Student - September 23, 2010

'A triumph for hypocrisy'

University Association VSNU is disappointed in the Dutch cabinet, which in spite of all its fine words is set to impose cuts on education and research. ‘A triumph for hypocrisy’, fumes VSNU chairman Sijbolt Noorda.

Noorda notes that funding per student is to go down, that no funds are being released to keep salary levels up, and that millions of euros less gas revenue funding will go to knowledge and innovation. What is more, several already approved grants have been reduced.
Wageningen UR agrees with Noorda, but disassociates itself from his phrasing. 'The word 'hypocrisy' is ill-chosen; that is not the way to communicate with the cabinet', says spokesman Sim Vink.

Top five
Student organizations are disappointed in the education budget too. According to the LSVb, the universities will be getting one hundred million euros less than promised. 'With this budget, the cabinet is doing nothing towards efforts to climb to the top five of the global knowledge economies - something the government is always talking about', says chairman Sander Breur.
His ISO colleague Guy Hendrik says, 'We've heard all the fine words; now we are waiting to see real investments.' He pins his hopes on the next cabinet. The same goes for the association of applied sciences universities, the HBO council, which is not particularly surprised by the budget for 2011. 'We would rather wait and see the new cabinet's plans', says a spokesman.