HE groupings, unions join forces to fight austerity cuts

Outraged by planned government austerity cuts to university and research budgets in the Netherlands, 12 organisations representing trade unions, students, young academics and university staff have called for support for an “Alternative Opening of the Academic Year” due to take place in the city of Utrecht.

According to a statement by Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), an association of 14 Dutch universities, the government has indicated it will cut higher education and science sector plans by €215 million (US$238 million) per year from 2026, putting the jobs of 1,200 academics at risk.

It also plans to cut the research and science fund by a total of €1.1 billion (US$1.22 billion) and eliminate billions for innovation by scrapping the National Growth Fund.

There are also plans to increase the statutory tuition fees for long-term students by €3,000 a year – a move seen by critics as a “fine” for those students who take more than a year extra to complete their bachelor or masters degree.

A statement from WOinActie, a national movement of university staff and students formed to protect the interests of university education and scientific research, calls on all stakeholders to join in the protest action which is scheduled to start at Domplein in Utrecht on 2 September, and “Save our higher education and academic research”.

“Our society is in dire need of well-educated young people to tackle the challenges of our time. Yet, the [Dick] Schoof government announces a €1 billion cut in higher education and research, the biggest cut in recent decades. This will hit universities all over the Netherlands,” the statement notes.

Algemene Onderwijsbond (AOb), the country’s largest education union, is a lead organiser of the event, but the following organisations are also on board: APNet (national network for assistant professors); CNV (Christian National Trade Union Federation); The Young Academy (young researchers), the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV); the Dutch Student Union (LSVb); ISO (the Dutch National Students’ Association), Promovendi Netwerk Nederland (PNN; the national advocacy organisation for PhD candidates in the Netherlands); 0.7 (PhD candidates and temporary lecturers); CasualAcademy (academic employees on temporary contracts); and PostdocNL (postdoctoral researchers).

Bas van Weegberg, board member of FNV, the largest trade union grouping in the country, is slated to address the Alternative Opening on 2 September, as is Tamar van Gelder, president of the AOb.

An existing shortfall in funding

According to the WOinActie statement: “The Netherlands cannot thrive without science and higher education ... Rolling back recent investments in research increases the country’s already existing shortfall regarding investments in knowledge and innovation, and makes the Netherlands less attractive to international talent.

“The cuts limit independent research and the prospect of sustainable employment, especially for young researchers.”

The statement notes that damage caused by budget cuts is compounded by the impact of the proposed Internationalisation in Balance Act, the focus of which is a new language policy which is designed to limit the intake of non-Dutch students and teachers, and thereby undermine the international nature of higher education institutions.

“We must prevent the law from having a negative impact on diversity and on the quality of our education and scientific research. Without international researchers and lecturers, programmes will shrink and research will dwindle. Talented students and researchers will go elsewhere. Signs of a ‘brain drain’ are already visible,” it states.

‘Quick and dirty gains’

In an unpublished opinion piece provided to University World News ahead of the event, Professor Arnoud Lagendijk and university lecturer Richard de Boer (organisers of the alternative opening and AOb management) and Professor Marc van Oostendorp of WOinActie, describe the cuts as "quick and dirty gains, without thorough impact research".

They note that the “most important cutback is the reversal of additional investments, particularly in permanent research jobs: the so-called ‘sector plans’ developed under the previous Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Robbert Dijkgraaf.

These cuts are downright destructive and testify to a very capricious and unreliable government. Rightly so, the universities, united in employers’ organisation UNL, want to make this a legal matter.”

In an open invitation to the alternative opening of the academic year, the PNN argues that the cuts will limit opportunities for independent research and the future of young talent in science.

Calling on PhD candidates to ‘defend’ their work, the PNN states: “Without sufficient funding and support for research, your research projects and career are at risk. Your contribution to science deserves protection and support ... The future of our economy, culture, and society is at stake.”

National competitiveness

Ruben Puylaert, spokesperson for the Universities of the Netherlands, an association of 14 Dutch universities whose president, Professor Caspar van den Berg is also expected to speak at the event in Utrecht, told University World News the budget cuts would harm the Dutch economy.

“The budget cuts are not only about the damage to education and research, but certainly also to the Dutch economy. The government is shooting itself in the foot. They want to have a competitive economy and a good business climate, but … they are doing serious harm to the foundation that underpins the country's competitiveness,” he said.

Puylaert described internationalisation as being “of great importance” to the Netherlands, contributing to a stimulating study environment, creating a connection to international scientific developments and training much needed talent for the labour market.

“The new government wants universities to offer far fewer bachelor’s courses in English and increase requirements for knowledge workers. The government wants to save €293 million by sharply reducing the number of international undergraduates.

“These measures will severely damage the international character of higher education. This will have major implications for the availability of talent for academia and the labour market,” he said.

The €3,000 student ‘fine’

Puylaert said the association was also opposed to the “long study fines”.

“Since the statutory tuition fees for long-term students will increase by €3,000 a year, our students will be facing considerably more pressure. This can raise the threshold for starting and continuing a degree programme, especially for young people from low-income families.

“If you have parents who can pay part of your tuition fees, books or room rent and can advise you on how to organise your student time, it is easier to complete your studies within the time limit.

“If you do not have that support from home, you will have to work alongside your studies to make ends meet, which simply makes it harder to graduate within nominal study time,” he said.

Puylaert said the ‘fine’ discourages students from showing ambition and doing something extra. For instance, doing a masters in a teacher training programme in addition to their basic masters, or doing board work or internships.

In a statement supplied to University World News the LSVb confirmed its support for the Alternative Opening and expressed its shock at the new government’s “disregard” for education and science, and for the principle of equality of opportunity.

Like the UNL, the student union accused the government of trying to “raise money quickly by handing out a €3,000 fine” to students who take too long to complete their studies – “a plan that was mentioned by none of the ruling parties in word or in writing before and during the election”.

The union said the threat of a fine was already causing poorer students to reconsider studying.

“If implemented, the fine will make it nearly impossible for students to get their diploma if they are chronically ill or a caretaker for a sick family member. It will make studying much harder for all non-rich students, who often have to do a lot of paid work next to studying already,” it stated.

Citing Eurostat 2022 figures, the statement claimed that Dutch students already work more hours than their EU counterparts: “[The fine] will make things like entrepreneurship, volunteer work, studying abroad and partaking in university democracy a thing for wealthier students and block these opportunities for poorer students.”

A wakeup call

Lucy Avraamidou, professor of science education and director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at Groningen University, told University World News she hoped the resistance of universities would serve as a wakeup call to politicians and society at large about the long-term consequences of the budget cuts.

“A very simple example is that we should expect more deaths in the future as a consequence of the budget cuts on research related to public health.

“The shift away from internationalisation will have major consequences on the economy. Why? Because internationalisation serves as a bridge to a global economy and supports students to develop skills needed to not merely survive in their local contexts but to thrive in global contexts,” she stated.

Avraamidou said it was ironic that decisions about higher education were not rooted in scientific evidence and in fact contradicted scientific evidence.

“What we know from research is that national students gain more from international students, a phenomenon called ‘internationalisation at home’.

“Currently, Dutch students benefit from an internationalised curriculum and interactions with top scientists from abroad, while they do not leave their country. They gain knowledge, skills, and experiences that prepare them for the global economy.

“Regarding language, it is important to bear in mind that much of what we think of as internationalisation would not be possible without a lingua franca and, for the moment, that is English. Hence, a shift back to Dutch language will hinder any effort for internationalisation,” she explained.

She said instead of obsessing with (linguistic) nationalism, the government should focus on making higher education more resilient with further investment in both science and education and internationalisation, as China, the US and more and more countries in Europe are doing.

“University is the place where students develop knowledge and skills necessary to function productively in an increasingly changing world, and to be able to respond to global challenges, for example, public health, polarisation, climate crisis, and mental well-being,” she said. "Hence, a de-investment in higher education means a de-investment in the future."