Intergenerational Educational Mobility in Denmark

Abstract

In light of the Danish government's goal of 95% of every cohort achieving higher education by 2015, we investigate educational mobility in Denmark. Following 800,000 Danes and their parents, we found that children of parents with only basic education had a three-times-higher risk of achieving only basic education, compared with the children of well-educated parents. These social differences in educational achievements were found despite free education and generous governmental grants and loans. We found general upgrading of a population's educational level to be a tardy process which implies breaking the bonds of negative social inheritance to increase intergenerational social mobility in the society; thus, the government's 95% goal is unlikely to be achieved by 2015.

Keywords:

• intergenerational mobility
• education
• social mobility
• social inheritance

Acknowledgement

This study was financially supported by the Danish Work Environment Fund.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Torill Tverborgvik

Torill Tverborgvik, Institute of Public Health, Centre for Epidemiology and Screening, University of Copenhagen

Lene Björk Clausen

Lene Björk Clausen, Institute of Public Health, Centre for Epidemiology and Screening, University of Copenhagen

Brian Larsen Thorsted

Brian Larsen Thorsted, Institute of Public Health, Centre for Epidemiology and Screening, University of Copenhagen

Sigurd Mikkelsen

Sigurd Mikkelsen, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen

Elsebeth Lynge

Elsebeth Lynge, Institute of Public Health, Centre for Epidemiology and Screening, University of Copenhagen.