Roskilde University has decided to shut down a graduate program after mounting political and public criticism regarding the high number of students from Bangladesh, an intake that reportedly boosted the university’s finances and circumvented Danish work rules. The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen recenly addressed the Roskilde University scandal, stating that the university had failed its responsibilities and had undermined the government’s immigration policies.
Graduate Program Closed Amid Roskilde University Scandal Controversy
Roskilde University (RUC) has announced it is closing its master’s program in Business Administration and Leadership following intense scrutiny over its admission of a high number of international students, particularly from Bangladesh. According to university records, in 2024, one out of every six students enrolled in the graduate-level program came from Bangladesh.
The university’s governing board stated that the decision was made in consultation with the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science in an effort to restore confidence in the university and address sector-wide challenges with international student admissions. The move is seen as part of broader efforts to ensure the integrity and alignment of university programs with Danish immigration and labor policies.
Financial Incentives and Loopholes in Immigration Policy
Investigative reports by Danish media, including Berlingske and Frihedsbrevet, revealed that Roskilde University earned several million Danish kroner from admitting international full-tuition-paying students, many of whom were enrolled despite having insufficient academic qualifications. The reports indicate that in some cases, these students had minimal work experience or academic merit but gained entry to Denmark through the education system.
Importantly, students who are granted visas for full-time university programs in Denmark are typically allowed to work part-time during their studies. In certain cases, spouses of these students are also permitted to work full-time. This has raised concerns in Danish political circles that some universities might be leveraging educational programs to create indirect pathways into the Danish labor market, effectively circumventing the country’s tightly regulated work visa system.
Political and Institutional Response To Roskilde University Scandal
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addressed the issue directly, stating that Roskilde University had failed in its responsibilities and had undermined the government’s immigration policies. Her remarks came in the lead-up to the Social Democrats’ annual party congress, underlining the growing political weight of the issue.
Simultaneously, Carsten Toft Boesen, the chair of the university’s board, has resigned from his position. The university’s President, Hanne Leth Andersen, noted that the steps being taken, chiefly the closure of the graduate program, are drastic but necessary to protect the university’s reputation and to contribute constructively to the sector-wide debate about the role of international students in the Danish higher education system.
Additional Reforms Underway
In addition to terminating the Business Administration and Leadership master’s program, Roskilde University has suspended all winter semester intakes for international students in related areas and has launched an internal investigation into its broader international admissions policies.
This inquiry will aim to identify other programs with a disproportionately high number of fee-paying non-EU students and evaluate the academic preparedness and motivations of those applicants. After the Roskilde University scandal, they have committed to implementing new safeguards to prevent the misuse of education-based visas for employment purposes going forward.
Ongoing Enrollment and Degree Completion
Current students who are already enrolled in the graduate program or who have earned legal rights to admission will still be allowed to complete their education. However, no new students will be admitted to the program in future academic cycles.
At its peak, approximately 17% of the university’s total graduate student population in this program were from Bangladesh. Financially, this cohort generated several million Danish kroner in revenue for the university, highlighting the critical role international student fees play in the funding model of Danish universities, especially those outside of Copenhagen’s elite institutions.
A Nationwide Debate
This incident has added fuel to Denmark’s ongoing debate over immigration, labor market access, and the role of international students in domestic policy. Several universities are now expected to review their own enrollment practices, and new regulations could be introduced by the Danish government to close loopholes and tighten oversight.
Roskilde University’s case stands as a pivotal example of how complex and intertwined education and immigration policies have become, and how universities, under financial pressure, can inadvertently find themselves at the center of national controversies.
