Dutch Fulbright board members resign over U.S. pressure on academic freedom
Half of the board of the Dutch branch of the Fulbright Scholarship program resigned Thursday evening, alleging pressure from the United States that poses a threat to the program's commitment to academic independence, and policies which are “irreconcilable with the principle of academic freedom.” The jointly-written resignation letter, dated Nov. 10 and published on Thursday evening, indicated six of the twelve board members were stepping down “with great regret".
The Fulbright Program was spearheaded by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 to promote peace and prosperity by fostering academic and cultural exchange between nations in the post-War era. Three years later, a bilateral treaty between the U.S. and the Netherlands established one of the program’s first international commissions. Since then, more than 7,000 U.S. and Dutch students, scholars, and teachers have received support to participate in the exchange.
But the independence that has allowed the partnership to flourish is under threat, the signatories said. The letter alleges that Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State serving under U.S. President Donald Trump, has taken actions that "critically undermine the mission and the principles that have guided the Fulbright program for 80 years." The group said they will not support or participate in an academic exchange program between the U.S. and the Netherlands “in which the selection of candidates and/or subject matter requires explicit political approval,” saying such practices are “contrary to the statutes and spirit of the treaty which established Fulbright" in the Netherlands.
The letter cited a March 4 cable from Rubio to Fulbright boards worldwide, stating that, "Candidate projects/research proposals recommended for selection under the program must be in alignment with both the specific requirements and the spirit of the Executive Orders on [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility] and Gender Ideology; as well as any other Executive Orders that may be relevant to a specific project area.”
They said their decision follows the example of the U.S.-based Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, with all but one of its 12 members resigning in protest of political interference on June 11. They said the administration’s denial of grants to some U.S. scholars and an “unauthorized review” of roughly 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients compromised the integrity of the program and U.S. national interests. The U.S. board is overseen by the State Department, which handles oversight and policy for the international Fulbright program.
The six who resigned from the Dutch board argued the Trump administration's stance conflicts with the program’s core principle of academic freedom, codified in Section 560 of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Policies. That section guarantees all recipients “full academic and artistic freedom” and forbids revoking or diminishing grants based on political views or scholarly activity.
The letter was co-signed by Board Chair Anton Pijpers, who retired this week after more than 30 years as a professor of veterinary medicine at Utrecht University, and Vice Chair Emilie Gordenker, the current director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The letter was also signed by Alexander Rinnooy Kan, a D66 member who served in the Dutch Senate and is a professor of business and economics at the University of Amsterdam, as well as Karl Guha, the current chair of ING Bank's supervisory board. Former banking executive David Korslund also resigned as board treasurer, and journalist Joris Luyendijk also stepped down.
The board members said they joined the Fulbright Commission with admiration for its accomplishments and a commitment to maintaining free and open bilateral academic exchanges. “But the political constraints under which the program is now required to function violate the very spirit on which these successes are based,” they wrote, saying they could not continue in good conscience while such constraints remain.
The letter was addressed to Gouke Moes, the caretaker education minister in the Netherlands, and U.S. Ambassador Joseph Popolo, who was nominated by President Donald Trump in the spring, and started his position in The Hague in October. The sitting education minister and current U.S. ambassador are honorary chairs to the Stichting Fulbright Commission the Netherlands, which administers the Dutch-American branch of the Fulbright Scholarship.
A spokesperson for Moes told NL Times the ministry fully supports the program, but refused to comment on the allegations made by the six board members who stepped down. The spokesperson said the Education Ministry did not intend to criticize the positions and "decisions of a sovereign nation" regarding this issue, indicating the Netherlands would continue to participate in the Fulbright program.
The board resignations also do not affect the day-to-day operations of the Netherlands-based Fulbright Commission, which functions as an independent, binational organization. In a statement released Thursday, the remaining board members expressed appreciation for their colleagues’ service while reaffirming their commitment to the program. “The Fulbright Commission Board remains fully operational and dedicated to the founding principles and purpose of the Fulbright Program to promote mutual understanding between people through exchanges in higher education,” the statement read.
“All Fulbright exchanges and programs between the Netherlands and the United States are proceeding as planned and announced.” The statement added that the remaining and incoming board members believe they can best advance and safeguard the principles of the Fulbright Program by staying at the table, leading the program forward through fresh approaches, and continuing to support the talented, driven young people hoping to make a difference in the world.
“By continuing to support Fulbright, the Board ensures that students and scholars can choose for themselves if – and under which circumstances – they wish to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to go to the United States or the Netherlands.” Christina Caljé was among the signatories on the retort, and her name was recently added to the list of board members for the Dutch branch of the Fulbright. The others include the new chair, Hollis Kurman, along with Nathalie Jaarsma, Douglas D. Jones, Daniel Kanigan, Danna van Brandt, and Abdel Zirar.
The 12-member Dutch Fulbright board is evenly split between U.S. and Dutch appointees. The board approves its own members, who typically serve two four-year terms. While the Dutch minister can dismiss members representing Dutch interests, the U.S. ambassador can remove American appointees.
The Netherlands is one of the Fulbright Program’s longest-standing partners, hosting a commission for more than 75 years. Former Education Minister Eppo Bruins marked the program’s 75th anniversary in October 2024 with a keynote speech at a celebratory event alongside the U.S. ambassador and Fulbright alumni.
