{"id":144153,"date":"2022-09-22T14:35:17","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T12:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=144153"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:26","slug":"government-budget-leaves-bittersweet-aftertaste-in-mouth-of-students-and-institutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/09\/22\/government-budget-leaves-bittersweet-aftertaste-in-mouth-of-students-and-institutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Government budget leaves \u2018bittersweet aftertaste\u2019 in mouth of students and institutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The government budget has not met with universal acclaim. Research universities and universities of applied sciences are cautiously positive about the substantial level of investment, but worry about rising energy prices. Students, for their part, believe they deserve more support.<\/p>\n

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Sigrid Kaag (in purple), minister of finance signs documents of the Budget Memorandum.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMinistry of Finance<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

UNL President Pieter Duisenberg is pleased<\/a> with the extra money for higher education and research: \u201cThis will enable us to reduce workloads and put more people on permanent employment contracts, while scientists will have more time\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n

Duisenberg believes that the extra money for research is vital to tackling the major challenges of our day and age, such as the energy transition, digitalisation and inequality of opportunity. Research universities are also positive about the level of funding for student well-being and knowledge security.<\/p>\n

However, they worry about the rising energy prices they are facing. In spite of their ongoing efforts to operate more sustainably and make savings, their combined energy bill is likely to increase<\/a> by \u20ac 150 million in 2023. Duisenberg called on students to wrap up warm when coming to lectures, because \u2018we\u2019ll be turning down the thermostats\u2019.<\/p>\n

Finally, research universities lamented the absence in the central government budget of steps to increase salaries and adjust prices to counteract the high rate of inflation that their employees are seeing themselves confronted with.<\/p>\n

Vereniging Hogescholen<\/h2>

The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences welcomed<\/a> the additional investments in applied research. According to Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences President Maurice Limmen, this will make it possible for universities of applied sciences to innovate both teaching and professional practice. \u201cWith this measure, the government acknowledges the key role that universities of applied sciences play in their regions \u2013 a role that will need to be consolidated further in the long term.\u201d<\/p>\n

In that sense, Limmen deemed the investments a \u2018step in the right direction\u2019. He also highlighted the need for a long-term increase in funding over the coming years to promote lifelong learning, referring to the process of retraining and providing further training to the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\t

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