The Dutch news website ScienceGuide is in serious financial trouble. The website will shut down on 17 February unless 2.500 readers are willing to take out a subscription at 85 euros per year.
This is what the 26-year-old platform for news and opinion on higher education and research writes on its own website. There would be “insufficient financial perspective,” even though the site claims to have more readers than ever.
ScienceGuide’s paying “partners” include seven universities of applied sciences: Zuyd, Saxion, Rotterdam University, HKU, Fontys, Aeres and the HAN University of Applied Sciences. The platform also receives contributions from Regieorgaan SIA, IT foundation SURF and Platform Talent voor Techniek.
Universities
Only one university is in this list: the small Protestant Theological University. In the past, the website also received support from universities such as Rotterdam, Maastricht, Groningen, Utrecht and the Free University, but they have all withdrawn.
Recently, moreover, Maastricht University wanted (in Dutch) to reclaim 50 thousand euros because it had been billed and paid, even though the agreement had supposedly already expired two years ago. ScienceGuide then spoke of intimidation and gagging the free press. The matter was settled, but the site is thus not yet out of financial trouble. (HOP, Bas Belleman)
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