The programmes, including the Design Impact Transition platform, Erasmus X, Impact at the Core, and the sustainability programme, are part of the Strategy 2024 initiative – temporary projects that were scheduled to conclude at the end of 2024. Many staff contracts were therefore set to expire on 31 December. However, staff had hoped that the programmes would receive permanent funding beyond the strategic period, as the themes remain central to the university’s new strategy.
This turned out to be difficult, as budget cuts have also affected the strategy, and nearly half of the strategic budget for 2025 is already tied up in ongoing initiatives such as collaboration with Erasmus MC and TU Delft (‘convergence’) and UNIC, a network of universities. The new strategy has yet to be finalised and is expected to be presented no earlier than September 2025. This creates a gap of nearly a year, during which many talented individuals will leave, sources in those programmes worry.
Difficult choices
Arwin van Buuren, Strategic Dean for Impact & Engagement, is tasked with continuing as much as possible during the interim period, with reduced funding. “Of course, we all hoped that additional resources would become available. But due to the budget cuts, there will be less funding for 2025. Choices have been made that are truly painful.”
Arwin van Buuren, Strategic Dean for Impact & Engagement, is tasked with continuing as much as possible during the interim period, with reduced funding. “Of course, we all hoped that additional resources would become available. But due to the budget cuts, there will be less funding for 2025. Choices have been made that are truly painful.”
Despite this, Van Buuren remains optimistic. “Not everything that is ending now is completely lost. You have to consider that, four years ago, we were debating whether impact should even be the main pillar of the strategy. Now, no one doubts it. Yes, people are leaving in this area, but many others within the university have embraced impact and are intrinsically motivated to continue working on it. The same applies to sustainability. That’s exactly the purpose of strategic investments: to initiate change. By definition, they’re temporary.”
Some staff involved in strategic projects are dissatisfied with the unexpected termination of the programmes, but Van Buuren believes this sentiment is not entirely justified. “It was always clear that these programmes would end on 31 December. The idea behind strategic projects is that they eventually become structurally embedded in the organisation. I feel not all project leaders focused enough on achieving that.”
Convergence continues
Some strategic projects will continue however. The convergence project, which explores deeper collaboration between TU Delft, Erasmus MC, and Erasmus University, will proceed at full capacity, as will UNIC, a network of universities led by EUR. Erasmus Verbindt, a platform linking societal organisations with education to provide practical case studies, will continue in a reduced form, along with several other projects.
Van Buuren disagrees with the notion that education innovation will grind to a halt. While the radical education innovation platform Erasmus X is ending as an independent programme – with only a handful of the more than forty staff members remaining – the Community for Learning and Innovation will partly take over its role and add some new staff from Erasmus X, Van Buuren explains.
Hefhouse, a unique collaboration between vocational education, a university of applied sciences, and Erasmus University in Zuid, will continue, although it does need a different funding structure, Van Buuren expects, that requires greater contributions from the other parties. The outreach programme, aimed at equal opportunities for academic education, will also proceed, though with reduced funding. “These programmes are crucial. If we want to address societal disparities, these activities are essential. Being an engaged university requires this.”
Challenges
For topics like sustainability and impact education, the Executive Board expects faculties to take the lead. However, it is unclear how realistic this is, given that faculties are also facing budget cuts. At least one faculty has indicated plans to cut funding for impact education.
Van Buuren acknowledges the challenge but believes faculties recognise the intrinsic importance of these areas. “Of course, a series of lectures for six hundred students is cheaper than impact education in small tutor groups, but as a university, we want to distinguish ourselves by making a concrete contribution to societal challenges with our students. That will determine our long-term viability.”
No more islands
Much will remain the same in the new strategy: impact and sustainability will again be key pillars, this time supplemented by culture and leadership. However, Van Buuren believes significant progress can be made by approaching certain matters differently than in the past. “Right now, I see a lot of islands. I recently attended the Sustainability Summit and later the Impact Days. There’s a stark contrast between the two groups, even though they share the same goals. Imagine how much could be achieved if they worked together.”
These islands sometimes even compete with one another. “For example, the Design Impact Transition platform (DIT) developed education on sustainability and impact, but so did Impact at the Core.”
Another issue that has become evident over the past year, is that some strategic projects have not found a place within the regular organisation after four years. “That needs to be addressed from the outset. I’m not saying it wasn’t attempted, but I think all involved could have anticipated it better.” Collaboration with faculties also left room for improvement, according to the impact dean. “In the future, we need to operate much more as one university. Too often, we don’t know what others are doing or are focused solely on our own agendas.”
DIT and ESH have structurally and annually pushed for an embedded Sustainability Office. This was rejected by the EB year after year, with the expected outcome now.