Read the room

TU Delft has to economise. Unless you have lived under a rock in recent months, this message will not have escaped you. And it’s not about spending a handful of euros less. No, it’s about EUR 79 million. A substantial amount and probably just the beginning. Messages from other universities in the Netherlands that have started taking action are worrying. For example, 63 people are being sent away (in Dutch) at the University of Twente to save EUR 6.2 million. At University College Roosevelt, one quarter of the employees were kicked out, and heads are likely to roll at the Free University of Amsterdam and the Open University. All things being equal, this would equate to about 800 employees being dismissed here. That is not really reassuring to put it very mildly.

This is leading to long and loud speculation. What will be done? What will the Executive Board decide to do? Will there not be any more free ditch water … er … coffee? Will the proton therapy clinic be closed? Will international conferences be kept to the absolute minimum? It is still quiet on the dismissal front, but you would expect that clear well-grounded plans are underway behind the scenes.

Instead, two weeks ago we received an invitation for the Have your say on Campus Rotterdam survey. Dear people, am I crazy or is this simply a completely ridiculous idea? I am after all a simple assistant professor and not a visionary financial strategy consultant at a trendy company in Amsterdam’s Zuidas that specialises in corporate displays to show off, but to me, this does not equate with the financial challenges that we face. Why in heaven’s name would you open yet another new location, this time in Rotterdam? And this while student numbers are declining and we clearly do not have the financial room to hire personnel for Rotterdam. How can this match with the planned 2,900 employees and 18 bachelor and master degree programmes?

Why in heaven’s name would you open yet another new location, this time in Rotterdam?

Luckily, this is not yet a done deal. Or is it? IS IT? While the one-sided intention behind the survey makes me somewhat sceptical, the official green or red light for the Rotterdam campus will be taken in spring 2025. I await the outcome.

I am also interested to know TU Delft’s future strategic vision given the Executive Board is stepping down. I do have a suggestion for someone with greater vision to take on the role of Chair: Stef Blok, our own former VVD Minister (in Dutch) for housing who was notorious and famous for making changes in the housing market, including social housing, and attracting large foreign investment companies. So I foresee opportunities for foreign investors and new partnerships. Why should we limit ourselves to thinking about a campus in Rotterdam when we can also think about opening a campus elsewhere, such as Greenland? Now that’s vision!

I would of course be happy to (ditch) water down the wine to economise until that foreign money comes rolling in and the Greenland campus opens. Reject Rotterdam. I will pay for my own coffee.