Wants to Close Teacher Education in Frederiksberg – Students Call It “Unambitious”

Københavns Professionshøjskole (KP – University College Copenhagen) has proposed to its board that the teacher education program at Nyelandsvej in Frederiksberg be closed as of summer 2026. Instead, the program would be consolidated with the teacher education program at Campus Carlsberg in Vesterbro.

According to KP’s management, the proposal is due, among other things, to declining application numbers and vacant student spots.

“It is a sad but also the right decision to close Campus Nyelandsvej in Frederiksberg. For several years, we have seen a decline in applications to the teacher education program, so it is no longer sustainable to maintain two teacher education campuses in the capital with many vacant student spots,” says KP Rector Anne Vang Rasmussen.

Dean of the teacher education program, Tove Hvid Persson, highlights the financial considerations:
“We need to spend the money on education – not buildings. The teacher education program at Nyelandsvej is the last of our campuses with only a single program. But the building is expensive to maintain and is facing major renovations in the coming years, and at the same time, many rooms are standing empty. That is why the only economically responsible decision is to bring Copenhagen’s teacher education students together in a shared environment.”

Anne Vang Rasmussen also stresses the importance of involving both students and staff in the process:
“It is important to us to spend the money on teaching – not on having too many buildings for the number of people we have. That’s why consolidation is the right choice, despite Nyelandsvej’s history. And when we’ve decided to consolidate the teacher education programs, we will aim to do it in a way that brings the best from both Nyelandsvej and Carlsberg. It will be a close and inclusive process with students and educators.”

Criticism of the Closure

But the decision has been met with criticism from the National Union of Student Teachers (Lærerstuderendes Landskreds).

Chairperson Anthon Berentzen states:
“I’m very disappointed that this is the direction they want to take. I think it is unambitious to close an education institution simply because they haven’t succeeded in getting more people to study to become teachers in Copenhagen. I wish Københavns Professionshøjskole would show a bit more of a winning mentality and believe that we can turn things around so that there will be a need for the spaces at both Nyelandsvej and Carlsberg.”

Student teacher Amanda Hansen adds:
“The place means a lot to so many of us. For some, it’s the reason they even chose to become a teacher. There is a close and vibrant student community here, where teacher professionalism really shines through. I’m afraid we’ll lose that entirely now. If the goal is truly to get more people to become teachers, then this proposal feels a bit like trying to stay warm by peeing your pants.”

Anthon Berentzen further warns:
“If we don’t educate enough teachers, it will have almost unimaginable consequences for our shared public school system. Especially for the students who attend schools that are already struggling to make ends meet.”

KP’s board is set to decide on the proposal to close Campus Nyelandsvej at a meeting on 9 December 2025. The proposal must then be approved by the Regional Council