Denmark, located in the center of Northern Europe, has its unique geographical advantages. It is a highly developed capitalist country, a founding member of NATO, and a member of the European Union. With its comprehensive social welfare system and high quality of life, it has become one of the happiest countries in the world. Denmark's economy is highly developed, with a very small wealth gap, and its higher education system also possesses unique charm and appeal.
Despite the Social Democrats advocating for tighter immigration policies winning decisively in the recent elections, more and more refugees are beginning to establish themselves and seek employment in Denmark amidst the rising tide of immigration. Perhaps the reform policies have already quietly taken root and begun to flourish.
Mattias Tesfaye, the new Minister of Immigration and Integration of Denmark, stated in a recent speech: "Our goal is that all refugees, regardless of their social status or economic conditions, have the same right to access education while in Denmark."
Eliminating gender disparity
According to previous Danish policies, only refugees who are "persecuted" (personlig forfølgelse) have the right to free higher education, not all refugees. Among the remaining refugee population, approximately 4,700 individuals come from war-torn Syria. Since most Syrian men are required to enlist in the military, seventy percent of the refugees are women—who must pay for their education themselves. This significant issue of social gender inequality is something the new Danish government is actively seeking to address.