Territorial Review Copenhagen - Region Hovedstaden

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Copenhagen 2005, bringing 380 000 visitors. Copenhagen has a good record
of attracting international conferences. It ranks eighth among major
European cities, holding more than London, Madrid and Stockholm. Over
the last decade, however, the growth in the number of conferences organised
has been very slow.
1.4 Determinants of urban competitiveness
Copenhagen‘s performance on key determinants for urban
competitiveness is addressed in this section. Availability of skilled people,
good innovative capacity and entrepreneurship are essential in increasing
labour productivity; urban amenities, including infrastructure and
environmental quality, help to attract highly skilled people.
1.4.1 Human skills
One of the robust findings in study of the economies of cities is the
positive impact of human capital on urban economic performance. The rate
of higher education appears to be crucial, although the educational system as
a whole also plays a part, from primary to secondary education and
vocational training, because the number of highly qualified people depends
on those who pursue their education after secondary education.
Higher education
The rate of higher education of Copenhagen‘s population is average
when compared to that of other OECD member countries: out of 44
metropolitan areas in the OECD, Copenhagen ranks 25 th . Although
Copenhagen‘s population is well-educated by comparison with, for example,
Munich, Randstad and Barcelona, it falls behind that of many American
metropolitan areas, as well as below Stockholm and Helsinki (Figure 1.16) –
even though its population of between 25 and 64 years has spent the highest
number of years in education: 13.4 years against an average of 11.9 years in
the OECD. This might raise questions about the effectiveness of the Danish
education system and the incentives students are given to finish their
education efficiently and with a qualification. The progress in human capital
formation in Denmark has been surprisingly slow. Among 25-34 year olds,
only 86% have at least upper secondary education, the lowest level among
the Nordic countries. Denmark has a very large variation in the regional
student enrolment rate compared to other countries, which may be a
reflection of the fact that universities in Denmark, unlike in most OECD
countries, are concentrated in a few regions, most notably the Capital