to direct access from basic school. For the period up to and including 1995, Statistics Denmark extended the programmes artificially by adding the basic year of efg and school period as an introductory year, and the reforms thus do not appear from the figures.
3) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility. The open youth education programmes are included from 1995. On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
4) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other longer vocational upper secondary programmes etc.

Note: Due to rounding up/down, there may be deviations from the totals.
Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figure 4.8
Proportion of young people who continue in general and vocational upper secondary education after basic school, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark and model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

4.9 Transition from General Upper secondary Education to Continued Education

In 2000, 96% of all young people with a Gymnasium- or HF-background are expected to continue in the education system, and 94% with an HHX- or HTX-background will continue in the education system. The proportion continuing has been high in recent years. For both types of general upper secondary education, more and more of the young people wished to continue in the education system Furthermore, there is an increasing number of students entering higher education.

The general upper secondary programmes are academically oriented. Experience shows that not all continue, and that some of those who do continue have a break in their studies. The figures indicated here are model figures which show the proportion of young people, who are expected to continue in the education system after having completed or dropped out of a general upper secondary programme. Adult education is not included in this calculation.

96% of the 2000-year group with a Gymnasium- or HF-qualification are expected to continue in the education system at some point of time. 65% will start on a higher education programme, 16% on a vocational upper secondary programme, and 10% will start on an HHX- or HTX-programme. In 1991, 92% of this year group would continue and only 60% of them in higher education.

The young people from the 2000-year group with a Gymnasium- or HF-qualification, who chose to start on a higher education programme, distributed with 7% on short-cycle, 25% on medium-cycle and 33% on bachelor, or candidatus programmes.

94% of the 2000-year group with an HHX- or HTX-qualification are expected to continue in the education system at some point of time. 3% will start on a Gymnasium- or HF-programme, and 41% will start on a vocational upper secondary programme. 48% are expected to start on a higher education programme. In 1991, 86% with an HHX- or HTX-background would continue in the education system, 43% in a vocational upper secondary programme. Finally 39% would continue with a higher education programme.

Young people with an HHX- or HTX-qualification from the 2000-year group, who chose to start on a higher education programme, distributed with 16% on short-cycle, 13% on medium-cycle and 18% on a bachelor or candidatus programme.

For both the Gymnasium- and HF and the HHX- and HTX-programmes, there is an increasing number of students wishing to continue in the education system and an increase in the transition rate to higher education.

Table 4.9
Proportion of young people who after having completed or dropped out of a Gymnasium- and HF- or an HHX-and HTX-programme continue in other programmes, 1991 - 2000

1) Comprise: Vocational basic courses, vocational main courses, open youth education etc.
2) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
3) The candidatus-programmes both comprise undivided candidatus-programmes and the candidatus part of the divided programmes.

Note: Due to rounding up/down, there may be deviations from the totals. Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figure 4.9
Proportion of young people who after having completed or dropped out of a Gymnasium- and HF-programme continue in higher education - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark as well as model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

4.10 Pupils/Students Completing Education

In 2000, around 195,800 young people completed a course of education. More and more young people complete a course of education, and the level of educational attainment is getting higher. Relatively many completed a higher education programme. Generally, more and more young people complete a formal vocationally qualifying course of education.

Education is compulsory for 9 years. Therefore, almost all will complete the basic school up to the 9th form level. For the other programmes, all of those complete and graduate, who have attended classes and passed the examinations laid down in the provisions applying to the programmes. In 2000, approx. 195,800 young people completed a course of education. The number of graduates from the different levels of education depends on the number enrolled at the year levels concerned, the proportion continuing in the different programmes and the dropout. Adult education is not included in this calculation.

In 2000, approx. 54,300 left the final form levels of the basic school. This is approx. 15,300 fewer than in 1991, where the number of school leaver was the highest for the period in question. The number of graduates from basic school depends on the size of the year group and the transition to the 10th form. In 2000, approx. 64% of the 9th form year group opted for the 10th form in the subsequent year.

In 2000, approx. 21,700 young people completed a Gymnasium- or HF-programme against approx. 24,600 in 1991. The number of young people who completed an HHX- or HTX-programme made up approx. 10,700 in 2000 against approx. 12,700 in 1991.
In 2000, approx. 8,500 young people completed a commercial vocational basic course, and approx. 16,200 completed a technical vocational basic course. Approx. 37,100 completed a vocational main course etc. Neither for the basic nor for the main course was there an unequivocal development in the number of graduates. The historical development should also be interpreted with some caution, as the VET-programmes were restructured several times during the period in question (see also notes to table 4.10).

From 1991 to 2000, an increasing number of young people completed a higher education programme. In 2000, approx. 6,000 completed a short cycle, approx. 16,500 a medium-cycle, approx. 7,200 a bachelor, and approx. 8,600 a candidatus programme, and finally approx. 900 completed a PhD-programme. For the candidatus-graduates, there has been an increase in the number of graduates from 1991 to 2000 of 39,0%. The bachelor and candidatus structure was introduced during the period in question. One should therefore only with some caution draw conclusions over time.

Generally speaking, more young people complete a formal, mainstream vocationally qualifying course of education

Table 4.10
Pupils/students completing a course of education, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

1) Apart from commercial (HI) and technical (TI) introduction courses, the group also comprises short vocational basic courses such as the introductory year of the social and health education programmes, technical preparation courses etc. As a result of experiments with the new VET-reform from 1999, the intake to HI and TI has been declining.
2) In 1994 and 1995, the HTX and the HTX, respectively, were extended with a year to become 3-year courses. At the same time, the access route was changed from a VET-school period to direct access from basic school. For the period up to and including 1995, Statistics Denmark extended the programmes artificially by adding the basic year of efg and school period as an introductory year, and the reforms thus do not appear from the figures.
3) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility. The open youth education programmes are included from 1995. On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
4) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other longer vocational upper secondary programmes etc. The decline in the student population in 2000 may among other things be
attributed to the fact that the basic course became variable from 20 to 60 weeks.
5) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
6) The candidatus-programmes both comprise undivided candidatus-programmes and the candidatus part of the divided programmes.
7) The figures come from "Data om Dansk Forskeruddannelse", the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

a) From 1994 to 1997, there were problems with the registration of leavers. Some of the broken-off courses have mistakenly been registered as completed courses.

Note: Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figur 4.10
Elever/studerende der fuldfører en uddannelse, fordelt efter udvalgte erhvervsuddannelser og videregående uddannelser, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark, model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division as well as the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

4.11 Completion rates

In 2000, 86% completed a Gymnasium- or HF-programme. The medium-cycle higher education programmes had a relatively stable completion rate. The bachelor programmes showed a drop, whereas there was an increase in the completion rates for the candidatus programmes. In 2000, the completion rate for the undivided candidatus programmes was 70%, and for the candidatus part of the divided programmes it was 62%.

Completion rates build on model figures which are very summary and cover over great variations between the individual programmes. Because of that among other things, the figures should be interpreted with great caution. The calculations build on the expected results on the basis of the intake, transition and graduation in the education system in the year concerned. Completion depends on many things, e.g. professional qualification requirements etc.

In 2000, 86% of those who started on a Gymnasium- or HF-programme completed. The completion rate for the HHX and HTX-programmes was a little lower, with 76%.

In the vocational education and training area, many initiatives have been taken to reduce the dropout. During the period concerned, the area has been subject to several reform changes, and it may therefore be rather problematic to conclude from the historical completion rates.

In 2000, 76% completed a commercial vocational basic course. The completion rate for the technical basic courses was somewhat lower, with 69%. The last three years of the study shows a drop in the completion rate.

In 2000, 82% completed a vocational main course etc. Also here - as was the case with the basic courses - a declining completion rate can be seen over the last three years of the period concerned.

Also the candidatus programmes have been subject to restructuring into a bachelor/candidatus structure, where the bachelor programme has to be completed, before the candidatus programme can be started. A few programmes are still undivided. It is therefore not possible to give and overall completion rate. At the same time, the time series are uncertain.

In 2000, 70% completed a short-cycle higher education programme. For the medium-cycle higher education programmes, there is a stable completion rate over the period, and 72% completed a medium-cycle higher education programme in 2000.

The bachelors showed a declining completion rate. In 2000, it was 54%. 70% completed an undivided candidatus programme, and 62% completed the candidatus part of the divided programmes. Finally, 87% completed a PhD programme in 2000, and here we find an increasing tendency to complete.

Table 4.11
Proportion of students completing a programme they have started, by level of education, 1991 - 2000

1) Apart from commercial (HI) and technical (TI) introduction courses, the group also comprises short vocational basic courses such as the introductory year of the social and health education programmes, technical preparation courses etc. As a result of experiments with the new VET-reform from 1999, the intake to HI and TI has been declining.
2) In 1994 and 1995, the HTX and the HTX, respectively, were extended with a year to become 3-year courses. At the same time,
the access route was changed from a VET-school period to direct access from basic school. For the period up to and including 1995, Statistics Denmark extended the programmes artificially by adding the basic year of efg and school period as an introductory year, and the reforms thus do not appear from the figures.
3) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility.
4) On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
5) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other longer vocational upper secondary programmes etc.
6) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
7) After 1996, undivided candidatus programmes are offered within the following areas: engineering, medicine, dentistry, theology, pharmacy, music/art under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, architecture etc. 6) The figures from 1996 and on clearly reflect that the bachelor- and candidatus structure is about to make itself felt.
8) The figures come from "Data om Dansk Forskeruddannelse", the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

a) From 1994 to 1997, there were problems with the registration of leavers. Some of the broken-off courses have mistakenly been registered as completed courses.

Note: Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figure 4.11
Proportion of students completing a selected programme they have started, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark, model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division as well as the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

4.12 Length of Study

In 2000, the average length of study was 3.2 years for the bachelor programmes and 3.4 years for the candidatus part of the divided candidatus programmes.

The length of study, i.e. the time it takes to complete an education programme, builds on model calculations made on the basis of information about graduates in the year in question. The figures should be interpreted with great caution, as the results are very summary and cover over great variations between the individual programmes.

In 2000, the average length of study for a commercial vocational basic course was 1.4 years, and for a technical vocational basic course it was 0.8 years. The average length of study for the vocational main courses etc. was 2.1 years against 1.9 years in 1991.

For the short- and medium-cycle higher education programmes, the length of study was close to the officially stipulated time of study, i.e. an average length of study of 2.2 and 3.4 years. The length of study in medium-cycle higher education increased somewhat from 1995, among other things due to an extension of the educator training programme with 6 months.

The candidatus programmes have been subject to restructuring in the period concerned so that most of these programmes are now only started upon completion of a bachelor programme.

Today, the officially stipulated time of study for a divided candidatus programme is 5 years, 3 years in the bachelor programme and 2 years in the candidatus part of the programme. For technical reasons, it is not yet possible to calculate the length of study for the entire candidatus course. As the data concern this period of restructuring, the figures here must be interpreted with caution.

For the bachelor programmes, the average length of study in 2000 was 3.2 years. There has been a slight decline in the length of study in recent years.

For the candidatus part of a divided programme, the length of study was 3,4 years, and for the undivided candidatus programme the average length of study was 6.1 years. The length of study has over recent years remained more or less stable at around 6 years. The time it took to complete a PhD programme in 2000 more or less corresponded to the officially stipulated time of study (3.1 years).

Table 4.12
Average completion time, by selected levels of education, 1991 - 2000

1) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility.
2) On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
3) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other lon-ger vocational upper secondary programmes etc.
4) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
5) After 1996, undivided candidatus programmes are offered within the following areas: engineering, medicine, dentistry, theology, pharmacy, music/art under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, architecture etc.
6) The figures from 1996 and on clearly reflect that the bachelor- and candidatus structure is about to make itself

Note: Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Table 4.12
Average completion time, by higher education levels, 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark as well as the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division's own model calculations.

4.13 Transition Time before Starting Education

There is no transition time after basic school. The majority start on an education programme immediately after the summer holidays. On completion of the Gymnasium- and HF-programmes, on the contrary, young people tend to wait longer, Young people with an HHX or an HTX qualification started more quickly on their further education than young people with a Gymnasium- and HF qualification

The primary target is that as many as possible complete a course of education, but another important target is also that young people get started more quickly with their further education, thus diminishing among other things the risk of dropout and advancing the transition to the labour market. Many changes have taken place both in the labour market and in the education system. The admission regulations for higher education have for instance been almost abolished. In the VET programmes, all students now have the possibility of finishing the programme at school, if they are not able to find a suited practical training place.

The transition time builds on model calculations (median figures). The transition time is calculated for the transition from basic school and the transition for general upper secondary education. The figures are summary and may cover over great variations for the individual programmes.

The transition time from basic school to general upper secondary education and the basic vocational courses corresponds exclusively to the summer holidays.

In the 2000-year group, young people with a
Gymnasium- or HF-background waited 1.2
years, before they started on a commercial vocational basic course and 1.4 years, before they started on a technical vocational basic course. The transition time to the short- and medium-cycle higher education programmes was 1.8 and 2.3 years, respectively. These programmes in some cases cater for older students with occupational experience, e.g. the educator training programme. The transition time for the bachelor programmes was 1.3 years, and the same was the case with the candidatus programmes.

In the 2000-year group, young people with an HHX- or HTX-background waited 0.3 years, before they started on a commercial vocational basic course and 0.6 years, before they started on a technical vocational basic course. The transition time for the short- and medium-cycle higher education programmes was 0.7 years and 1.3 years, respectively. The transition time, before starting on a bachelor programme was 1 year, whereas it was 0.3 years for the candidatus programmes.

Generally, young people with an HHX- or HTX-background were quicker at getting started on their further education than young people with a Gymnasium- or HF-background.

Table 4.13
Median transition time after basic school and general upper secondary education before continuing in another course of education, 1991 - 2000

1) In 1994 and 1995, the HTX and the HTX, respectively, were extended with a year to become 3-year courses. At the same time, the access route was changed from a VET-school period to direct access from basic school. For the period up to and including 1995, Statistics Denmark extended the programmes artificially by adding the basic year of efg and school period as an introductory year, and the reforms thus do not appear from the figures.
2) From the middle of 1996, the introductory course for the commercial VET-programmes was changed so that the students could
change it from 1 to 2 years. Around half of the students availed themselves of this possibility. The open youth education programmes are included from 1995. On 1 January 2001, a new VET-reform came into force, whereby the 1st and 2nd school
periods were replaced by 7 access channels, but experiments with this new structure were already initiated from 1999.
3) Also comprise social and health education, agricultural programmes, the basic educator programme (from 1997) and other longer vocational upper secondary programmes etc. The decline in the student population in 2000 may among other things be attributed to the fact that the basic course became variable from 20 to 60 weeks.
4) The reason why the bachelor programmes have figures from before they were formally established is that the HA and the business language programmes among others had this structure before the reform.
5) The candidatus-programmes both comprise undivided candidatus-programmes and the candidatus part of the divided programmes.

Note: The median transition time is the waiting time, after which 50% continue in a new course of education. Not all new courses of education are shown.
Ex. 1991 means the school year 1990/91.

Figure 4.13
Median transition time after general upper secondary education before continuing in another course of education, 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark and model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

4.14 Students in Adult Education

In 1999, there were 113,276 students per year/student full-time equivalents receiving an offer of adult education in the public sector. From 1998 to 1999, the activity fell by 15,627 student full-time equivalents or 12.1%. The folk high schools experienced a modest increase in their number of student full-time equivalents for the first time since 1994.

The activity in the public adult education sector has been increasing over a number of years, but it experienced a drop from 1998 to 1999. In 1999, 113,276 student full-time equivalents participated in public sector adult education. To this should furthermore be added the evening school provision under the act on adult liberal education (folkeoplysning), which is financed by the municipalities, and which comprises more than 20,000 students per year. In 1999, there were thus 142,000 students per year in the total adult education provision.

From 1998 to 1999, the activity dropped in the public adult education sector by 15,627 students per year or 12.1%. The total drop could primarily be attributed to a drop in the activity in open education (vocational colleges and SOSU-schools), AMU-courses and day folk high schools.

The reason for the drop from 1998 to 1999 in open education (vocational colleges and SOSU-schools) of 36.6% is to be found in a rapid decline in the PC-user programme. The day folk high schools' drop of 29.7% may be attributed to the introduction of an activity limit of 9,800 students per year. And finally the drop of 21.6% in the AMU-courses may among other things also be attributed to the limitation of the possibilities of the unemployed to participate in AMU-courses as well as the introduction of grant frameworks.

Some of the student full-time equivalents participating in adult education have been or were active in the labour force - as employees or job seekers, as part of the adult education provision takes place in the participants' spare time. This is particularly the case with open education, the short folk high school courses and the evening school provision.

The highest number of student full-time equivalents in 1999 was found for the courses in Danish as a second language with an activity of 17,223 student full-time equivalents. From 1999 to 2000, the activity furthermore increased by 11.6%.

The folk high schools also turned out to have an increase in the activity for the first time since 1994, although it was only modest. In 2000, there was a total of 4,136 student full-time equivalents enrolled in the folk high schools' long courses.

In 1998, there were 22,018 student full-time equivalents participating in the evening school rovision under the act on adult liberal education.

Table 4.14
Student full-time equivalents in public sector adult education, 1993 - 2000

1) Long courses are of 12 weeks' duration or more - short courses are of under 12 weeks' duration.
2) Including in-service training for teachers and educators.
3) Only includes participants who have released supplementary benefits.
4) A full-time equivalent equals 756 hours.
5) When we went to print, there were no data available for 2000.
6) The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. Courses for farmers.
7) Include pgu-credit student full-time equivalents and retraining course for home helps.
8) Only includes teaching under the Act on adult liberal education and not sports activities, scout activities etc.

Note: Ex. 1993 means the school year 1993/94. When we went to print, there were no figures available for adult education activities financed by the municipalities under the act on adult liberal education for 1999 and 2000.

Figure 4.14
Student full-time equivalents in selected public sector adult education activities, 1993 - 1999

Source: "Voksenuddannelse i tal - 2002", the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

4.15 Participation in Adult Education and Continuing Training in Denmark and in Selected Countries

The proportion of the population participating in job- or career-relevant adult education and continuing training makes up 49% in Denmark, which is the highest score among the selected OECD-countries. People's participation in adult education and continuing training increases with the level of educational attainment in Denmark and a number of other countries.

In Denmark, 49% of the entire adult population (25-64-year-olds) participated in job- and career-relevant adult education and continuing training. This is the highest proportion among the OECD-countries taking part in this study.

As it is the case with a number of other countries, the proportion of participants in adult education and continuing training increases with the level of educational attainment. Thus, only 29% of the proportion with a basic school education as the highest level of educational attainment participate in job- and career-relevant adult education and continuing training against 51% of the group with an upper secondary qualification and 70% of the group with a higher education qualification as their highest level of educational attainment.

The average number of hours each adult spends in job- and career-relevant adult education is 188 in Denmark, which is also highest among the countries participating in the study. Participants with a basic school or upper secondary qualification as their highest level of educational attainment spend more hours (193 and 197 hours, respectively) than participants with a higher education qualification, who on average spend 160 hours on job- and career-relevant adult education and continuing training.

These data come from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), which was conducted in the period from 1995 to 1999. Denmark participated in the second round of the study in 1998/99. Adult education and continuing training comprise both private and public education in this study.

There are great variations between the countries when it comes to the proportion of people who take part in job- and career-relevant adult education and continuing training. Apart from Denmark, the proportion is either 40% or more in Norway, the UK and Australia, whereas it is only 11% in Poland and 13% in Hungary.

Table 4.15
Participation in job-relevant adult education and continuing training, by level of educational attainment in Denmark and in selected countries - 1999 1)

1) The data have not been collected in the same year in all countries, but they have all been collected between 1995 and1999.

Figure 4.15
Proportion of young people participating in job-relevant adult education and continuing training in Denmark and selected countries -
1999 1)

Source: "Education at a Glance, 2001", OECD.

5. Results

One parameter for the education and training effort is the final educational profile of young people, which shows the final level of educational attainment and the distribution on type of education.

The profile can illustrate whether the result of the effort is in accordance with the current targets of the educational policy, for instance whether a sufficient number of young people complete a course of education, and whether the distribution is in accordance with the political targets.

The transition from education and training to the labour market is also a central target when it comes to showing the results of the total education and training effort. It is a target of central importance to the education sector to prepare young people for a place in the labour market.

Although the young people are ever so well-qualified, their place in the labour market also depends on the number of older employees leaving the labour market and of the availability of jobs for them. In recent years, there has been a boom in the labour market.

For the individual, the income he or she can expect to earn in a lifetime is a way to measure whether it is worth the while to acquire a qualification and more indirectly a way to measure the social rewards of education and training.
Finally, figures for the general level of educational attainment of the adult population to some extent indicate the possibilities of the country of maintaining a certain level in the labour market as well as a well-qualified population which can hold its own in international comparisons.

5.1 Educational Attainment of the Population in Denmark and the Other EU-Countries

80% of the Danish population have an upper secondary qualification as a minimum. The level of educational attainment is high compared with the other EU-countries, only Germany and the UK have a higher level.

In Denmark, 54% of the adult population (25-64-year-olds) had upper secondary education and 26% higher education as their highest level of educational attainment in 2000. 20% of the adult Danish population thus only had basic school as their highest level of educational attainment.

According to this survey, the level of educational attainment is high in Denmark compared with the other EU-countries. In the European Union on average, 37% only had basic school education, 42% had upper secondary education and 21% higher education as their highest level of educational attainment.

The proportion of the adult population, who as a minimum has an upper secondary qualification, makes up 80% in Denmark against an EU-average of 64%. Only Germany and the UK have a higher proportion than Denmark, with 81%.

In previous surveys, the level for upper secondary education has been significantly lower than the Danish one, but in the most recent international surveys two types of programmes in the UK have been registered as completed upper secondary programmes, although they do not meet the formal requirements in the international classification system.

The proportion with a higher education qualification is higher in Belgium (27%), the UK (28%), Sweden (30%) and Finland (32%) than in Denmark (26%).

The level of educational attainment varies a lot in the EU-countries. The proportion of the adult population with an upper secondary qualification as a minimum is for instance 22% in Portugal against 82% in Germany.

Here, the EU has used the Labour Force Survey (a European interview study) as a source. Statistics Denmark's education and training register is often used for this type of surveys resulting in a lower level of educational attainment for Denmark compared with surveys using interview studies as a source.

Table 5.1
Level of educational attainment of the population in Denmark and the other EU countries, 25-64-year-olds - 2000

1) 1997 figures.

Figure 5.1
Level of educational attainment in Denmark and the other EU-countries,
25-64-year-olds - 2000

Source: Statistics in Focus Theme 3-10/2001. Labour Force Survey - Principal results 2000.

5.2 The Educational Profile of a Year Group

79.5% of the 2000-year group are expected to complete a vocationally qualifying course of education. 50.5% of the girls will complete a higher education programme against only 37% of the boys.

It is possible to estimate what the final educational profile will be like for those young people who leave the basic school in 2000. The result shows the proportion who is expected to complete a vocationally qualifying course of education, i.e. a vocational upper secondary or a higher education programme.

The results give an overview of the flows in the Danish education system and can popularly be described as the end result which the year group of pupils at the 8th form level arrive at, if for the next 25 years they display a behaviour like the one displayed by their older fellow students in the course of the year. The educational profile figures are indicators showing the current status of the flows in the education system, and they reflect the changes of the year in study preferences, educational structures etc.

The flow through the Danish education system has become more effective. According to the 2000-profile, as much as 79,5% of a year group will complete a vocationally qualifying course of education (to this should moreover be added some adult education programmes, which are not included in the calculation for the moment). A the beginning of the 1980s, this proportion was only approx. 60%. 13% of the year group will leave the education system without any qualifications at all and will have acquired neither a competency for further studies nor a vocational competency, and 7.5% will leave only with a leaving examination at general upper secondary level.
More girls than boys complete a higher education programme. 83% of the girls complete a vocationally qualifying course of education against only 74% of the boys.

The girls are overrepresented in higher education and very significantly in medium-cycle higher education.

31% of the girls complete a medium-cycle higher education programme against only 11.5% of the boys. On the other hand, more boys go for short-cycle higher education and for vocational upper secondary education (11.5% against 6.5% of the girls).

Table 5.2
Expected total educational profile of a year group, by level of education and competency and gender - 2000

Note: The sum of students entering and leaving the individual boxes may deviate due to rounding up/down. Excluding egu, production schools and adult education etc.

Figure 5.2
Expected total educational profile of a year group, by level of competency and gender - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark and model calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

5.3 Educational Status of Selected Year Groups after Intake to Higher Education

On 1 October 1998, the educational status of the 1990/91-year group was that 85.1% of those who started on a higher education programme for the first time had completed the programme or were enrolled in another programme.

The status on 1 October 1996 of those students, who started in higher education for the first time in 1981/82, was that 82.3% had completed or were still enrolled in education. Of these, 67.4% had completed the programme they had initially started on. 12.7% had completed another programme, and 2% were enrolled in another programme. The total dropout rate for the 1981/82- year group was 32.5%. Of these, 14.7% were enrolled in or had completed the programme they had most recently commenced.

From the dropout, it can furthermore be seen that approx. 11.2% were employed, and only 1:2% were unemployed. Early dropout was almost of no consequence for the proportion affected by unemployment (after 12 months, only 1.7% were unemployed).

For the 1981/82- year group, only 5.3% of those who dropped out of higher education were outside the labour market (e.g. receiving disability benefits etc.) or had provided no information about their labour market status (including emigration, death etc.). It is remarkable that after 12 months 2.3% of those who started in higher education for the first time were totally outside the labour market. The explanation here may be that young people with mental, physical or social problems enrol in education to avoid the dole queue. Some of these drop out rapidly and for instance pass on to social security benefits or the like.

The 1987/88-year group does not differ much from the 1981/82-year group, but it is however based on a shorter "passage". It is among other things reflected in the fact that on 1 October 1996 a bigger proportion of students were enrolled in the programme they had started on (2.6%). 75.9% completed a programme, of these 65.8% completed the programme they initially started on.

The 1990/91-year group with educational status on 1 October 1998 does to some extent differ from the two first year groups. This may among other things be attributed to the fact that the course is based on a much shorter "passage". It is among other things reflected in the fact that on 1 October 1998 a bigger proportion of students completed a programme, i.e. 72.7%, of which 64.1% completed the programme they initially started on. Also for this year group, only a very small proportion of those who dropped out of education were affected by unemployment.

Table 5.3
Status of year group 1981/82, 1987/88 and 1990/91, by first time entrance to higher education,

Note: The 1981/82- and 1987/88-year groups are measured ending on 1 October 1996, whereas the 1990/91-year group is measured on 1 October 1998.

Note: The number of first time entrants to higher education was 22,303 students in 1981/82, 26,923 students in 1987/88 and 24,080 students in 1990/91.

Figure 5.3
Status of year group 1987/88 on 1 October 1996 as well as of year group 1990/91 on 1 October 1998 (higher education)

Source: Statistics Denmark, special run made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

5.4 Unemployment and Eduacation

The unemployment has dropped significantly. In 2000, it was 4.6%. The unemployment of women is still higher than that of men. In 2000, the unemployment of women was 5.2% against that of men which was 4%.

It is generally the case that the higher the level of educational attainment, the lower is the risk of unemployment. There are however exceptions to the rule.

The unemployment has dropped significantly. The overall unemployment dropped from 9.6% to 4.6% between 1991 and 2000. For 1991 to 1993, it did however increase to 11.4%. After this, there has been a constant drop.

The drop in the unemployment - from 1994 to 1995 - benefited most groups of education - also persons who had not completed a vocationally qualifying course of education.

The unemployment of the group without any vocationally qualifying course of education was 5.7% in 2000 against 12% in 1991. Persons who have not completed a vocationally qualifying course of education or a vocational education and training programme are generally much more affected by unemployment than persons who have completed vocationally qualifying courses of education.

For persons who have completed a vocational upper secondary programme etc., the unemployment was 4.4% in 2000 against 8.7% in 1991.

The higher education area also had the lowest unemployment rates in 2000. People with short-cycle higher education qualifications experienced an unemployment rate of 4%.

Persons with medium-cycle higher education qualifications had the lowest unemployment rate of all groups (2.5% in 2000). The unemployment rate of persons with a candidatus-qualification was 3.2% in the same year.

In 2000, the unemployment of women was - apart from those with a medium-cycle higher education qualification - generally higher than that of men.

In 2000, the overall unemployment of women was 5.2% against that of men, which was 4%.

The women who had not completed a vocationally qualifying course of education in 2000 experienced an unemployment rate of 6.4. The men in this group experienced a somewhat lower unemployment rate, namely 5%.

Table 5.4
Unemployment, by highest level of educational attainment and gender (16-66-year-olds), 1991 - 2000

Note: Registered unemployed in the course of the year, cf. Statistics Denmark's CRAM- and RAS-data.

Figure 5.4
Unemployment, by highest level of educational attainment (total of 16-66-year-olds), 1991 - 2000

Source: Statistics Denmark, special run made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

5.5 Expected Time Spent on Education, Employment and Unemployment by Young People in Denmark and Selected Countries

In Denmark, the 15-29-year-olds spend 8.5 years in the education system and 6.5 years outside the education system. During the 8.5 year, they are enrolled in education, they are also employed for 5.1 years. Danish young people thus spend many years on education and also on employment compared with other countries.

The 15-29-year-olds spend 8.5 years in the education system and 6.5 years outside the education system. Danish young people are thus enrolled in education for the longest time compared with the other countries which take part in the study. The average for the countries participating in the study is that the young people spend 6.2 years in the education system and 8.8 years outside the education system. There are very great variations between the countries when it comes to the expected time spent in the education system - from 2.7 years in Turkey to more than 8 years in Finland and Denmark. In the majority of the countries, young people spend between 5 and 7 years in the education system.

During the 8.5 years the Danes in this age group are enrolled in education, they are also in employment for 5.1 years, which is very high compared with the other countries. In the other countries, the young people are thus in employment for a maximum of 4 years while they are enrolled in education, and in most countries it is less than 3 years.

This survey illustrates the expected time spent on education by the year group of 15-29-year-olds (distributed on time in and outside of employment) as well as time spent outside the education system (distributed on time in employment, unemployment and outside the labour force). There may be variations in the ways the countries compute the unemployment (on a yearly basis or at a certain time).
During the years, where the 15-29-year-old Danes are not enrolled in education, they must be expected to be unemployed for 0.4 years and outside the labour force for 0,5 years. The youth unemployment and the expected time outside the labour force is thus low in Denmark compared with the other countries. On average for the participating countries, the young are unemployed for 1 year and outside the labour force for 1.4 years.

Table 5.5
Expected time spent in and outside the education system, in employment and unemployment by the 15-29-year-olds in Denmark and in selected countries - 1999

Figure 5.5
Expected time spent in and outside the education system, in employment and unemployment by the 15-29-year-olds in Denmark and in selected countries - 1999

Source: "Education at a Glance, 2001", OECD.

5.6 Income by Level of Educational Attainment in Denmark and in Selected Countries

In Denmark as in other countries, the income normally increases with the level of educational attainment. In Denmark, salary differences are however relatively small compared with other countries.

Higher levels of educational attainment are normally followed by higher incomes. This is the case in Denmark as well as in other countries. The income spread does however vary a lot from one country to another.

In 1998, Denmark belonged among those countries which had a small salary difference between people with a low level of educational attainment and people with a high level of educational attainment. A man (in the 25-64-year group) with basic school as his highest level of educational attainment for instance earns what corresponds to 87% of what a man with upper secondary education as his highest level of educational attainment earns. A man with a short- or medium-cycle higher education qualification earns 122% of the average of the group with an upper secondary qualification, and a man with a university qualification earns 148%.

The income spread for women is a little smaller than it is for men in Denmark, while the income spread for men and women is much greater in for instance Hungary and the UK.

In Denmark, there is a relatively big difference between persons with upper secondary education and university education as the highest level of educational attainment, but seen in an international context the difference is not big. Persons with basic school education as their highest level of educational attainment earn somewhat less than persons with upper secondary education as their highest level of educational attainment, and the difference between these groups is bigger in for instance Finland for both men and women.

The income spread was generally big in for instance the US, the UK and Portugal, whereas it was smaller in for instance Norway and Switzerland.

Some of the explanation to why people with a low level of educational attainment have a so relatively low income may be that there are relatively many in the labour market without any formal vocational qualifications but with long general education supplemented by different forms continuing training. Continuing training is not included in this survey so the group of unskilled workers in Denmark includes many people with real but not formal qualifications.

Table 5.6
Average indexed income for 25-64-year-olds, by level of educational attainment and gender in Denmark and in selected countries - 1998

1) 1997.
2) 1999.
3) 1996.

Note: The income is defines as salaried income. The calculation is not weighted for full-time/part-time. There are great variations between the countries with regard to calculation methods and definitions. Upper secondary education = index 100.

Figure 5.6
Average indexed income for 25-64-year-old women, by level of educational attainment and women in Denmark and in selected countries - 1998

Source: "Education at a Glance, 2000", OECD.

5.7 Life Income and Educational Attainment

The life income is generally higher for persons with a high level of educational attainment and lower for persons with a low level of educational attainment. There are exceptions, however. The computed life income varies - between DKK 9.7 million and DKK 20.7 million.

The computed life income of persons with different selected educational qualifications is an overall measurement of how much a person benefits economically from pursuing education.

At a more general level, the life income can be taken as an expression of how much society benefits from investing in education. Such a calculation makes allowances for the fact that some start early in the labour market, and others stay in the education system for a long time and only have limited possibilities of earning money next to their studies. In 1995, all the computed life incomes include pensions.

Generally, the life income increases with the level of educational attainment, but there are exceptions to this rule, however. The figures are not distributed on gender, but there are great variations between socalled typical female and male professions.

Unskilled workers have relatively high incomes in Denmark. A brewery worker is for instance expected to earn DKK 13.7 million.

Among persons with vocational education and training qualifications, bricklayers and blacksmiths/machine tool fitters have the highest life income of DKK 13.6 million, whereas a clerical worker employed in the public sector is expected to get the lowest life income of DKK 9.7 million.

Persons with medium-cycle higher education qualifications can expect lower life incomes than persons with long-cycle higher education qualifications. Nurses are for instance expected to have a life income of DKK 10 million, which is less than half of that of for instance engineering graduates from the Technical University.

Persons with long-cycle higher education qualifications are in top when it comes to life incomes. In this group, it is the graduates with a Master's degree in engineering who have the best prospects of having a high total life income in 1995, namely DKK 20.7 million followed by teachers in the Gymnasium with DKK 15.9 million.

Law/economics graduates are expected to have a total life income of DKK 15.7 million.

Table 5.7
Estimated life income, by level of educational attainment in 1995 and the development in the estimated life incomes, 1970 - 1995 (blacksmith = index 100)

1) Incl. pension.
2) From 1995 incl. pension.

Note: Gross income minus change of job and career progression. Only computed every fifth year. Newer figures are not yet available.

Figure 5.7
Estimated life income, by level of educational attainment - 1995

Source: "Stiliserede livsindkomstberegninger for 1995", Working paper 1997:1, the Economic Council.

5.8 Educational Attainment of the Population

The level of educational attainment in Denmark is still getting higher. Over recent decades, the number of persons with a basic school qualification as the highest level of educational attainment has become significantly smaller, and the number of persons with a vocational upper secondary or higher qualification as their highest level of educational attainment has increased. In 2000, 53.2% of the population (15-69-year olds) had completed a vocationally qualifying course of education against 46.2% in 1991

In 2000, 35.6% of the 15-69-year-olds only had a basic school qualification as their highest level of educational attainment. This proportion has been declining constantly since 1991. The decline constitutes 9 percentage points.

There are generation variations in the group, as older people have normally received a great deal less education, measured in years, than younger people. A significant proportion of the older people have only had 7 years of schooling. In 1972, the duration of compulsory education was raised to 9 years, which means that after this time largely all have had at least 9 year of schooling. Many, in particular younger people, have participated in different forms of adult education. Finally, part of the group with a basic school qualification as their highest level of educational attainment have for instance followed a vocational upper secondary programme without completing it. To this should be added the group, for which no data exist (2.6% in 2000), who may in principle have completed a course of education at all levels of education.

In 2000, 8.6% had a general upper secondary qualification, of which 6.4% had a Gymnasium- or HF-qualification and 2.2% an HHX- or HTX-qualification as their highest level of educational attainment. Some of these may have been enrolled in further education without completing it.

In 2000, a total of 53.2% had a vocationally qualifying course of education, of which 33.8% had completed a vocational upper secondary programme and 19.4% a higher education programme. In total, long-cycle higher education graduates made up 4.5%.

From 1991 to 2000, the proportion completing a vocational upper secondary programme increased by 2.4 percentage points, and the proportion completing a higher education programme increased by 4.6 percentage point.

The total moderate increase in the level of educational attainment among other things illustrates the number of years it takes to change the total level of educational attainment of the population significantly. It takes many new year groups of better educated young people to offset the lower level of educational attainment of older year groups. So the effect of an increasing proportion of a year group completing upper secondary education and a significantly increased intake to higher education will only make itself properly felt in the course of some years.

Table 5.8
The population (15-69-year-olds), by level of educational attainment and gender, 1991 - 2000

Figure 5.8
The population (15-69-year-olds), by level of educational attainment, 1991, 1995 and 2000

Source: "Statistikbanken", Statistics Denmark.

5.9 Labour Market Status of Young People not Enrolled in Education

For the group of 15-29-year-olds, who were not enrolled in education, 76.7% were in employment in 2000. The unemployment of the group was 4.8%, which is a little higher than the average unemployment rate of the population (16-66-year-olds), which in the same year was 4.6%.

In 2000, the total population of 15-29-year-olds made up 568,668, of which 49.1% did not have any vocationally qualifying education (excluding the group for which there are no data on education).

Here, the labour market status is computed for young people between 15 and 29 years who were not enrolled in a formal course of education - in relation to highest completed course of education.

There are difference in the underlying level of educational attainment of the young people and their subsequent status in the labour market.

For the group of 15-29-year-olds not enrolled in education, 76.7% were in employment, and the unemployment rate was 4.8%. This unemployment is a little higher than the average unemployment rate for the population (16-66-year-olds), which was 5.6% in the same year.

There are most women outside the labour force, fewer women in employment, and the unemployment rate is also higher for women.

It can also be seen that those who have a basic school qualification as their highest level of educational attainment were most affected by unemployment (6.8%), and in this group at total of 32.9% were outside the labour force.

The lower the educational status is, the lower is the employment rate and the greater is the likelihood of being totally outside the labour force.

For those young people who have completed a general upper secondary programme, the employment rate is higher than for those who have only completed basic school. For young people with a Gymnasium- or HF-qualification as the highest level of educational attainment, 77.7% were in employment, and for young people with an HHX- or HTX-qualification as their highest level of educational attainment, 88.7% were in employment.

For persons with short-cycle, medium-cycle, bachelor and long-cycle higher education qualifications, the employment rate of the young people was between 88 and 91%.

The lowest unemployment rate for persons with a higher education qualification is seen in the medium-cycle higher education area - with 2.6%.

Table 5.9
Labour market status of the 15-29-year-olds not enrolled in education, by highest level of educational attainment and gender - 2000

Figure 5.9
Labour market status of the 15-29-year-olds not enrolled in education, by level of educational attainment as a proportion of the population - 2000

Source: "Uddannelse og kultur, 2001:11", Statistics Denmark and calculations made by the Ministry of Education's Statistics and Information Division.

5.10 The Reading, Mathematics and Science Skills of 15-Year-Olds in Denmark and in Selected Countries

The Danish results from the OECD PISA-study show that the reading skills in Denmark are found to be around the average of all the countries participating in the OECD-study, the mathematics skills are found in the best scoring half, and the science skills are in the worst scoring half.

The first results from the OECD-study, Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which was published in 2001, show how well young people are prepared to face the challenges of the society of today and the future around the end of basic school. The PISA-study focuses on the young people's ability to reflect, use their knowledge and experience as well as to handle problems in connection with their own lives. The results comprise three subject-areas: reading, mathematics and science. The measurements require that the pupils are able to make analyses and reflect on the contents.

The results show that the reading skills of the 15-year-olds in Denmark are found to be around the average for all the countries participating in the study, the mathematics skills are found in the best scoring half, and the science skills are found in the worst scoring part.

With a score of 497, the reading skills of the Danish pupils are just around the average for both the OECD (500) and the EU (498). The Danish results are at the level of those of Norway and Iceland, whereas the Swedish results are a little better (516), and Finland is in the very top with a score of 546.

The mathematics skills of Danish pupils are found in the best scoring half with a score of 514 against an OECD-average of 500 and an EU-average of 494. Among the Nordic countries, only Finland has a higher score - namely 536.

With a score of 481, Denmark places itself under the average when it comes to science skills in both the OECD and the EU, with 500 and 494, respectively. In all the other Nordic countries, the level is higher than in Denmark.

In addition to the three subject-areas, measurements of the social and personal skills of the pupils have for the first time also been included in an international skills study. The results among other things show that seen in an international context Danish pupils are very pleased with going to school, and that they are interested and motivated. They furthermore like to cooperate - and at the same time compete. The self-confidence of Danish pupils is not in top, but around the average.

Table 5.10
The reading, mathematics and science skills of 15-year-olds in Denmark and in selected countries, by score - 2000

Figure 5.10
The reading skills of 15-year-olds in Denmark and in other EU-countries, by score - 2000

Source: "Forventninger og færdigheder - danske unge i en international sammenligning", AKF 2001. Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

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© Undervisningsministeriet 2002