SDU
SDU discontinues activities in Slagelse
Unfortunately, it was not possible to reach an agreement that could have led to Roskilde University taking over SDU Slagelse. Subsequently, SDU has been working on alternative solutions, but without finding a sustainable alternative. SDU has therefore decided to discontinue its activities in West Zealand.
Since the announcement on 20 September 2023 that Roskilde University and the University of Southern Denmark had failed to reach an agreement on Roskilde University’s takeover of the programme activities at SDU Slagelse, SDU’s management has been working to find alternative solutions to secure the future of the campus.
- Unfortunately, it has not proved possible to find a sustainable solution to the very challenging financial situation that SDU Slagelse finds itself in, and which unfortunately looks set to continue due to, among other things, the prospect of fewer and fewer students and educational revenue. The conclusion is, therefore, that in the future, SDU will have no activities in West Zealand, says Rector Jens Ringsmose.
SDU’s decision to discontinue its programme activities applies from mid-2027, so no current students will be affected. But as of next year, new students will no longer be admitted.
- My heart goes out to all the dedicated and talented employees who will be affected by this. Employees who have conscientiously built up high-quality programmes and research environments.
Difficult to ensure a sustainable economy
The dialogue with Roskilde University about taking over SDU’s programme activities in Slagelse, as expressed in the joint letter of intent from 1 March 2023, could have created a foundation for Campus Slagelse’s continued operation. However, negotiations between the two universities ended without an agreement.
- It has not proved possible to find sustainable alternative solutions that can compensate for the very challenging financial situation at SDU Slagelse, both currently and in the future. Therefore, it has now been decided that SDU will discontinue its activities in Slagelse. It is the only responsible thing to do, says Rector Jens Ringsmose.
He emphasises that the closure applies to SDU Slagelse only and not to SDU’s other campuses.
- We will now focus on our programme activities in Odense, Kolding, Esbjerg and Sønderborg, thereby emphasising our regional anchoring in the Region of Southern Denmark.