# Quality Improvement on the Way for Welfare Education: New Reform Aims to Ensure Better Connection Between Theory and Practice

Welfare education programs in Denmark are set to undergo a long-awaited quality enhancement. Education and Research Minister Christina Egelund (Moderate Party, Moderaterne) has announced an “ambitious and comprehensive” reform aimed at improving professional education, including training for educators, primary school teachers, social workers, and nurses.

The reform comes at a critical time, as enrollment in these four areas has declined by four percent this year compared to last year, according to figures from the Ministry of Education and Research. Christina Egelund emphasizes the importance of addressing this drop in enrollment and warns of the consequences of an educational system lacking sufficiently trained staff for the country’s welfare institutions.

A primary focus of the reform is to create a stronger connection between theory and practice within these educational programs. According to the minister, better coordination is needed between theoretical instruction at educational institutions and the practical tasks that students encounter during their internships.

While Christina Egelund cannot yet disclose specific measures included in the reform, it is clear that there will be an emphasis on closer integration of theory and practice, as well as an increase in teaching hours.

A crucial factor in attracting more applicants to welfare education programs is improving the quality of education, believes Christina Egelund. However, she also points out that multiple strategies must be employed to tackle recruitment issues.

Political measures include decisions on salary increases for selected professions within the welfare sector, alongside sector dimensioning at universities, which will limit the number of available study places in the coming years. The goal is to create a better balance in the number of graduates across different sectors.

With this new reform, the government hopes to strengthen welfare education programs and ensure that Denmark can continue to offer a robust and sustainable welfare state in the future.