{"id":181723,"date":"2025-09-22T17:02:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T15:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=181723"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:55","slug":"smarter-academic-year-dont-forget-the-support-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/09\/22\/smarter-academic-year-dont-forget-the-support-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Smarter academic year? Don\u2019t forget the support staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the ongoing experiments with a \u2018smarter academic year\u2019 in higher education, degree programmes must not lose sight of the supporting staff, according to an interim evaluation.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSonja Schravesande<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

In an effort to reduce workload in academia, the Young Academy proposed<\/a> a smarter design for the academic year \u2013 fewer teaching weeks, fewer resits, more lecture-free weeks \u2013 similar to systems in other countries.<\/p>\n

The proposal was well received<\/a>. The previous government allocated funding for experiments with this new academic year structure. Fifteen universities and one university of applied sciences (Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen) are taking part. Now outgoing minister Moes has submitted an interim evaluation<\/a> to the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

Rest and space?<\/h2>

\u201cMany pilots mainly focus on providing rest and space for students and lecturers, and less or not at all for the supporting staff,\u201d the evaluation states. Yet some interventions could affect the workload of the support staff as well. One of the recommendations is: take this into account.<\/p>\n

Of the 47 pilots (and sub-pilots), twelve did not mention support staff in their plans. \u201cSupport staff are also less likely to be asked about their experiences with the interventions,\u201d the researchers note \u2013 even though they may be impacted. Consider, for instance, the logistics of exams.<\/p>\n

Doing less<\/h2>

One conclusion is hardly surprising<\/a>: \u201cIf the Dutch academic year is shortened, further intensification seems barely possible. A shorter academic year will therefore probably mean that the curriculum content will have to be reduced.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this case, \u2018smarter\u2019 means doing less. Or, to put it more carefully: reducing overlap between different subjects. Lecturers often have little insight into what their colleagues are teaching, the evaluation notes.<\/p>\n

It also appears \u201cthat the pilot has led to a much quieter summer period for students, that students appreciate the week reserved for resits, and that students, lecturers and support staff are unanimously pleased with the shorter academic year and the longer, uninterrupted summer holiday\u201d.<\/p>\n

Naturally, scheduling issues do crop up. Are there enough rooms available? Can lecturers still work across two programmes? That mainly seems to be a matter of coordination.<\/p>\n

Fewer resits<\/h2>

Another idea is to reduce the number of resits. For example: you get one exam and one resit, and if you fail both, you\u2019ll have to try again next year. This encourages students to do better on the first attempt and reduces the number of exams lecturers have to create and mark.<\/p>\n

But every coin has two sides. \u201cOne point of concern is that international students and students with disabilities in particular experience less flexibility (and therefore more stress) because resits are only offered once a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Less choice<\/h2>

A third option for degree programmes is more uniformity and fewer elective courses. \u201cGreater uniformity in education reduces workload and administrative burden for the entire institution, but has the downside of limiting flexibility and opportunities for personalisation for students,\u201d the researchers state. None of the programmes appear to have opted for this.<\/p>\n

The participating programmes have all developed their own ideas and plans \u2013 for instance, the \u2018masterpiece\u2019 instead of a thesis for a master\u2019s programme at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Thanks to a series of separate learning goals (instead of a thesis), the study load was easier to manage and students were less likely to face delays.<\/p>\n\n\t

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