Universities want easing of lockdown

Universities want easing of lockdown

The lockdown for students must be relaxed from 2 March. This is what Pieter Duisenberg, Chair of VSNU, the umbrella organisation for universities, and Marja van Bijsterveldt, Mayor of Delft, argue in the Trouw newspaper. The two speak on behalf of the Netwerk Kennissteden Nederland, an alliance of university towns and universities. Students do not know each other, and have often not even seen the inside of their university buildings. The lockdown disproportionately impacts young people, argue Duisenberg and Van Bijsterveldt. They want the institutions to partially open their doors again so that students can come to the campus once a week on average, just like before the current lockdown. They believe that this can be done safely.