STIP is a local political party in Delft completely run by students who are passionate about making a difference in their city. The name STIP is an acronym for Studenten Techniek In Politiek or Students of Technology in Politics.
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Founded in 1993, STIP is staffed mostly by TU Delft students and is the only student party in theNetherlands with an elected councilor. They currently hold three out of thirty-seven seats on the Delft city council along with one deputy mayor.
Originally STIP set out to be the voice of students and to improve cooperation between TU Delft and the municipality. But with the slogan “by students for the city” STIP now aims to ensure city policies are the best for everyone. “Our political views support the views of all residents in Delft, not just the students,” said Anne Viruly. Viruly, one of the current STIP councilors and a candidate in the upcoming elections, emphasized that they are trying to bring a young and positive outlook to the old city of Delft.
Viruly, who has a Bachelor of Industrial Design from TU Delft, noted that only about 45% of residents vote in the local elections. With the next vote coming up on March 192014, STIP has been active in a get out the vote campaign. They want people to know that even non-Dutch citizens have the right to vote here under certain conditions. Viruly also noted that this is the first year that local election materials will be available in English.
Some of the highest priorities for STIP include encouraging economic growth through innovation, creating a vibrant cultural life in the city, making Delft even more accessible by bike, and fostering smart sustainability. Viruly stated that Delft is an economy based on knowledge and said we should do more to encourage companies to come to Delft.
Gennadij Kreukniet, a STIP candidate who is studying systems engineering at TU Delft, talked about the need to improve cultural awareness. “We want people to be invested in the cultural life here,” he said. “And for that we need to offer more cultural activities.”
Kreukniet stated they are also campaigning for more bicycle parking at the Delft train station. In addition, STIP hopes to ensure more housing for international students. They believe that the housing of the future should be community based with more common areas to encourage social interaction.
STIP is just one of ten parties represented on the current council and there are 15 parties competing for seats in the upcoming election. For more information on STIP visit http://stipdelft.nl/. For more information in English on how the election system works visit: https://www.kiesraad.nl/en .
This is part of our ongoing series Meet The Society which highlights different student groups and societies at TU Delft. If you’d like to suggest an organziation for us to cover, please email us at deltainternational@tudelft.nl.
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