Attacks during the war in Iran are affecting more than 20 universities. “Students who were previously attacked by their own regime are now being affected by Israeli and American bombs,” says Iran expert Peyman Jafari.
The government is calling on universities and universities of applied sciences to do more to combat antisemitism and is allocating €350,000 for this purpose. This follows a report by the taskforce on combating antisemitism, which states that Jewish students and staff are more likely to feel unsafe. TU Delft says that the recommendations largely align with existing measures.
Education on the Caribbean islands does not adequately prepare students coming to the Netherlands to study, warns the Education Council in a new report. Language skills, in particular, pose a major challenge: a good command of Dutch is essential for pupils wishing to study in the Netherlands. However, those heading to another Caribbean island or
The Education Inspectorate has once again warned that neither the NVAO, the higher education accreditation body, nor the Inspectorate itself can intervene at any stage if the quality of teaching on a course goes wrong. The examination boards only partially make up for this shortcoming.
A pilot project by the IT cooperative SURF aimed at phasing out American software has already prompted thirty institutions to take action. Around a thousand people are now using an alternative, and SURF is making room for more test users. Last November, SURF called on its education and research institutions to sign up for a
Trade unions AOb and FNV are calling for a 6-percent pay rise at universities, and for salaries to automatically rise in line with inflation from now on. They also want to improve the situation for pregnant employees.
Countries in Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly successful in applying for European research grants. Nevertheless, the gap with the Netherlands and the rest of the EU remains large. “We are losing an enormous amount of talent.”
Scientific publications are increasingly available free of charge to everyone. But universities warn that this shift towards ‘open access’ is being held back by VAT rules, following a court case they lost. (Photo via Canva) The Dutch Tax Administration has won a court case concerning the VAT rate for scientific journals: when are they allowed
In 2025, thirty thousand students paid a combined total of 5.6 million euros in public transport fines. An alternative could make these fines unnecessary, but the ministry has never considered it.
