Kritiek senatoren VVD en CDA op aanpak langstudeerders

Het duidelijkst was VVD-senator De Graaf. Tijdens de algemene politieke beschouwingen liet hij het kabinet afgelopen dinsdag weten dat hij het terugdringen van de aantallen langstudeerders een goede zaak vindt, maar dat hij ‘een groot vraagteken’ plaatst bij de voorgenomen aanpak van de regering.

Verkeerde prikkel
“Een verplichting voor de universiteiten om 6000 euro te betalen voor elke student die meer dan vijf jaar over zijn studie doet, kan nu juist wel eens de verkeerde prikkel blijken te zijn”, staat in het voorlopige verslag. “Dit heeft alles te maken met het gegeven dat de bekostiging van de hogescholen en universiteiten nu afhankelijk is van het aantal studenten en het tempo waarin zij afstuderen.”

Prestaties
De commissie-Veerman stelt volgens de VVD-senator terecht dat deze onderwijsinstellingen minder afhankelijk moeten zijn van een systeem dat vooral gebaseerd is op studentenaantallen en veeleer gefinancierd moeten worden op basis van hun profiel en prestaties. “Langs die weg kan de kwaliteit van het hoger onderwijs worden verbeterd. Dat zal van de onderwijsinstellingen, maar ook van de regering, duidelijke keuzes vragen.”

Rechtvaardigheid
Ook voorzitter Jos Werner van de CDA-fractie in de senaat heeft zijn bedenkingen: “Twijfels hebben wij over de rechtvaardigheid van de uitwerking van de 3000 euro extra collegegeld om het lang studeren terug te dringen. Is het in feite niet een forse bezuiniging van 300 miljoen op het hoger onderwijs?”

Evening classes
It appears that as of the start of the next academic year, TU Delft students will have one or two evening lectures per week added to their schedules. The TU’s executive board regards the 10-hour daily schedule as the most realistic solution to overcrowding and shortages of lecture halls. This emerged last week during the executive board’s meeting with the student council. The executive board has also asked the student council for help in implementing this new plan.

More hours
The average salaries for part-time student jobs in the Netherlands have risen for the first time in years. Dutch university students now earn an average of 9.25 euro per hour for part-time jobs, according to a survey conducted by bijbanenmonitir.nl, a job vacancy site. The 343 university students surveyed said they devoted an average of ten hours per week to their part-time jobs, although they also reported that they would prefer to work 24 hours per week.

Solar chimney
TU Delft will soon test a ‘solar chimney’. The 11.5 meter high tower will be heated by the sun and produce an extraction ventilation effect for use in buildings. The solar chimney’s south-face (sunny side) is covered by a glass layer that very effectively transmits solar radiation. The solar radiation hits an ‘absorber plate’ which in turn heats the air in the chimney. The warm air rises, causing an updraught. At the chimney’s base a small chamber (test cell) houses measuring and control apparatus, which conditions the ventilation air. Air from this test cell is sucked up through the chimney. A heat pump regulates the test cell temperature, rendering it suitable for offices and other buildings: 20 ºC in winter and 24 ºC in summer. The solar chimney is a test model for Ben Bronsema’s PhD research at TU Delft. Bronsema is investigating the best way to build solar chimneys and the extent to which solar energy can contribute to building heating systems.

Nuclear take-over
TU Delft aims to temporarily take over part of the production of medical isotopes from the nuclear reactor in Petten, which produces 30 percent of the world’s medical isotopes, but will close for six-months of repairs in March. Medical isotopes are especially useful in detecting and helping cure cancers. “With Petten out of action, the global supply of medical isotopes to hospitals will be under pressure”, said professor Bert Wolterbeek, of the Reactor Institute Delft. “Our reactor can help relieve that uncertainty.”

Bobsled
Don’t let the lack of mountains fool you, the Dutch are in fact champion bobsledders. During the two-man bobsled competition at the World Cup in St. Moritz (Switzerland), the Dutch team finished in third place, and will now head to the Vancouver Olympics among the favorites for gold. The team used a new hi-tech bobsled, developed by a Dutch consortium of companies and universities, including TU Delft researchers Nando Timmer and dr. Leo Veldhuis, of the faculty of Aerospace Engineering, who helped develop the sled’s aerodynamic properties.

Innovation awards
The foldable freight container developed by Holland Container Innovations has won the Shell Livewire young business award. The award is given to the best technically innovative business solution. The jury praised Holland Container Innovations, a YesDelft spin-off company, for its convincing presentation and the courage it displayed in launching a product in a container market where the last significant innovation occurred some 50 years ago. IcySolutions, another YesDelft spinoff, made the award’s shortlist.

Technopolis
Step by step the Science Park Technopolis is rising from ground. Last week the construction contractor, Dura Vermeer, completed the new headquarters of Exact Software. Exact is one of the first new tenants of the hi-tech science park situated along the A13 highway in Delft. Next in line is the park’s Bandridge building, which is expected to be completed shortly. As of July 1, the Bandridge building will be the new home to fifty techno-starters companies currently housed at YesDelft.