Binding recommendationsIt is wrong to raise binding academic recommendation for continuation of studies (BSA) to 45 ECTS in September 2012, before tackling the feasibility of the curriculum, the Student Council states.
TU Delft, however, pressured by agreements with the Dutch finance ministry pertaining to financial measures tabled for 2012, is in a hurry to adopt measures aimed at preventing long-term studying. After raising the BSA in 2012, TU Delft will begin implementing block education and compensating failures.
Qubits
Microsoft and the Dutch foundation for fundamental research of matter (FOM) are poised to subsidize a Delft research project aimed at developing qubits for a quantum computer. The two parties will invest around 1 million euros each, or so newspaper de Volkskrant reported last week. Professor Leo Kouwenhoven (AS) is leading the project.
Falling standards
A recent Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis report has found that educational standards at Dutch primary and secondary schools are falling in both absolute terms and compared to other developed countries. Moreover, the bureau predicts this downturn in education will negatively impact the country’s economic performance over the long term, causing the Netherlands’ gross national product to decline. Dutch primary and secondary school standards are dropping the fastest in mathematics, although reading and science proficiency levels are also declining. Significantly, the largest concern is for the country’s most gifted students, whose overall academic performance still trails that of students in comparably developed countries.
Water aid
The Netherlands will join forces with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to help improve the efficient use of agricultural and industrial water in India. With more than 80 percent of all water in India used for agriculture, coupled with major shortages of drinking water in large parts of the country, India is facing a water crisis, the IFC reports. The IFC is partnering with the Netherlands’ Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation ministry to promote private investment in India’s water management efforts. “Water is a complex, challenging development for India,” says Anil Sinha, an IFC official.
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Ecolution sails
Ecolution, a highly innovative sailing yacht designed by former Dutch astronaut and TU Delft professor, Wubbo Ockels, has successfully completed its maiden voyage, arriving at Scheveningen harbor this week. Last December, Ockels’ hi-tech, sustainable yacht, which generates its own energy and was constructed using sustainable materials, was attacked and sunk by saboteurs in Groningen, where it was docked. The yacht is still undergoing repairs. Ockels says the electronic system still needs repair, but this first voyage on the North Sea from Groningen to Scheveningen marks an important first step. Ecolution’s maiden voyage was “fantastic,” Ockels said. “My wife and I cried when the sail was hoisted for the first time.”
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Intelligent Eindhoven
Eindhoven has won the ‘Intelligent Community of the Year’ award, after being adjudged the smartest city in the world by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), an international social and economic development think-tank based in New York City. This annual award is given to the community in the world that makes optimum use of ICT and broadband internet. Eindhoven is “an example of a new way of thinking about cooperation and regional development” said ICF’s co-founder Louis Zacharilla, “and a community we can learn from.” Eindhoven’s mayor, Rob van Gijzel, was delighted with the award: “It makes us more interesting to other regions and companies. And that creates jobs.”
Weed wars
The Dutch government announced that it will begin banning tourists from buying marijuana in the country’s ‘coffee shops’ by the end of 2011, while also imposing restrictions on Dutch clientele. The move is an effort to control drug tourism, promote health and combat crime. “In order to tackle the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drug trafficking, the open-door policy of coffee shops will end,” the Dutch health and justice ministries announced. Dutch residents will have to sign up as members of coffee shops, with each shop being allowed a maximum of 1,500 members.
The new programme will first go into effect in Limburg, Noord Brabant and Zeeland provinces, before being implemented nationwide next year.
Studiebeurs
De VVD wil liefst de basisbeurs en aanvullende beurs afschaffen, zodat studenten hun studiefinanciering voortaan geheel moeten lenen. Dat levert één miljard euro op, wat de liberalen rechtstreeks in het hoger onderwijs willen investeren.
Maar CDA en PVV zien dat niet zitten. Die hechten aan de basisbeurs. Zoals de PVV in haar partijprogramma schreef: “Dat je ook kunt studeren als je vader geen GroenLinkser of D66’er is, vinden wij een groot goed.”
Een mogelijk compromis zou een verhoging van het collegegeld zijn, misschien zelfs met een soortgelijk bedrag als de basisbeurs. Dat kan veel geld opleveren, terwijl de basisbeurs formeel behouden blijft.
Trage studenten
Het CDA wil trage studenten aanpakken. Wie langer dan een jaar uitloopt, moet de rest van zijn opleiding maar zelf betalen. Dat betekent in de praktijk een collegegeld van enkele duizenden euro’s – en een aanzienlijke bezuiniging in de overheidsuitgaven.
Dat zal de VVD niet tegen de borst stuiten. Als staatssecretaris van hoger onderwijs stelde Mark Rutte een maximale uitloop van twee jaar voor, voordat instellingen het collegegeld mochten verhogen. Ook de PVV zal waarschijnlijk weinig mededogen met luiwammesen hebben. Daar komen de onderhandelaars wel uit.
Selectie
VVD en PVV willen selectie aan de poort mogelijk maken, zodat opleidingen ongeschikte studenten de toegang kunnen weigeren. Daar is het CDA tegen, maar die wil wel meer aandacht voor ‘matching’. “Scholieren moeten al ruim tevoren lessen en colleges kunnen volgen zodat ze weten of een opleiding bij hen past”, zei staatssecretaris Van Bijsterveldt.
Het is de vraag wat zwaarder gaat wegen: de regeldrift die instellingen tot goede voorlichting moet dwingen of het laisser faire dat opleidingen zelf verantwoordelijk maakt voor de motivatie en kwaliteit van hun eerstejaars.
Wetenschap
In het wetenschappelijk onderzoek lijken de kaarten nog sneller geschud. Alledrie de partijen willen de onderzoeksbudgetten van universiteiten ongemoeid laten. Ook de wetenschappelijke competities van onderzoeksfinancier NWO lijken veilig, hoewel de PVV de Mozaïekbeurzen voor jonge allochtone onderzoekers zal willen schrappen.
Het CDA wil eigenlijk op onderzoek bezuinigen door enkele onderzoeksinstituten met universiteiten te laten fuseren, maar dat is waarschijnlijk meer een voorstel dan een breekpunt. Wie weet gaat een commissie onderzoeken of zulke fusies inderdaad zin hebben.
Maar in de extraatjes zal waarschijnlijk drastisch worden gesnoeid. De VVD en PVV willen een streep zetten door ‘themaspecifieke innovatiesubsidies’, wat een besparing van twee miljard euro oplevert. Het CDA wil die subsidies niet helemaal afschaffen, maar er toch honderden miljoenen op bezuinigen.
Daar staat tegenover dat de VVD graag belastingvoordeel geeft aan bedrijven die toegepast onderzoek verrichten. Daar zal de PVV weinig op tegen hebben, zolang dat toegepaste onderzoek maar niet door buitenlandse moslims wordt verricht: kenniswerkers uit moslimlanden wil de PVV weren.
Binding recommendations
It is wrong to raise binding academic recommendation for continuation of studies (BSA) to 45 ECTS in September 2012, before tackling the feasibility of the curriculum, the Student Council states. TU Delft, however, pressured by agreements with the Dutch finance ministry pertaining to financial measures tabled for 2012, is in a hurry to adopt measures aimed at preventing long-term studying. After raising the BSA in 2012, TU Delft will begin implementing block education and compensating failures.
Qubits
Microsoft and the Dutch foundation for fundamental research of matter (FOM) are poised to subsidize a Delft research project aimed at developing qubits for a quantum computer. The two parties will invest around 1 million euros each, or so newspaper de Volkskrant reported last week. Professor Leo Kouwenhoven (AS) is leading the project.
Falling standards
A recent Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis report has found that educational standards at Dutch primary and secondary schools are falling in both absolute terms and compared to other developed countries. Moreover, the bureau predicts this downturn in education will negatively impact the country’s economic performance over the long term, causing the Netherlands’ gross national product to decline. Dutch primary and secondary school standards are dropping the fastest in mathematics, although reading and science proficiency levels are also declining. Significantly, the largest concern is for the country’s most gifted students, whose overall academic performance still trails that of students in comparably developed countries.
Water aid
The Netherlands will join forces with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to help improve the efficient use of agricultural and industrial water in India. With more than 80 percent of all water in India used for agriculture, coupled with major shortages of drinking water in large parts of the country, India is facing a water crisis, the IFC reports. The IFC is partnering with the Netherlands’ Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation ministry to promote private investment in India’s water management efforts. “Water is a complex, challenging development for India,” says Anil Sinha, an IFC official.
Ecolution sails
Ecolution, a highly innovative sailing yacht designed by former Dutch astronaut and TU Delft professor, Wubbo Ockels, has successfully completed its maiden voyage, arriving at Scheveningen harbor this week. Last December, Ockels’ hi-tech, sustainable yacht, which generates its own energy and was constructed using sustainable materials, was attacked and sunk by saboteurs in Groningen, where it was docked. The yacht is still undergoing repairs. Ockels says the electronic system still needs repair, but this first voyage on the North Sea from Groningen to Scheveningen marks an important first step. Ecolution’s maiden voyage was “fantastic,” Ockels said. “My wife and I cried when the sail was hoisted for the first time.”
Intelligent Eindhoven
Eindhoven has won the ‘Intelligent Community of the Year’ award, after being adjudged the smartest city in the world by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), an international social and economic development think-tank based in New York City. This annual award is given to the community in the world that makes optimum use of ICT and broadband internet. Eindhoven is “an example of a new way of thinking about cooperation and regional development” said ICF’s co-founder Louis Zacharilla, “and a community we can learn from.” Eindhoven’s mayor, Rob van Gijzel, was delighted with the award: “It makes us more interesting to other regions and companies. And that creates jobs.”
Weed wars
The Dutch government announced that it will begin banning tourists from buying marijuana in the country’s ‘coffee shops’ by the end of 2011, while also imposing restrictions on Dutch clientele. The move is an effort to control drug tourism, promote health and combat crime. “In order to tackle the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drug trafficking, the open-door policy of coffee shops will end,” the Dutch health and justice ministries announced. Dutch residents will have to sign up as members of coffee shops, with each shop being allowed a maximum of 1,500 members.
The new programme will first go into effect in Limburg, Noord Brabant and Zeeland provinces, before being implemented nationwide next year.
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