‘Student organisations are disappearing due to lack of interest in board positions’

Tim Ficheroux

12 August 2025

Student life

There is an increasing lack of interest in board years, leading to the risk of associations disappearing. This warning was issued by national student organisations on Monday in an urgent letter to Minister Eppo Bruins of Education.

Banners from the associations at the opening of the Eurekaweek 2024.
Image by: Tessa Hofland

“It is becoming more difficult each year to fill all student board positions”, student organisations, including the Dutch National Student Association (ISO), the National Association of Student Societies (LKvV), the Erasmus Student Network, and Student Sports the Netherlands, wrote to the minister. The organisations cautioned that associations might vanish.

“In recent years, many student organisations have already been dissolved, with all the consequences that follow”, said ISO chair Sarah Evink in a press release. “Student activities are an important outlet for many. If these fade away, the social life of students will come under even more pressure.”

Study associations raise the alarm over board positions
Gepubliceerd op: 26 June 2025
- Student life

Inequality of opportunity

Due to high living and study costs, students are increasingly reluctant to take the financial risk of committing to a board year, the organisations write. They fear that inequality of opportunity is emerging, as some students can afford a year in a student board and gain experience, while others cannot. Additionally, the organisations point out that students often need to borrow money and face delays in their studies, while performance pressure remains high and recognition low. In Rotterdam, student executives receive a certificate of recognition, but this is not the case everywhere.

“Student organisations are crucial for student life”, the letter states. “They organise important activities for making friends, exploring the job market, and facilitating social and educational activities.” Therefore, they are asking the minister to speak out and take action to increase interest, such as advocating for adequate remuneration.

Credits

Before the summer, Rotterdam’s study associations already expressed concerns regarding the shortage of students willing to take on a position in one of the student boards. As a result, various associations will have one or two fewer board members this year. “This year, the situation is more urgent than ever”, they wrote in a letter to the Executive Board. In the University Council, there were calls to award credits to students who take on a board position.

The Eurekaweek was also struggling to find students willing to volunteer as guides or crew members. “Although there is always a group that signs up well in advance because they are certain they want to participate, we see that many students decide to register much later”, says chair Shirley Le. The organisation has offered registration bonuses and is organising an additional thank-you party to find enough volunteers.