{"id":171785,"date":"2024-09-25T13:38:10","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T11:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=171785"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:29","slug":"compensation-of-unlucky-students-is-not-an-investment-in-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/09\/25\/compensation-of-unlucky-students-is-not-an-investment-in-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Compensation of unlucky students is not an investment in higher education\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The dust has settled after the State Opening of Parliament and the <\/span>Parliamentary Debate on the Speech from the Throne. The \u2018unprecedented\u2019 and <\/span>\u2018historic\u2019 cuts in higher education funding are set to continue, much to the <\/span>dismay of administrators. Ben Jongbloed, a researcher at the University of <\/span>Twente and an expert in higher education funding, outlines the opportunities <\/span>and threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do educational administrators have a point about how disastrous these cuts are?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I have to conclude that they do. The cuts to education funding are <\/span>indiscriminate. In the Budget Memorandum, you can see the short-term thinking <\/span>of this government: purchasing power must increase and past mistakes need to <\/span>be compensated for. The measures taken are aimed at businesses and tax cuts. <\/span>This is short-term thinking that overlooks the long-term. Cutting education <\/span>funding is an attack on this country\u2019s future earning capacity. Moreover, <\/span>decisions are being made based on what I would call shaky evidence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t

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Ben Jongbloed is an associate professor at the University of Twente and <\/span>affiliated with the Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS). <\/span>Jongbloed is an expert in higher education funding.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

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Ben Jongbloed<\/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\tUToday<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

How is this reflected in the Budget Memorandum?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTake, for example, the scrapping of the starting and incentive grants, which are <\/span>said to be ineffective. That strikes me as a very premature conclusion, given that <\/span>they were <\/span>only recently introduced<\/span><\/a>. Meanwhile, the government claims that <\/span>sector funds \u2013 which are being retained \u2013 are effective instruments, but that <\/span>remains to be seen. It\u2019s mostly a policy based on gut feeling. Additionally, <\/span>around 1.2 billion euros are being allocated to compensate \u2018unlucky students\u2019 <\/span>(who didn\u2019t receive a basic grant in the past years, eds.). That\u2019s an enormous <\/span>sum of money, and you have to question whether it\u2019s a wise choice. Don\u2019t get me <\/span>wrong: I don\u2019t want to take anything away from the students, but that <\/span>compensation is not an investment in higher education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What are proven measures that would work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cRelatively little is known about effective educational interventions, but a big <\/span>gain can be made by ensuring students are in the right place. This was also <\/span>noted in the recent <\/span>IBO report on efficient higher education<\/span><\/a>. You could consider <\/span>interventions like better academic counselling or rethinking the structure of the <\/span>first year of a bachelor degree. The same IBO report also mentions the measure <\/span>against the extended duration of study. However, I\u2019m not sure if such a <\/span>penalising incentive would work well. It could have a discouraging effect on <\/span>prospective students, especially those from lower-income backgrounds. A <\/span>colleague suggested that, instead of a penalty, it might be better to give <\/span>institutions a bonus when students graduate within the agreed time \u2013 typically <\/span>the nominal duration of the programme plus one year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The government is also cutting back by scrapping the starting and incentive grants and implementing the Balanced Internationalisation Act. What impact will this have on institutions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe impact will be felt everywhere. Scrapping the starting grants will reduce <\/span>career opportunities for assistant professors. Additionally, universities will <\/span>struggle to achieve their ambitions. The Balanced Internationalisation Act will <\/span>also affect finances and quality. International students bring dynamism to <\/span>classrooms, and the financial effects should not be underestimated.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What can universities do to tackle these challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCooperation seems to be the key word here \u2013 not only within the university <\/span>itself, but also externally with other institutions and businesses. The government <\/span>wants to invest in businesses, so it makes sense to seek closer cooperation with <\/span>them. Agreements can also be made with other universities on how we\u2019ll <\/span>allocate our teaching and research capacity in exchange for funding. In the <\/span>Budget Memorandum, this is referred to as \u2018capacity funding\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018The previous minister, Robbert Dijkgraaf, played Santa Claus and started handing out gift\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Cooperation is the motto, but universities also compete for the same students\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCompeting is easier with allies than with enemies. The competition between <\/span>universities for student enrolment and research funding will continue. This also <\/span>drives academia forward. It comes down to profiling: can you distinguish your <\/span>university from others? Think about offering job guarantees or providing student <\/span>accommodation \u2013 interventions that could be tackled in partnership with <\/span>businesses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you predict the landscape for universities in the coming years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThey need to take action and demonstrate their value. Universities were lulled <\/span>into a false sense of security by the previous minister, Robbert Dijkgraaf, who <\/span>played the role of Santa Claus and handed out gifts. Those days are over, <\/span>and that will take some getting used to. But I\u2019d say there\u2019s no point in dwelling <\/span>on disappointments. There are challenges, but also opportunities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t

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This article was published first by UToday<\/a>, the independent journalistic medium <\/span>of the University of Twente.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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