Update Executive Board: Agreement about education budget, but cuts not cancelled
The Schoof cabinet has presented its budget. As expected, higher education is facing severe cuts. In the coming period, the Executive Board will regularly look at the consequences of what it deems an irresponsible policy.
The coalition parties reached an agreement last night (11 December 2024) with some of the opposition parties in the House of Representatives about the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science’s budget. Sadly, over half a billion in cuts will still be made to higher education and science.
Drastic cuts will be made to scientific research in particular. Nor has the Balanced Internationalisation Bill been scrapped. Universities in the Randstad region may be hit extra hard if this bill goes through. Knowledge will still be lost and degree programmes may have to close.
The following cuts will still be made to higher education and science:
- Starter and incentive grants: 217 million euros;
- Research and science fund: 25 to 50 million euros per year to 2031;
- International student targets: 168 million euros;
- Cuts to scientific research via Dutch Research Council (NWO): up to 62 million euros.
The budget also includes 165 million euros for the further training and continuing education of medical specialists, and that also comes from the education budget.
‘Unfortunately, our bleak prediction turned out to be true’, said President of the Executive Board Annetje Ottow. ‘The revised budget is good for part of the education system, which is positive, and the late graduation penalty has been scrapped, but it is and remains disastrous for universities.’
Rector Magnificus Hester Bijl added, ‘It's good that our protests have at least had some impact, but I’m still very concerned about this education budget, especially the Balanced Internationalisation Bill, as it remains unclear what this will mean for Leiden. We will continue to voice our concerns to the government and our legistlators.’
UNL President Caspar van den Berg responded on behalf of the Dutch universities. ‘Scientific research is the biggest loser in this deal. That is particularly bad for the future of the Netherlands because knowledge is our main resource.’
The cuts will cause important scientific research to stop and degree programmes to close. Van den Berg added, ‘The coalition agreement mentions innovation 85 times. It is the solution to practically all the problems the Netherlands faces. It is unprecedented that such sweeping cuts are being made to the source of this innovation: higher education and research.’