Denmark: strengthening wellbeing in VET

One year after the publication of recommendations from the Danish Wellbeing Commission (Trivselskommissionen), the Danish Ministry of Children and Education is intensifying efforts to improve the wellbeing of children and young people across the education system. Several ongoing initiatives are particularly relevant for vocational education and training (VET), where concerns about student motivation, belonging and completion rates have become increasingly important policy issues.

Greater focus on meaningful educational pathways

The ministry’s follow-up initiatives reflect a growing recognition that education systems should not only focus on academic achievement, but also on participation, identity formation and motivation. This perspective has particular relevance for VET, where many learners are seeking practical, hands-on learning environments and clearer connections between education and working life.

Danish VET programmes have in recent years experienced challenges related to student drop-out, recruitment and learner wellbeing. Many students entering VET have previously experienced difficulties in compulsory schooling or uncertainty about their educational direction. Policymakers therefore increasingly view wellbeing initiatives as closely linked to efforts to strengthen completion rates and improve the attractiveness of vocational pathways.

Strengthening communities and student participation

Among the ministry’s initiatives are efforts to strengthen inclusive learning communities, reduce excessive pressure to perform and support healthier digital habits among young people. The work also includes dialogue with educational institutions about how to create learning environments that foster social belonging and student engagement.

For VET institutions, this may involve greater emphasis on mentorship, practical collaboration, apprenticeship communities and supportive transitions between school-based and workplace-based learning. Such elements are already considered important strengths of the Danish dual VET system and may become even more central in future wellbeing-oriented approaches.

European relevance

The Danish initiatives reflect broader European discussions about the relationship between wellbeing, inclusion and educational success. Across Europe, VET systems are increasingly expected not only to provide labour market skills, but also to support learners’ personal development, resilience and sense of belonging.

Denmark’s follow-up to the Wellbeing Commission may therefore offer inspiration for other countries seeking to address drop-out, disengagement and mental wellbeing challenges among vocational learners. By linking wellbeing policies more closely with educational participation and vocational identity, Denmark aims to create learning environments that are both socially sustainable and better aligned with the needs of young people.

Read more

• Danish Ministry of Children and Education. (2026, February 25). Et år efter: Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet i fuld gang med at følge op på anbefalinger fra Trivselskommissionen. [One year on: The Ministry of Children and Education in full swing following up on recommendations from the Well-being Commission]
• Trivselskommissionen. (2025). Trivselskommissionens afrapportering.[Read the Well-Being Commission’s report-including the 35 recommendations-in Danish].