News in Brief – Delta 26

The largest part of this – 318 million euros – is government funding. In 2009, this amount was much larger: 353 million euros. The difference is largely explained by the reclamation of 25 million euros by the government, which had given that amount to the university a few years ago for rebuilding the faculty of Architecture, after the old faculty building burnt down. That money had to be spent on a new building, but the TU decided to renovate an existing building. Much to the chagrin of the university, the government then demanded its money back.

Money needed

TU Delft is considering borrowing money from the Ministry of Finance for property investments and deferred maintenance. Renovation of the faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences is urgently needed. The building requires improvements in climate, comfort and fire safety. It also must become more energy efficient and modern. There is also an urgent need for a new building for the faculty of Applied Sciences in TU-Zuid, in order to facilitate more state-of-the-art research. Deferred maintenance is also a problem there.

New chairperson

Mariska Heidema was recently appointed chairperson of the Delft Student Union (Vssd). One of her focal points is to make students more aware of the Vssd, and therefore the union will be more actively engaged with student associations, Facebook and Twitter. Furthermore, the union wants to stimulate relations between TU Delft students and those studying at area polytechnics. And the same goes for relations between Dutch and international students. “Both students have other angles, other cultures and new insights. That is an enrichment.”

EU interns

Students from EU countries who wish to be eligible for Dutch study grants must work at least 32 hours per month. But in principle internship-hours do not count toward this total. PvdA MP, Tanja Jadnanansing, formally asked Halbe Zijstra, State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science, to excuse students doing internships from this working hours requirement, but Zijlstra disagreed. European students in the Netherlands must first access the available study grants available to them in their home countries, according to the government. Only when they reach 32 hours per month of work can they receive the status of ‘migrant worker’ and then apply for Dutch study grants. Zijlstra made this announcement, despite the fact that he is well aware that the Educational Performance Department (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) regards an internship as legitimate work, provide the student intern has a legitimate work contract and is paid a normal salary.

Performance agreements

Universities and colleges that meet their educational performance agreements will receive more funding from the Ministry of Education. Seven percent of the current State Budget for higher education will be used for this objective.

Universities however will get a lower average amount of funding per student. In 2013, this figure will be 200 euros less per student.

Borders again

If the EU’s external borders are not better protected, EU countries could face the reintroduction of border controls between neighbouring countries, according to new legislative proposals tabled by the European Union’s executive committee. The controversial plans are aimed at stopping the increasing illegal immigration into Europe, particularly from North Africa. Following the recent upheavals in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, some 30,000 illegal aliens have attempted to enter the EU from these countries, with the majority attempting enter via Italy and Greece.

Lower expenditures

The total expenditure for scientific research in the Netherlands will be lowered in the coming years: from 1 billion euros, as in last year’s State Budget, to 900 million euros in 2012, and to just over 800 million euros in 2016. To offset this decline, companies will have the possibility to deduct research and development costs from their taxes. Some 250 million euros will be made available for that purpose next year, and this figure will rise to 500 million in 2015. Student Union LSVb states that the money would be better spent on higher education.

Het primair en voortgezet onderwijs vallen onder minister Van Bijsterveldt, evenals het mbo. Ook heeft zij de media onder haar hoede, waaronder de publieke omroep. Dat is de uitkomst van het zogeheten constituerend beraad, waarin de bewindslieden de taken hebben verdeeld.

Media en cultuur zijn deze keer dus opgesplitst. Dat maakt het risico kleiner om, net als eerder Ronald Plasterk, door de oppositie te worden weggezet als minister of staatssecretaris ‘van feesten en partijen’.

De portefeuille ‘wetenschap’ moet Zijlstra delen met CDA-minister Maxime Verhagen van Economische Zaken, Landbouw & Innovatie. Zij zijn samen verantwoordelijk voor onderzoeksfinancier NWO en wetenschapsgenootschap KNAW, “waarbij de minister van EL&I het algemene innovatiebeleid coördineert en doorzettingsmacht heeft”.

Hoe zwaar die ‘doorzettingsmacht’ zal wegen, is nog even afwachten. In de vorige regering botsten CDA en PvdA vaak over het NWO-beleid. Tegen de zin van het CDA in haalde minister Plasterk honderd miljoen euro uit de basisbekostiging van universiteiten en gaf het aan NWO, dat het onder de beste wetenschappers moest verdelen.

Ook zag het CDA niets in de plannen van Plasterk voor een nieuw soort graduate schools, waarin promovendi meer macht kregen om hun eigen promotie uit te stippelen.

Het ministerie van Economische Zaken was overigens al bij NWO betrokken, vooral als het om toegepast onderzoek ging. Ook investeerde EZ in Europees verband in onderzoek & ontwikkeling, bijvoorbeeld in het Europese ruimtevaartprogramma.

Het ministerie van Landbouw, dat nu bij EZ is gevoegd, ging al over de financiering van de voormalige landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen, die nu Wageningen Universiteit heet. Daaraan verandert niets.

Onlangs lekte een brief aan Rutte en Verhagen uit waarin de Nederlandse universiteiten, NWO, KNAW, TNO en AcTi ervoor pleitten dat de gehele wetenschap, inclusief universiteiten, onder het nieuwe ministerie EL&I zou vallen. Ze schreven niet waarom ze weg wilden bij OCW. Het voorstel is klaarblijkelijk genegeerd.