Twice the Work in Half the Time: A Problematising Investigation of the Reform Culture in the Danish University Sector

Abstract

With a starting point in the Danish government’s recent suggested reform of the master’s program structure, Forberedt på fremtiden I (2023), this thesis sets out to examine the reform culture related to the management of the Danish universities from a historical perspective. More specifically, our aim is to present how the Danish government has understood and problematized university planning, by investigating the underlying rationales and governance practices which condition the reforms. The thesis is based on a Foucault-inspired analytical strategy, employing both the archaeology of knowledge and genealogy, in order to examine the discursive formation and power structures informing the university reforms from 1956 until today.

The study examines how the suggested reform, Forberedt på fremtiden I, appears to be founded on alleged problems which have not been acknowledged by the affected actors including the students, the universities, and the future employers. We claim that this affects the formation of a contradictory and unstable discourse. We further relate this issue to Foucault's understanding of the neoliberal art of government as dependent on the interests of individuals and the civil society, ultimately questioning the legitimacy of the suggested reform.

From there, we delve into the historical context of the Danish university reforms, highlighting the government's shifting rationales for governance and management of the university planning. We argue that the government's emphasis on economic competitiveness and the optimization of human capital has resulted in a market-oriented approach to university management, which may be detrimental to the core values of higher education.

In conclusion, the study shows that the Danish government's actions and rationales on the field of higher education have been influenced by wider societal and political shifts, resulting in a market-oriented approach to university management that may conflict with the fundamental values of higher education. Based on historical examples of unsuccessful educational planning, we discuss whether it is possible to plan for the unforeseeable future market needs, ultimately questioning the value of university planning. We suggest that this might imply that planning with the aim of cultivating the traditional virtues of critical thinking and reflexiveness, might be more valuable than planning for uncertain market needs.

As we relate to the epistemologies of social constructivism and poststructuralism, we acknowledge that the conclusion of the thesis is one possible interpretation of the problem, rather than a definitive truth.