Update: Executive Board responds to government cuts
The Schoof cabinet has presented its budget. As expected, higher education is facing severe cuts. In the coming period, the Executive Board will regularly (see updates below) look at the consequences of what it deems an irresponsible policy.
[Update Tuesday 8 October 2024]
What do we know now about the consequences for our university of the cutbacks announced by the cabinet?
Martijn Ridderbos: ‘We’re currently working hard to complete the budget for 2025 and will then discuss it with the University Council and the Board of Governors. However, we still have two major areas of uncertainty. One issue is the proposed Balanced Internationalisation Act (WIB): what will this mean for universities, and specifically for us? The other issue is: what are the consequences of the fine for late graduation that the cabinet wants to introduce – for students and also for the university?’
The loss of the Starter Grants and Incentive Grants from 1 January 2025, which is a certainty, has already been incorporated in the budget for 2025. The same applies for maintaining the sector plans. But the bottom line effect is the same, namely a loss of funding that one way or another will be certain to have negative consequences for our teaching and research.
Ridderbos, the Executive Board member responsible for finances, regularly holds informal discussions with the University Council about the budget. ‘This is a complex time when we want to involve everyone, and of course that also includes the co-participation bodies, as far as possible. In 2025 we will be able to implement most of the plans that we established with the 2025 framework memorandum, partly because we had our finances in good order over the past few years. In these plans we took account of the economies in the faculties, expertise centres and Administration & Central Services. I cannot rule out that we will have to make even more economies. However we look at it, we are facing difficult times – in any event for the years from 2026 to 2029.’
To prepare ourselves well for this more difficult period, we will have to take measures now that will strengthen our financial buffer in the short term, says Ridderbos. ‘This is also because the government will not make any money available to compensate for the costs of the transition and any possible reorganisations. Three internal working groups made up of staff from Administration & Central Services, the expertise centres and the faculties are currently developing plans for the (management) structure of the university (1), the costs (2) and the benefits (3) that might possibly compensate for the cutbacks.’
He concludes: ‘All this means that we have now drawn up the budget for 2025, but can only produce a provisional outline for the years from 2026 to 2029. We hope in the autumn to receive more information about the dossier on internationalisation and the late graduation fine, so that we have a better idea of where we stand. As soon as we have any further information, we will get back to you.’
During the Opening of the Academic Year, President of the Executive Board Annetje Ottow said the planned cuts would cause ‘carnage’. Now the government has presented its plans that image has not changed, says the Board. ‘No, the cabinet is actually going to make an unbelievable €1 billion of cuts to higher education. Much remains unclear, but what we can be sure of is that we are going to feel this on many fronts.’
Unwise and irresponsible
Both the scale of the plans and the uncertainty they bring to the education sector are unwise and completely irresponsible. ‘To put it very bluntly indeed: the quality of our research and teaching is at stake’, says the Board. ‘We and our colleagues from other universities have been warning about this for some time.
‘We share our knowledge with the public, government and all sorts of other partners; the Netherlands is going to feel this drop in quality. The three government policy assessment agencies quite rightly warn of a negative effect on our prosperity. This policy will cause untold harm to the strength and quality of Dutch society.’
Stress and uncertainty
The cabinet’s plans are now known but much remains unclear. And what we do know is not good news, says the Board. ‘It is important that the announced cuts to the sector plans are not going ahead. However, this comes at the expense of the starter and incentive grants. It is a typical sleight of hand: we are paying for this ourselves because the cabinet will fund it through the starter grants.’
The cuts to the starter and incentive grants are painful: these were intended to tackle the high workload, particularly among young researchers. ‘We had been working on that for some time. The previous cabinet had taken measures to reduce the workload but this is all being reversed. This cabinet is creating greater stress and uncertainty.’
Hit hard
The Board also decries the plans to introduce a long-term study penalty. ‘This is bad news for our students and much is yet unclear. What will be the exact rules? And the consequences? No one knows. And now is when we would really like to offer our students more clarity so they know where they stand.
‘And that brings us to the Internationalisation in Balance Act. International programmes ensure that students have a challenging environment in which to learn and come up with new ideas, that we are aware of new discoveries and knowledge from all around the world and that clever and talented people have the chance to develop. This is good not only for students but also for businesses and all of society.
‘If we are forced to convert some of our bachelor’s programmes to Dutch, international talent will soon be seeking jobs or degree programmes beyond our national borders. And the Netherlands desperately needs this group. The universities in the Randstad region will be particularly hard hit. These measures will have huge consequences for our range of programmes, as we stressed during the Opening of the Academic Year.’
Impossible puzzle
The Executive Board and the faculties are already facing cuts in the 2025 fiscal year. These do not include the cabinet’s new measures. ‘Fortunately, the university has maintained a healthy financial policy over the past years. As a result, we do not appear to need to make urgent modifications to the 2025 budget. But this is the calm before the storm.
‘We will remain in close consultation with the faculties, directorates and expertise centres but also with the University Council and the Board of Governors. One thing is clear: we need to prepare for more radical measures in the face of shrinking budgets. The university now has to start trying to solve this almost impossible puzzle.’
Take up the fight
But this does not mean that we are simply going to roll over and accept the plans. 'In cooperation with the UNL (Universities of the Netherlands, the organisation representing the interests of Dutch universities, Ed.) we will take up the fight against these austerity plans. This could mean campaigning, intensive lobbying and actively seeking out the media. We are stronger together, after all.
‘And we are also in intensive contact with the Ministry. We have clearly stated that the cabinet plans will significantly affect life at our university. Whether this will help? Only time will tell. We are not giving up at any rate.’
Solidarity
Some academics have already been calling in the media for cuts to non-academic staff in particular. The Board does not think that such a one-sided focus is the solution. ‘Like other institutions and companies, universities desperately need these staff. Good teaching and research are something we create together. So we must take up the gauntlet and respond to this disastrous policy. Let us stand in solidarity so we can continue to be a strong, broad-based university that values the quality of our teaching and research.’
Stay strong
The Executive Board promises to update the university community regularly on all plans and initiatives. ‘It is hugely important that everyone is aware of and can help respond to these developments, particularly since we all understand this is going to hurt.
‘Let us at least try to stay strong together. We should be proud of our university, the commitment of our community and our excellent research and teaching. Our job now is to keep it so, despite the government’s efforts to thwart this. Let us do all we can to get through this together and limit the harm caused by this irresponsible government policy.’