A 175 year old organisation

Here is the history of PF and DTU. To the right you see a contact form – we’d love to hear from you if you are in possession of material, pictures or stories about PF. It is our goal to sort the archives of PF and all contributions to this is greatly appreciated.

January 27th, 1829: The College of Advanced Technology

This year founded the Polytechnic Teacher Anstalt by Royal font. The total teaching staff at the time consisted of five professors who concurrently taught at the University of Copenhagen, and 2 lecturers. As director of the teacher-plant was selected H. C Ørsted, who was one of the founders, and teaches physics. This position he held until his death on March 9, 1851. Another founder, Professor GF Ursin, who in his time had put it all started with a letter to King Frederick VI, took after the first course resign after had been complaints from his students that the exam paper in machine learning could not be solved from the syllabus.

Initially there were two directions as polyteknikerne could choose from: Applied sciences (chemistry direction) and mechanics (machine direction). In addition, it was possible to take individual subjects separately, so that external students also could benefit from teaching. However, there was a widespread desire of students to have created an education of what was then called engineer (civil). The institution was very positive towards this, but could not get it completed as Krigsministerieti 1848 stated that the engineers who had been trained at the military academy, was sufficient for a country the size of Denmark.

1845: Polyteknisk Forening

This year, Polyteknisk Forening (PF) was created. They wanted to create a place where all polyteknikere could meet under informal conditions. PF’s first large key issue was to introduce the aforementioned training for construction engineers. Since the matter, however, dragged on, and the War Department still claimed that education was unnecessary, it was finally too much for PF, who took matters into their own hands. 1857 brought together in among the members, and all in all it was 100 Rdl. (Crowns) at once, as well as 523 Rdl. annually for 5 years, which was offered teacher plant for the determination of a teacher in the building trades. In comparison to academics total expenditure at this time amounted to 20,081 Rdl. yearly. After this initiative the government could no longer claim that there was interest in teaching in the building trades, and the year after, building orientation in the Budget.

1903: Electrotechnology

This year it was decided to create an electro study programme. This despite the fact that in its time was the co-founder of DTH, H. C. Ørsted who discovered electromagnetism. This part took many years only a small proportion of teaching in learning plant, but when the subject of the rest of the world was strongly developed in the early 20th century, had DTH follow.

1918: Democracy

This year created Polyteknikerrådet who would represent the students outwardly and inwardly in the directions. Already in 1913, that school is created a committee of the teacher council, which was to take care of minor details ang. Directions, but the students, however, had no representation in this committee. Therefore, it was decided to create Polyteknikerrådet. Polyteknikkerrådet merged with PF in 1939, under the latter’s name and was thus the education policy of the PF. This was PF a convivial association and a student political association without party affiliation.

1957: College engineer

This year established the Danish Engineering Academy (DIA), as it had become aware of the need for a shorter training of engineers (today diploma engineers), built on a theoretical foundation and training for an engineer became an independent program, although DTH and DIA ago since had the same principal.

1960: Sletten

Already at DIA’s creation was that space problems, so one might initially make do with rented premises outside your university area. It was later decided to move both DTH and DIA to Lundtofte. This year the foundation stone was thus laid for academics present site on Lundtoftesletten in Lyngby, colloquially “plain”. This was the largest single public building in Denmark’s history until then. In 1965 moved Elektro direction as the first addition, and in the following years followed other directions and DIA, so on 17 May 1974, held the inauguration.

1969 Student influence

At the invitation of PF adopted DTH this year a device by which set up various organs, where students had a crucial role in making decisions about the program. Up to the early 70s were all higher educational institutions controlled by the so-called “professor overwhelm” where the rank and file employees and the students had no formal influence on the studies and research development. This had created a university world where development was stalled and where the studies did not meet the students’ wishes. This general picture also fitted on DTH and DIA, and it was therefore important for the PF to do something about it. The scheme proved to have many benefits for education. As an example, was achieved under the scheme to introduce modular structure for all DTHstuderende from autumn 1972. At a stroke, went from a very bound study, divided into a first and a second part, to the system we know today with a very free choice between the courses. Despite many shortcomings, it was an important role model for the Government Act, which parliament after massive student pressure adopted in 1973. In this employee democracy, the students got 25% influence on DTHs and slides economic management and overall development as well as 50% influence on the studios’ form and content. There was held freedom for individual researchers to select by subject and method.

1992: Universities

In the early summer of this year made the parliament a bill to a new University. PF was with Danish Students DSF (one national organization of student associations) very unhappy with the proposal, which moved power from the governing bodies to individuals – not least rector. At the same time lapsed researchers’ right to choose topic, and it was possible for the Minister of Education to interfere in any decisions at universities. PF went from the start actively involved in efforts to stop the university law was enacted. There were written letters and produced educational materials to students. In addition, organized a demonstration in which over 4,000 students showed their dissatisfaction with the bill. All universities were in their responses very negative about the proposal, which was considered a major political, legal and technical mess. Nevertheless, the university law adopted this year without significant changes. In the implementation of the Universities Act was important for PF to ensure maximum impact for the students, which succeeded to a certain extent.

1995: DTU

This year, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) formed by the merger of DTH, DIA and Elsinore Engineering (IHE). There have since taken place a huge amount of work to find out how the programs will function in relation to each other. From the summer of 1997, training in Elsinore moved to Lyngby and merged with the existing Bachelor of Mechanical Education. This has meant that no longer trained engineers in Elsinore. In January 1997, DTU expanded with the University College South Sealand, located in Haslev. The training was in 1999 moved to the plain, because. A declining number of students in Haslev, which in 1999 had only 21 candidates.

1996: Strategy

This year introduced the concept of core modules, as the strategy of the project, which DTU on PF’s initiative started in the late 80s. The aim of the project was to create a better engineer training that meet the requirements of the outside world. The result of the many considerations in the strategy project was to study the structure was changed with effect from 1992. The short study was replaced by core modules running over four semesters with growing freedom of choice. All students must now through a project in the middle of the study and shall under study obtain some knowledge of the social, environmental and safety consequences of the engineer’s work. This part of the project is now planned and launched from study start 2001.

2001 Freehold

This year surpassed DTU to be an independent institution with ownership over its own buildings and staff managers, in contrast to the past when they were chosen to students and teachers at the university. There was established a strong centralized leadership with a hierarchical chain of command, where the democratically elected bodies, consisting of both students and teachers who previously were central to the development of the university, now largely been replaced by employed managers who are not required to to the same degree to involve the rest of the university of discussions around the university and education development. In the process, PF with any luck trying to influence development by actively engage in a dialogue with the university management to ensure that students are still being heard and programs are planned by our wants and needs.

2003: Universities

Passed a new university, which was largely based on DTU special law which gave rise to DTUs transition to private ownership. The law was despite protests from both universities and student organizations from across the country adopted. This law is intended to establish a strong central leadership in universities separate from the university and directed against business interests. It is still important that the PF can act as the voice of the students and to retain as much student influence as possible on the study. It is important that students are still being heard on the university’s development and education that is DTU’s primary purpose is not impaired, but still maintained at a high academic level while developing, so teaching is constantly up to date. It is also important for PF, the student social environment developed and offers on activities besides the professional does not deteriorate, but expanded and developed.

2004: Bologna process

The idea behind the Bologna Process, which took place all over Europe, is to ensure a greater exchange both nationally and internationally among higher education. This means that – even at DTU for BSc vedkommende- have gone for a three plus two ‘model, which means that you first read the undergraduate (rated for three years) and then candidate (two additional years.) This has brought about some changes in the supply of undergraduate lines compared to the previous core modules but also in building the studio. There are now offered a total of thirteen undergraduate lines, most of which are based on the core modules that existed before, but of course with a greater degree of specialization, since the bachelor takes three years where qualification package was only rated for two years. The changes from core modules bachelor lines means that we have said goodbye to an independent Energy Line, but also that there has been some name changes. But beyond minor changes in the supply of training, the transition to a bachelor / master structure also meant that the construction of a 5-year engineering study is now being subject to different requirements than previously. Substituting after three years must have completed a course in a subject area, the freedom of choice among DTU’s many courses more modest. Once you have chosen undergraduate line, will increasingly have to choose courses from a smaller pool that is pointgiving on one’s own direction. There are, however, still put a certain number of points of to each student can choose completely freely among courses both at DTU and other universities. The first students at the undergraduate lines began in the fall of 2004, so the first students start on their candidate this fall.

2006: Fusion

This year the government chose to make a general fusion of all higher education institutions in Denmark. This meant for DTU to the 5 government research Danish Research Centre for Sustainable Energy, Risø National Laboratory, Danish Food Research and the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research. Institutions DTU has long collaborated with and which is now an integral part. This is DTU no longer located only in Lyngby, but has now premises 13 sites in Denmark.

2013: Merger with Ingeniørhøjskolen

2013 was the last intersection for all engineering college should be merged under one university. This meant that the Engineering College of Copenhagen (IHK) with campus in Ballerup merged with DTU. This medføret a merger between the Students’ Council (DSR) from IHK and PF who subsequently continued under the PF on both campuses. This has led to PF now operate with two primary undervisningscampusser, Ballerup and Lyngby.

Last updated: March 6, 2020