Thousands of university employees and students are expected to take to the streets next Thursday to protest against the cuts in higher education. An unprecedentedly large group is also heading to Utrecht from Nijmegen. ‘By cutting back on science, you are undermining the future of the country.’

Over 400 members, that is the size of the WhatsApp group for Radboud University staff and students heading to Utrecht on Thursday 14 November. ‘We expect an incredibly high turnout,’ says Associate Professor Willem Halffman, active in WOinAction and one of the protest’s organisers. ‘For now, we are still mainly working on mobilising more lecturers and students. If we continue like this, we might reach one thousand.’

An unprecedented number of participants for a protest. Hence also the measures and agreements made at Radboud University. For example, there is no mandatory lecture attendance that day, except for patient care and practicals that could not be rescheduled. In all likelihood, a number of classes will not even take place.

Employees wishing to travel to Utrecht may only be stopped by their supervisors ‘for weighty reasons’. They may also take extraordinary leave to attend the protest.

36 million cuts

Nationwide, the Dutch government is cutting 1 billion euros on higher education. It was recently announced that Radboud University’s government contribution is expected to drop by 8% in the coming years. This leads to the necessary measures and challenges at the Nijmegen faculties. For example, the Faculty of Arts is forced to offer fewer study programmes and the Faculties of Law and Social Sciences have announced a vacancy freeze. The Faculty of Science, for its part, already knows for certain that it will not be able to meet the desired zero budget in 2027.

‘These cuts are absurd,’ says Halffman. ‘This is how you undermine the future of the country. Science is there to solve huge societal problems.’

‘As a university, we are sometimes still too modest in expressing the contribution we make to society,’ he continues. ‘We are training the doctors, teachers and judges of the future. We help solve issues around the environment and migration. And what about research into innovation in agriculture and healthcare? I hope this action can help us make the government aware of this.’

Long-term study penalty

The protest also focuses on the upcoming long-term study penalty. The measure, which imposes a penalty of €3,000 on students who are more than one year behind in their studies, has been the subject of criticism from various quarters. It is expected to be detrimental to active student life and to stand in the way of diversity. Nijmegen students from AKKU and other associations will therefore also be demonstrating in Utrecht next Thursday.

‘If we all end up going by train, it will be great fun too’

Travel expenses to the Dom city will not be reimbursed by the University and, unlike with previous actions, no bus transport will be arranged. ‘Some groups that are taking an inventory to arrange their own bus. But if we all end up going by train, it will be great fun too. Moreover, the unions have said that they will reimburse their members’ train tickets. Perhaps more employees should consider becoming members after all.’