Sweeping funding cuts announced by the new Dutch government have stunned the higher education sector, with leaders warning that universities will be ¡°hit hard¡±, research will suffer and students will face greater financial pressure.

Almost six months after the?shock victory of Geert Wilders¡¯ far-right Party for Freedom (PVV)?in the Netherlands¡¯ 2023 general election, three more parties have agreed to form a coalition with the anti-Islam, anti-immigration group: the People¡¯s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the conservative-liberal party of outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte; the populist agrarian Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB); and the recently formed centre-right New Social Contract (NSC). The parties have yet to agree on a prime minister after Mr Wilders ruled himself out in March.

While the??reached by the four parties discusses ¡°strengthening the knowledge economy¡± and prioritising innovation and digital infrastructure, it includes significant reductions to the country¡¯s science and higher education budgets. Funding for research and science will be cut by €1.1 billion (?936 million), while the National Growth Fund, which finances research, development and innovation, will be scrapped entirely. Higher education funding, or the ¡°sector plan¡± fund, will be cut by €215 million per year.

Jouke de Vries, interim head of the umbrella body Universities Netherlands, described the cuts in a??as ¡°a blow to our students and employees who are already under enormous pressure¡±, adding: ¡°Together with the major changes in the international character of universities, these cuts are damaging our good education and research.¡±

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

¡°This does not fit with the ambition of the forming parties to strengthen the knowledge economy and the earning capacity of the Netherlands,¡± he continued. ¡°With this we are putting the future of the young people in our country at risk.¡±

The student union LSVb has already announced it is planning action over the introduction of a ¡°late study fine¡±, which will see students who delay the completion of their degree facing a fine of €3,000 per year.

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

¡°The fine is a stunning measure that makes it impossible to make mistakes. This creates enormous pressure,¡± LSVb chair Elisa Weehuizen said in a?. ¡°A late study fine is a major financial blow at a young age that many young people and their parents cannot afford. This measure affects precisely the Dutch people this government claims to protect.¡±

The agreement also involves plans to reduce international student numbers through measures such as restricted English-language instruction,?a process which is already under way in the Netherlands, and higher tuition fees for students from outside the European Union. The qualification requirements for the country¡¯s ¡°knowledge migrant scheme¡±, meanwhile, will be ¡°tightened and increased¡±.

Speaking to?Times Higher Education, Marcel Levi, president of the Dutch Research Council¡¯s executive board, said that Dutch science was at risk of falling behind other research-intensive countries, noting that the Netherlands was already failing to reach European Union targets for research investment.

¡°In the last two years we have benefited from a major top-up coming from the previous government,¡± he said. ¡°However, even with that additional funding we did not yet achieve spending 3 per cent of our gross national income on research and innovation, as agreed on in the EU.¡±

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

¡°Universities will be hit hard by taking away the ¡®sector plan¡¯ funds, which were meant to enhance core funding for most disciplines, and which have enabled fixed contracts for many university staff in the past two years,¡± Professor Levi said.

Restrictions on international students and workers further concerned him, he told?THE: ¡°A large part of our PhD students and postdocs are international, and they contribute greatly to our research.¡±

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com