Dutch universities

Professors, lecturers and support staff at universities in the Netherlands on average work 12 to 15 hours more per week than their contract prescribes, without being paid for it, according to a report trade unions FNV and AOb and university action group WO in Actie presented to the Inspectorate for Social Affairs and Employment on Monday. The forced, unpaid overtime can compromise the top position of Dutch universities, WO in Actie said to newspaper AD. 

A record number of over 300 thousand bachelors and masters degree students enrolled at Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences for the 2019/2020 academic year, according to preliminary figures released by the association of Dutch universities VSNU. The association calls on the government to invest more in higher education, so that universities can keep up with the continuous growth in student numbers.

University students can easily purchase files online that contain hundreds of exam questions and answers. These files are intended for lecturers only, but are easy to buy on apps, Facebook groups and websites like Stuvia, AD reports based on its own research.

Over 1,200 academics signed an open letter in which they take a stand against statements made by FvD leader Thierry Baudet about universities. According to the signatories, Baudet's statements "conjure up a conspiratorial atmosphere" in which academics, journalists, artists and architects are portrayed "as the enemy of the people".

The number of students enrolled for a bachelor's or master's program at Dutch universities increased by 5 percent to a record number of nearly 290 thousand students this academic years, according to preliminary figures by umbrella association VSNU. The final numbers will only be available early next year, NOS reports.

The growth can partly be attributed to larger intake by pre-university education (VWO) and higher professional education (HBO). The number of international students also increased. They now make up about 19 percent of all students. 

Many Dutch municipalities with a university or college have more young female residents than young male residents, Statistics Netherlands reported on Wednesday. The difference is biggest in Utrecht, where there are only 73 men for every 100 women in the age group 20 to 25 years old. 

Leiden counts 74 young men for a 100 young women, Maastricht 76, Nijmegen 77 and Wageningen 79. Also in Amstelveen and Weesp, where many Amsterdam students live, there are more young women than young men.

Dutch universities want to limit the increase of students from abroad, umbrella organization VSNU confirmed to NOS after reports in NRC. 

On Monday the VSNU will send an internationalization agenda to Education Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven. A spokesperson for the organization would not tell NOS what their plans entail, but did say that the agenda contains many more subjects than just the admission of new students.

The idea that top talent is leaving the Dutch scientific world en masse, is not completely accurate, according to the Royal Dutch academy for science KNAW in a new report. Though measures need to be taken to prevent such an exodus happening in the future, the scientists warn, NU.nl reports.

The Netherlands performed exceptionally well in both the World and Europe University Rankings 2017, according to Times Higher Education. All 13 of the Netherlands' main research intensive universities made the top 100 of the Europe ranking and top 200 in the World ranking. 

The Netherlands outpaced the European average when it came to research reputation, citation impact and research productivity, as well as income measures to academic staff. 

A number of Dutch universities break the law with their decentralized selection of new students, student organizations ISO and LSR claim based on their own research. The selection procedures of the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and University of Groningen are in violation of the law, according to the organizations, ANP reports.

A record number of 112 thousand foreign students are currently enrolled at Dutch universities and colleges, according to a study by Nuffic - the Dutch organization for the internationalization of education, ANP reports.