Students block access to key university buildings

01/02-10 kl. 14:15 Politics / Science

Photo: Christoffer Zieler The blockade of the Department of Biology and the Department of Geography and Geology since early this morning has been widely covered by the Danish media

Hundreds of students have since early Monday morning blockaded key departments at the University of Copenhagen, protesting cutbacks and the shedding of jobs

by Christoffer Zieler, English version by Sebastian Zieler

4-500 students are blockading the Department of Biology and the Department of Geography and Geology at the University of Copenhagen.

Emil Bach Madsen, spokesperson for the student activists at one of the affected places of study, Geocenter, calls for a response from university management.

»We demand that Rector Ralf Hemmingsen provide an answer to how he envisions a future for Geography and Geology, when the subjects are being hollowed out to such an extent,« he says.

He adds that »university management will have to make sure that Geography and Geology can maintain a high academic standard or they will have to face the consequences and close the subjects«.

Banking on previous successes

The cutbacks on geography and geology are around DKK 10 million per year until 2012. According to the University Post’s information, 19 members of staff are set to lose their jobs. Biology is hit even harder with 36 employees facing the boot.

The cutbacks come as a result of a financially difficult 2008-2009, which caused an uproar from employees of the Faculty of Science. This time round, it is the students that have mobilised themselves in greater numbers.

In November 2009, students blockaded the Department of Sociology, and after just 24 hours the department administration gave into their demands.

uni-avis@adm.ku.dk

0 comments

Write a comment

23/05-12 kl. 10:15 Campus

PET tries to soothe spy paranoia with memo

Espionage case against Professor Timo Kivimäki has students and staff confused about what’s legal and what’s not. Head of Danish Intelligence service PET is in correspondence with University of Copenhagen's Rector

See also:: Police: Copenhagen professor spied for Russians; Finnish professor scouted for student spies; 'Spy' professor: Harsh PET methods

23/05-12 kl. 06:00 Culture

Photo Competition: Show us your room

Last chance! Send us a photo of your room before tonight at 24:00 and win tickets to the NorthSide Festival

22/05-12 kl. 11:01 Education

Unskilled jobs: 10 pros and cons

You’ve graduated from uni and you can’t get a job. The local job centre tells you to work in a pizzeria or at the local supermarket. But is it a good move to do what they say? Here’s a qualified list of pros and cons from an expert

See also:: Lucky Spanish girl gets the job; For Greek student, there is just the pizzeria

22/05-12 kl. 06:00 World

Study shows where brains drain, or gain

A new study shows where scientists migrate to, and why. For foreign scientists in Denmark the main motivators are careers and prestige

See also:: Best and brightest consider leaving – for good; Universities struggle in ‘brain game’

20/05-12 kl. 06:00 Culture

The experts: How to make your own job

Entrepreneurship is a field filled with myths: One of them is that it is hard to start up something on your own. The experts have offered to share their tips

See also:: Crisis, what crisis? More student start-ups; Innovator: Don’t be afraid to fail

20/05-12 kl. 06:00 Campus

Innovator: Don’t be afraid to fail

In 2011, Gregory and two friends started the ‘Copenhagen Union’. Deliberately unambitious at the start, the initiative now trains students and organizes high-profile debates