Survey suggests potential student exodus

A new survey finds that dissatisfaction with study conditions could push far more young students to pursue their education abroad within the next few years.

Final-year students in upper secondary schools (Miðnám) were asked a series of questions, including questions about their future study plans.

Fewer than 20 percent of the respondents said they wanted to pursue further studies in the Faroes, while almost 60 percent said they wanted to study in Denmark.

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“The results suggest that if study conditions in the Faroes do not improve within the next 1-2 years, a majority of Miðnám students will continue their studies abroad,” says Finn Jensen, the dean of Tórshavn’s Glasir college.

“We should take these results very seriously, and we need to take a close look at why so many of our youths want to study abroad.”

His initial guess about why so many young people suddenly want to study abroad is that the provision of student accommodation and student grants may be better abroad.

Students in vocational education and training were not included in the survey.

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

More Faroese News in English.