EUR staff went on strike in the city against the ‘Eppocalypse’

In various locations around the city, outdoor classes are still in session. University staff are giving public lectures on the effects of budget cuts in their fields and on society. The remainder of the day of protest has come to an end, and so has this live blog. Thank you for following! If you have any questions or have taken some interesting photos, please feel free to contact the editorial team at [email protected].

By Tim Ficheroux and Elmer Smaling

Several Dutch universities are initiating legal proceedings against what they perceive as unlawful cuts to starter and incentive grants. This is stated in a press release from the interest group Universities of the Netherlands. At least Tilburg University and Radboud University are taking the government to court as the cabinet unilaterally terminates the agreement with the universities on this. Erasmus University is still exploring the possibility of joining the proceedings, according to a spokesperson.

“This is a significant blow for students, staff, and the Netherlands as a whole”, reacts chairman Caspar van den Berg to the Senate’s approval of the education budget. “It is indefensible that a country that relies almost entirely on knowledge chooses to implement such severe cuts to education, research, and innovation. And this at a time when the Netherlands is increasingly reliant on itself geopolitically and economically.”

The trade union FNV describes it as a ‘pitch-black day for Dutch education’ and predicts ‘disastrous effects for higher education and our society’. The union announces that actions in higher education will continue.

Milou Miché from the Dutch National Student Association labels the budget as ‘catastrophic’, while Abdelkader Karbache from the National Student Union characterises it as a budget cut ‘on our children and grandchildren’. “If the protests from students, institutions, lecturers, businesses, and concerned parents are not enough to halt these cuts, we have no choice but to escalate”, says Karbache. “As far as we are concerned, after May, we will also collaborate with secondary education and vocational education to take action. These cuts affect all of the Netherlands.” The ISO does not comment on follow-up actions.

By Feba Sukmana

Once back at Willemsplein, organiser Marjan Gorgievski takes the floor. “Do you want to know what the decision of parliament is?” she asks the audience. “Yeeeahh!”, comes the response. “Unfortunately, the majority voted in favour of the cuts”, says Gorgievski. “Booooo!!!”, the attendees shout. “But we won’t stop! Tilburg is taking over the baton, they will protest tomorrow!”

MC Jason offers some encouragement: “And our action today has not been in vain.” Former minister Robbert Dijkgraaf has signed an administrative agreement to invest in higher education. That agreement has now been unilaterally broken. “It is thanks to your protest that the university boards will challenge the legal validity of the cuts!”

“We just have to keep going”, says Gorgievski afterwards. “We have had a right-wing government for fourteen years now. We need to make our voice heard, we have been silent for too long.”

By Tim Ficheroux 

A majority of the Senate approved the Education, Culture and Science (OCW) budget on Tuesday afternoon. As expected, the coalition parties received sufficient support from the SGP, CDA, FVD, Ja21, ChristenUnie and 50PLUS.

Like last week, the unilateral termination of the governance agreement (bestuursakkoord in Dutch) by the cabinet was a significant topic. The previous cabinet had promised additional funding for ten years in 2022, amounting to over 200 million euros per year. The current cabinet is reversing that commitment. The motion by D66 senator Paul van Meenen to implement the administrative agreement did not receive a majority vote on Tuesday.

However, a motion by GroenLinks-PvdA senator Daan Roovers was passed, calling on the government to staunchly defend academic freedom and to speak out against questionnaires from the US directed at Dutch researchers.

By Sarah de Gruijter

The plaza looks remarkably empty around midday. In Sanders, it appears to be just another ordinary Tuesday at first glance: students are studying in the library, a lecture is about to begin, and secondary school students are being welcomed for a trial lecture.

Olivier, a third-year law student, has had his classes cancelled, but that doesn’t stop him from coming to campus. “I actually didn’t know there were strikes until I heard that my lessons weren’t going ahead”, he explains. For many students, this may be a welcome surprise, but for Olivier, it’s less favourable: “My presentations have been moved to next week, but I won’t be here then.” He doubts the strikes will have much impact, so he decided to come to campus today to study.

In Polak, friends Evelien and Mara are concentrating on their studies. Evelien’s lecture this morning has been cancelled. “I actually found that quite nice, it meant I could go to my sports class”, she says with a laugh. They briefly considered participating in the strike, but their study work did not allow for it. “I don’t have social media, so I heard about the strike late. Otherwise, I might have joined in”, Mara explains. “I think it’s good that people are protesting, and in this case, it’s also justified. For students with a packed schedule, it’s inconvenient, but everything has been properly rescheduled for us”, adds Evelien.

By Wieneke Gunneweg

Retirees Ger Lugtenberg and Geert Stevens also express solidarity with their former colleagues by participating in the demonstration. Here they pose with Executive Board Chair Annelien Bredenoord.

By Feba Sukmana

“Education is a right, not a privilege!”, “Stop the destruction!”, “What time is it? Solidaritime!” Demonstrators repeatedly shout their slogans. In Witte de Withstraat, one participant briefly enters the Spar supermarket. “Right, now we can continue!” she says as she re-emerges two minutes later with a can of Fanta in hand.

The slogans grow louder as the protesters pass by primary school Het Landje. “Come on, guys. Louder! Make yourselves heard! They need to be able to study later”, calls out the demonstration leader. The pupils and teachers wave from behind the windows. Several kindergarteners jump up and give a thumbs up.

By Feba Sukmana

After the speeches at Willemsplein, the demonstrators set off at around 1.30 pm in a procession towards the Museum Quarter. The activists attract the attention of passers-by along the route. People from the windows of apartments on Westerstraat and from the terrace cafés watch the demonstration.

René Nobel sits at Restaurant Loos with his ‘old mate’ Roy Dames. He enthusiastically joins in with the demonstrators. “I think what they are doing is incredibly important”, he tells. “People who can and want to study should have the opportunity to do so. My parents couldn’t afford my studies either, but thanks to study finance and an extra loan, I was able to do it. It’s ridiculous that this opportunity is now being taken away and studying is only reserved for wealthier kids.” Dames agrees. “We have top researchers in the Netherlands, both from here and abroad. And we shouldn’t lose them due to the cuts.”

By Feba Sukmana

Students Jasper and Sterre from the student union STUUR address the crowd from the stage, which the organisation claims has grown to two thousand people. “We must realise that the cuts are not about the budget, but about priorities. We keep hearing that there is no money for housing, teacher salaries, or mental healthcare, yet the politicians choose to build a war machine and commit genocide in Palestine”, Jasper exclaims. “And who has to pay for it? Us!”

“We are here to shape the university’s choices and ensure that the decisions are ours and not imposed on us”, Sterre adds. “We need you to organise and together reclaim our power.” Together: “Students and staff united, we will never be defeated!”

Shortly after, the march through the city begins.

By Feba Sukmana

“We must make the government hear that education is not a cost but an important investment, a necessity in this country!” MC Jason opens the podium programme at Willemsplein. “We are here so that the budget doesn’t pass, and I ask you: Vote against it!”

The first speaker is lecturer Ana Uribe Sandoval from EURinActie. “Minister Bruins and members of the Senate, we demand that you reconsider the cuts. We are here to say: dreams, creativity, higher education and justice are indispensable.”

Tim de Winkel from labour union AOb then interviews national and local politicians on the podium, including Sandra Beckerman, Luc Stultiens, Mina Morkoc, Theo Coskun, and alderman Said Kasmi. “This cabinet chooses to invest in rich people”, says Sandra Beckerman (Socialist Party). “They prefer bombs over books. My grandparents didn’t have the chance to study, but I did. Government policy made that possible. And it is exactly that opportunity that this cabinet is now destroying. Therefore, student struggle is a class struggle! Come on, let them hear it in The Hague: DON’T DO IT. DON’T DO IT.”

The entire square screams along. “Come on, they can’t hear this in The Hague”, Beckerman rallies the crowd. “DON’T DO IT! DON’T DO IT!” The chants echo under the Erasmus Bridge.

Annelien Bredenoord, the chair of the Executive Board, then takes the floor. “This cabinet is jeopardising the future of all of us by not investing in higher education and science. And that is not only foolish, it will hurt. The Netherlands will feel it if there are no solutions for the problems in society, if the axe falls on our knowledge economy”, she argues. “I would like to quote the words of one of my mentors in the Senate, Alexander Rinnooy Kan. ‘Those who think knowledge is expensive, do not know what ignorance costs.'”

By Feba Sukmana

On bicycles and feet, staff and students are arriving at Willemsplein, where the stage programme will be taking place. The fence on the Erasmus Bridge is adorned with red and green flags from the trade unions FNV and AoB. Passers-by and tourists stop to see what is happening. Some take photos and then move on.

A group of staff members crosses the road at Leuvehaven. “We took the metro from the campus”, one of them explains. She prefers not to be named in the media. “This morning we made banners and posters together on the plaza.” In her hand, she holds a red banner that reads ‘Fight for knowledge and education’.

Does she think the protest will be effective in stopping the cuts? She shrugs. “But what else could we do besides protest?” she asks rhetorically. “Look, we really can’t afford to go on strike. We have to continue working after the protest this evening, otherwise the work won’t be finished on time.”

Fifteen minutes later, it is quite busy in the square. There is a long queue at the french fries shop. “Are the fries free?” a staff member asks in surprise. “Yes. And the fries are good, you know. They are crispy. Do you want to try some?” her colleague replies. People wave flags and chat with each other. From the stage, songs from the nineties can be heard. Posters and banners lie scattered across the square. ‘No money? No future!’, ‘Education is not a privilege, it’s a human right’, and ‘no talking, just testing’ (niet lullen maar toetsen). A passer-by walks by the square. “Creative, I must say.”

By Sarah de Gruijter

Third-year medical students began this morning at 8.30 with a patient demonstration, the only type of class that is not recorded and therefore often attracts full attendance. Today was no exception. Following that, associate professor Jos van der Geest delivered a lecture about the visual system.

Before his lecture, he reminded everyone about the strikes taking place today, but he does not feel that the topic really resonates with his students. “That’s a pity, because it affects us all. Due to budget cuts, there is significantly less money left for enjoyable and enriching activities for students, such as study trips or the Erasmus MC scholarship, which enables internships abroad.”

All classes are proceeding as usual today at Erasmus MC. “Lecturers have been given the option to cancel classes and offer education in an alternative way. I did not choose that route, as I believe it would disadvantage my students too much.”

Nonetheless, Jos will still attend the strike at Willemsplein this afternoon. “I don’t think my presence will directly lead to the reversal of the budget cuts, but I feel it is important to show that I disagree with them.”

By Nora van der Schoor

A handful of students and lecturers are handing out flyers in the plaza. They are part of the so-called picket line, a group of strikers tasked with informing others, but attendance is disappointing. “It was much busier yesterday”, says master’s student Sociology Eeske. She was also in the plaza then, informing and persuading students and lecturers to attend the protest.

She notices that the strike is not resonating much among her fellow students. “For students, the impact of the cuts is less immediately visible. But I believe many students have a very naive attitude.” Eeske feels it is important for students to protest today. “If we students do nothing, then who will?”

By Nora van der Schoor

At Erasmus Plaza, dozens of lecturers and a few students have gathered around the picnic tables to create banners for this afternoon’s protest in the city. On large red boards, attendees are writing messages with thick markers such as ‘Eppocalypse’, ‘PlEURrt op’ (Go EURway!), and ‘Doe het niet’ (Don’t do it). Lists of various slogans for inspiration lie on the tables. “Without knowledge, there is no future”, says psychology tutor Laura Hamran. She writes in bold letters ‘We are innovation, we are the future’ on a board. “I am here for the students. If we as lecturers cannot do our jobs properly, the students will suffer.”

At another picnic table, two women from the ESHCC are making boards with slogans such as ‘History says no’. “The cuts affect me personally”, says Nuria Peregrin, a PhD candidate from Cuba. “I wouldn’t be able to be here if the cuts go ahead.” In the lessons she teaches, she notices the advantages an international environment provides. “Students from other countries view things from a completely different perspective.” Her colleague, Elise van der Wiel, is a junior lecturer. “Ultimately, the cuts hit the students the hardest.” She sees these education protests as part of a larger picture. “Extremism thrives on ignorance.” Both are looking forward to the protest this afternoon. “Hopefully, many people will show up”, says Elise.

By Tim Ficheroux

The government intends to cut approximately 1.2 billion euros from higher education and research. Initially, the cuts amounted to more than 2 billion euros, but in December, this was reduced, and the slow-progress penalty for students was scrapped. Most cuts to research funding, for example, remain intact. At the same time, stricter requirements for English-taught education are in place, aimed at reducing costs associated with international students. These plans are already leading to significant cuts, reorganisations, and job losses at most universities, including Erasmus University.

In the Senate, opposition parties have been attempting to block the cuts in recent weeks. However, a majority seems to support the budget there as well. A roll-call vote on the budget and several motions is planned for Tuesday afternoon.

Today’s strike in Rotterdam is not isolated. In university city after university city, staff are laying down their work. This began on 10 and 11 March in Leiden and Utrecht, where thousands of people took to the streets. In the coming weeks, Tilburg, Wageningen, Maastricht, and Delft will also participate.

By Tim Ficheroux

Good morning! Welcome to our live blog about the strike against cuts to higher education and research. Striking staff and students are starting the day at Woudestein campus with a picket line and information about the actions. And they’ll be making banners at the plaza. At 12, they will move to Willemsplein by the Erasmus Bridge, where there will be free fries, speeches, and the starting point of the march. The day will conclude with outdoor classes in various locations around the city. Reporters from EM will be around all day.

9.00 am – Preparation at Woudestein campus

Picket lines / information actions

Making banners at Erasmus Plaza

12.00 pm – Arrival at Willemsplein (with free fries)

12.30 pm – Stage programme

1.30 pm – Parade through the city

3.30 pm – Outdoor classes in the city

• Society (in Dutch) | opposite the Pauluskerk (starts at 3.15 pm)
• Governance (in Dutch) | Erasmus statue, Laurenskerk
• Our children (in Dutch) | Schiedamse Singel Square
• Democracy (in Dutch) | Blaak, in front of the Markthal
• Dignified labour (in English and Dutch) | KINO
• Truth (in Dutch) | Central Library
• Education (in English) | HefHouse
• Resilience (in English) | Wereldmuseum
• Just Transitions (in English) | Stieltjes monument

More information about the outdoor classes.

The team of EM today:

Reporting: Nora van der Schoor, Sarah de Gruijter, Feba Sukmana, Tommaso Liguori.
Photography: Tyna Le, Daan Stam, Esther Dijkstra.
Writing and editing: Tim Ficheroux, Elmer Smaling.
Social media: Serafina Do, Tessa Hofland.