26 June 2025

The Faculty Board has finalised the main features of the Long-Term Budget 2026–2030 after discussing it with the Academic Directors and the Faculty Council.  The Planning and Budget Committee (see below) was also consulted. A more detailed version, which will also include the advice, is  currently being developed.

Tentatively positive 
The budget focuses mainly on 2026. For the subsequent years, the estimates are cautious for now. Key investments in 2026 include: 

• Adjusting the curricula of the legal bachelor’s programmes in accordance with the Kernvisie; 

• Making changes to the Criminology bachelor’s programme; 

• Introducing the new degree programmes: bachelor’s programme Economie en Samenleving (Economics and Society), master’s programme Economie van de Publieke Sector (Public Sector Economics), bachelor’s programme Cybersecurity & Cybercrime and master’s programme Recht & Bedrijfskunde (Law & Business Administration).

In regards to income, we have fairly good news: projections show a balanced budget for 2026. Besides the target and the measures that were taken, this is partly due to the positive academic performance of students in the faculty year 2023–2024. As a result, the faculty has more resources than expected. At the same time, caution remains necessary, as it is still too early to speak of an upward trend.

No extra cuts planned for 2026 
The budget deficit in 2024 has been absorbed by our reserves. The necessary target will be implemented in 2025. With the results being better than expected, this ensures that we will not have to make additional cuts in 2026. Though the measures that were taken earlier will remain in force, they do not need to be tightened. Our collective efforts towards a balanced budget have clearly had an effect. This sometimes requires difficult choices, but thanks to the positive energy and the determination of all colleagues at this faculty, we are moving towards achieving financial stability.

Other sources of funding 
Colleagues within the faculty have been awarded a number of excellent research projects; for example from the Dutch Research Council (NWO), the EU and the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security. Together, our focus will be on maintaining these external sources of funding at the current level over the budget period.  

The quality agreement funds awarded in 2019 to universities have now been structurally incorporated into the allocation from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. It is expected that this will also apply to the National Law Sector funds awarded.  

Remaining alert 
We remain cautious when it comes to 2027 and 2028: the budget for these years is not yet balanced. There are still many uncertainties in relation to the impact of the government cutbacks. For the time being, no additional measures are necessary, but we remain alert.  

The effects of previous cost-cutting measures, such as limiting our workforce through natural attrition, will only become fully visible in the coming years. The Faculty Council was right to emphasise the importance of properly monitoring academic performance and financial performance as well as, of course, workload. We will follow up on this.

Closing remarks 
We thank everyone for all their efforts again this academic year in teaching, educational innovations, impactful research and providing support in these times of cutbacks. With the geopolitical unrest and domestic political uncertainties we are facing, this faculty has displayed great resilience. The Faculty Board is extremely proud of the firm position of our colleagues in these current times. We are confident that, together, we can continue to secure the development of Leiden Law School, and we thank everyone for their contribution to these efforts.

The Faculty Board, 
Suzan Stoter, Jan Crijns, Gertjan Boshuizen and Roel Kwast