The scientific community is bracing itself, as researchers are set to lose hundreds of millions of euros. Even Minister Eppo Bruins admits the cuts are “painful and ugly,” though he remains undeterred.
While the topic of funding is likely to overshadow the debate when the House of Representatives meets with the minister to discuss science policy in depth for the first time, there are other sensitive issues at stake.
China, Russia
One such issue is knowledge security. Are countries like China and Russia stealing knowledge here to strengthen their own military? It’s a difficult topic, as there’s a desire to avoid shutting the door on international collaboration, which could leave the Netherlands lagging behind the rest of the world.
The ruling VVD party, among others, wants to press the minister on this. Knowledge security is “more urgent than ever,” according to the party. A specific concern is the presence of many Chinese PhD candidates: how can we be sure they don’t have access to sensitive information?
The liberals are not the only ones worried about knowledge security. Former D66 minister Robbert Dijkgraaf shared these concerns and worked on a screening process for researchers and master’s students in sensitive fields. The big challenge: which knowledge is considered sensitive and which isn’t?
Big money
Another hot topic is the collaboration between scientists and industry, sometimes driven by financial necessity. Do these companies influence the outcomes of research? The SP plans to address this issue.
Ruling party NSC is also concerned, particularly about the potential conflicts of interest of, for example, tax lawyers who work both at universities and at consultancy firms in Amsterdam’s Zuidas district. There are many tax experts working for businesses, yet not a single professor specialising in the Dutch tax allowance scandal, Pieter Omtzigt remarked last September.
Economic relevance
The reverse question may also be raised: should researchers perhaps collaborate more frequently with the business world and pay closer attention to societal needs? It’s a waste if useful or profitable knowledge remains hidden from the public.
Universities are somewhat receptive to this idea and in 2021 proposed making the Netherlands a ‘hotspot’ for spin-off companies and start-ups. On the other hand, they also want to ensure there’s always enough space for independent research.
STEM subjects
Some parties want to place more emphasis on technical and natural sciences at the expense of other fields. This shift has already happened in the past, such as in 2019 when D66 minister Van Engelshoven reallocated funding during a crisis.
But this time the shift may occur naturally, as technical universities seem to be exempt from the government’s cuts to international student admissions. While the government intends to slash funding for student migrants, technical programmes and fields with staff shortages are likely to be spared.
Old advice from the minister
In his previous role as chairman of the advisory board AWTI, Eppo Bruins argued that the government should invest in research and innovation – a stark contrast to his current stance. The opposition is sure to bring this up.
Another interesting piece of AWTI advice from that time: don’t forget that social sciences and humanities are important for innovation. Yet, it’s precisely these fields that are expected to bear the brunt of the cuts.
Social safety
Powerful professors making life miserable for others? Most agree that this needs to stop. However, stories continue to surface about departments or faculties plagued by long-standing problems.
The government is also involved. Temporary contracts are a particular issue, as the fear of not having one renewed makes it harder to report misconduct. There is frequent criticism that complaint procedures could be improved.
But who will be hit hardest by the cuts? Those with permanent contracts won’t feel the impact as much. Instead, there will be fewer opportunities for new academics, intensifying competition for scarce positions. PhD candidates and postdocs are in for a tough time in the coming years, and it’s only a matter of time before new ‘incidents’ arise.
Woke
Things get complicated when different groups start using the term ‘safety’ for their own purposes. For instance, right-wing parties claim that Jewish students no longer feel safe on campus amid pro-Palestinian protests at universities. Meanwhile, the activists argue that they’re being silenced, unable to organise discussions freely.
The ruling PVV party is thrilled about the cuts to research and higher education, arguing that in times of scarcity, there’s no room for ‘woke’ or activism. However, this appears to be more of an excuse to justify the damage, as the cuts affect a much broader group of researchers and staff than just the few involved in activism – a movement that has widespread support.
The occupations (and associated damages) have further divided the political landscape. Some defend the right to protest, while others demand compensation for the damage and call for tougher action against masked demonstrators.
PhD candidates
If so few PhD candidates remain in academia, perhaps we don’t need as many, NSC suggests. The number of PhDs has grown significantly over the years, partly because universities receive a ‘bonus’ for each completed dissertation.
However, most dissertations come from medical sciences, and NSC is sceptical: is this really necessary? What role does the PhD bonus play in the allocation of research funding?
Work pressure
For years, unions and activists have criticised the high work pressure in academia. With the upcoming cuts, this pressure will only increase, but Minister Eppo Bruins sees this as no excuse. Universities must ensure a healthy working environment, even in times of financial austerity. In fact, if they fail to do so, the Labour Inspectorate will intervene, according to Bruins.
This stance offers plenty of ammunition for the opposition: how can you express concern about work pressure when you’re the biggest cause of it? D66 is among the parties keen to address this issue.
Back to money…
The budget cuts are severe, and the coalition parties refuse to budge. However, they lack a majority in the Senate, meaning they depend on support from other parties.
PvdA-GroenLinks, the largest opposition party, is curious about the coalition’s plans. On Thursday, they’ll be looking for clarity on what the other parties intend to do in the Senate. Will they support the cuts or not?
One problem is that smaller parties may not attend the debate, despite being crucial to the outcome. The CDA, for instance, has cancelled its participation. Another issue is that Senate members are free to make their own decisions, independent of their counterparts in the House of Representatives.