OPINION – There is too much group work at university. According to Biomedical Sciences student Niels Passier, collaborative work isn’t always the answer – and, in some cases, hinders learning. In his opinion piece, he proposes a better balance between group and individual course work.

While group work is usually referred to as essential, I often feel overburdened by its sheer frequency. In this semester of the master alone, I’ve participated in eight courses and I’ve had to complete eight group projects. I normally follow two courses every four weeks, that means I’ve had two new group projects every month! For me, these never-ending group projects overshadow the benefits of individual work and leave little room for improving individual aspects. I wish for a better balance, and a quick Google search shows I’m not the only student who does.

Individual effort matters

Have you ever completed a project where the workload was perfectly divided amongst all group members? I haven’t either. Everyone knows what it’s like to be paired with someone who doesn’t pull their weight. Some members end up doing most of the work while others still get the credits. This often creates resentment, and it can devalue the effort of those who genuinely care about the project.

Furthermore, group work often prioritizes coordination over productivity. It takes lots of time to schedule meetings, divide tasks and reconcile different work styles. In contrast, individual work doesn’t require these inefficiencies. Research from the University of Chicago shows that small groups generate more cognitive conflict, allowing less productivity, cooperation, helpfulness and therefore lower the quality of the products.

Do we really need this much group work?

Some people might argue that group work improves our communication skills and teamwork. But I think quality is more important than quantity. The way my study is structured causes me to be continuously engaged in multiple relatively small group projects. In my experience, this approach leads to students investing less time and effort into the projects, which lowers the quality. A few well-structured group projects per year will teach me the necessary skills just as well as constant collaboration.

It’s also worth noting that constant collaboration doesn’t automatically make us better at it. We often take the same roles in a project instead of challenging ourselves. If I’m good at writing the introduction and my partner is good at writing the methods, why should we deviate from those? Furthermore, the lack of guidance and feedback undermines my individual growth. Every student at the medical faculty learns about the importance of feedback, yet this knowledge often ends up collecting dust. Finally, research from the Copenhagen Business School shows that the excessive use of group work can lead to stress, burnouts and frustrations among students, which undermines their motivation to learn.

The overuse of group work leaves less room for us to develop independence and self-reliance. These are critical skills for the future, as real-world scenarios will sometimes require us to take initiative or work independently. Furthermore, research shows that especially low-scoring science students perceive group work as having little cognitive benefit³. Reducing the number of group projects allows a better balance between collaborative learning and individual growth.

Finding the right balance

Collaborating with other students certainly has its benefits, like improving communication and problem-solving skills, increasing motivation and learning to take responsibility. However, a few diverse and serious group projects a year will teach me enough about these qualities. Therefore, the current emphasis on constant group work should be re-evaluated. We should focus on quality over quantity by reducing the number of group projects in a year. We will still learn about and experience teamwork, but without losing the opportunity to grow as an individual.

The next time instructions for a group project appear on screen, take a moment to think about the fact that you’re not the only one who’s frustrated. It is time to break free from endless group work!