{"id":171205,"date":"2024-09-04T11:59:22","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T09:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=171205"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:28","slug":"alternative-opening-of-the-academic-year-strike-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/09\/04\/alternative-opening-of-the-academic-year-strike-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"Alternative opening of the academic year: ‘Strike! Strike!’"},"content":{"rendered":"

About two hundred protesters came to Domplein in Utrecht on Monday <\/span>morning for the \u2018Alternative opening\u2019 of the new academic year. Down with the cutbacks, was <\/span>the message. Perhaps there will even be a strike.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

The long-study fine hits students who are already struggling, LSVb president Abdelkader Karbache argued.<\/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\tHoger Onderwijs Persbureau<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Researchers, activists, unions, students, administrators, political parties\u2026 They are all worried <\/span>about the huge cutbacks in higher education and research announced by the government. <\/span>These amount to about a billion euros.<\/span><\/p>\n

This Monday morning, they have all come to the \u2018Alternative opening\u2019 of the new academic <\/span>year organised by the General Union of Education. There are stalls with water, coffee, <\/span>brochures and hats. Next to a small stage, there are large speakers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Red square<\/h2>

The slow-progress penalty, the cutbacks in research, the curbing of internationalisation\u2026 <\/span>those present think it\u2019s all wrong. In front of the stage, a large red square is rolled out, a <\/span>worldwide symbol of activism against the problems in science.<\/span><\/p>\n

The speakers on the stage choose their own phrasing and emphasis. Postdocs, for example, <\/span>criticise the high workload and the many temporary contracts: the problems will only be <\/span>aggravated by the cutbacks. An international researcher outlines the advantages of <\/span>internationalisation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dutch Student Union focuses on the slow-progress penalty for students that take too long <\/span>to complete their programme. This penalty mainly affects students that are already struggling <\/span>and turns studying into something for the elite once more, asserts chair Abdelkader Karbache. <\/span>\u201cNo wonder the plan didn\u2019t appear in any election manifesto, because it\u2019s simply too <\/span>ridiculous to write down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maurice Limmen, president of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied <\/span>Sciences, also sharply criticises the slow-progress penalty. According to him, its mere <\/span>announcement already inflicts damage. He says he has spoken to first-year students that have <\/span>now chosen a two-year AD degree programme because they didn\u2019t dare to go for a four year <\/span>one due to the penalty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mild words<\/h2>

The only one who has a few mild words for the government \u2013 alongside fundamental criticism <\/span>\u2013 is Caspar van den Berg, chair of Universities of the Netherlands. He believes the <\/span>government wants a competitive economy, good healthcare and a resilient society: \u201cThose are <\/span>all things that cannot do without well-educated young people and scientific research.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Van den Berg is also a senator for government party VVD and co-wrote the election <\/span>
manifesto. According to him, it concerns \u2018disastrous cutbacks\u2019 and he\u2019s even considering <\/span>
legal action, but his own party is co-responsible and at some point he will have to vote on the <\/span>topic in the Senate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
Isn\u2019t it difficult to say: on the one hand I completely disagree with this, on the other hand I <\/span>support my party? \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s difficult\u201d, he says when asked, \u201cbecause these are <\/span>all plans that still need to be fleshed out. There\u2019s nothing in writing yet, no decisions have been made. I will make full use of any currently available space for damage control.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>

Lecturers and staff protest against the proposed cuts.<\/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\tHoger Onderwijs Persbureau<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Pro-Palestinian<\/h2>

On the other side of the spectrum, there is the activist who takes to the stage to speak on <\/span>behalf of the Pro-Palestinian encampment in Utrecht. Administrators are the ones that set the <\/span>police on protesting students, which in his view means these administrators are giving in to <\/span>the wishes of the far right and doing what the government wants: silencing students that are <\/span>fighting for a better world. According to him, the government uses such clashes between <\/span>students and the executive boards to win elections.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is met with strong approval from the activists present. Gaza is definitely not the main <\/span>focus of this protest against the budget cuts \u2013 the administrators don\u2019t mention it, nor do most <\/span>researchers and union speakers \u2013 but someone does hold up a protest sign with the <\/span>controversial slogan \u2018From the river to the sea\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Strike<\/h2>

As far as the cutbacks go, everyone agrees: they have to be withdrawn. But how to go about<\/span>this? The universities have already announced legal action against part of the plans, but UvA <\/span>professor Rens Bod (WOinActie) has a different idea: striking. The idea is received with <\/span>cheers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Striking also helped in Scotland, he tells the audience. There, students and teachers sought <\/span>support from administrators to strike at the end of the academic year, so no students would be <\/span>able to graduate. The government ended up giving in. This is how it should be done in the <\/span>Netherlands as well, he believes. As far as he\u2019s concerned, there will be a well-planned strike <\/span>that wreaks as much havoc as possible. \u2018Strike! Strike!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Maurice Limmen of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences listens, but isn\u2019t <\/span>particularly keen. \u201cI think that\u2019s more of a thing in the world of university education\u201d, he says <\/span>with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ll leave that up to the colleagues there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Engaged<\/h2>

Two foreign teachers of Leiden University are attending the protest carrying large cardboard <\/span>protest signs. One of them came here four years ago and has a Dutch partner, the other has <\/span>already been living here for eight years. They work at the humanities faculty as a lecturer and <\/span>assistant professor, respectively.<\/span> \u201cI work here, so I also feel engaged with the political <\/span>developments. If I can\u2019t make my voice heard in the voting booth, I\u2019ll come to gatherings like <\/span>this one.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shining in absence is Minister Eppo Bruins (NSC). He is in Rotterdam, visiting senior <\/span>secondary vocational school Albeda College, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and <\/span>Erasmus University Rotterdam. Once the protest is over, a few administrators rush off in that <\/span>direction<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more <\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t