Universites start academic year with concerns over gov't plans; Protest in Utrecht today

All universities in the Netherlands officially start their academic year on Monday. They do so with festive gatherings, but the mood in higher education is anything but festive. Universities fear the budget cuts and other plans of the new Cabinet. Trade unions, umbrella organizations, academics, and students will protest in Utrecht on Monday.

The PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB coalition wants to cut hundreds of millions of euros per year from higher education. The research and science fund will be cut by more than a billion euros, and the parties want to cut back on sector plans that were supposed to improve quality. The universities fear this could worsen the existing staff shortages in important sectors. The coalition also wants to fine students who take longer than average to graduate. Students who have a study delay of more than a year will pay an additional 3,000 euros per year. Universities worry that this will lead to a higher dropout rate and that not all young people have a good chance to study.

Trade unions, umbrella organizations, academics, and students will protest against these plans on the Domplein in Utrecht from 11:00 a.m. on Monday. The umbrella organization Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) believes that the coalition is “putting the future of young people in our country at risk.” The General Education Union (AOb) warns of shortages in the labor market if the cuts continue. “Without professionals, there will be no energy transition. Without lawyers, there will be no judiciary. Without historians, there will be no vision of the future,” said chair Tamar van Gelders.

Education Minister Eoppo Bruins (NSC) previously called the cuts “quite painful,” but the Cabinet finds them necessary to keep the finances in order.

While the protest happens, various politicians will attend higher education institutions’ festive openings on Monday.

European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra and Ingrid Thijssen, chair of the employers’ organization VNO-NCW, are the guests at the Technical University in Eindhoven’s opening of the academic year. The gathering is dedicated to green growth.

Education Minister Bruins is attending the opening of Erasmus University Rotterdam. VVD MP Eric van der Burg, who was the asylum secretary in the previous Cabinet, is a guest at the opening at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. Jos Benschop, director of tech company ASML, has been invited to brighten up the opening at the University of Twente in Enschede. At TU Delft, the guest is Michiel Langezaal, CEO and founder of Fastned, which manages 'filling stations' for charging electric cars. Sharon Dijksma, mayor of Utrecht, is one of the speakers at the university in her city.

Mariëlle Paul, State Secretary for Education, will first visit a secondary school in Wolvega, Friesland, and then open the academic year at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden.