Alarm day for the universities on April 6
As the smoke from the elections clears, trade unions, scientists and students are preparing a national 'alarm day'. This should convince the new cabinet to invest more money in scientific education. Also the AOb joins.
Picture: normal academic level
Scientists in the Netherlands have been warning for years against the 'underfunding' of universities. Because the science budget is not growing fast enough with the number of students. This has all kinds of drawbacks, such as unpaid overtime for teachers and fierce competition for research funding.
A coalition in which the AOb participates together with other unions, scientists, administrators, staff and students is fed up. Science education must return to one now 'Normal Academic Level', the coalition thinks.
Substantial investment
The parties are therefore organizing on 6 April under the same heading a national 'alarm day'. They want the new cabinet to structurally invest 1,1 billion euros extra in scientific education and research.
The activists feel supported by one recently published advisory report, that was commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The universities should receive an extra 800 million euros on a structural basis, you can read, plus a one-off catch-up of 300 million euros.
With a structural amount of 1,1 billion, the use of Normal Academic Level is therefore slightly higher. "But in any case, the report underlines that a significant investment must be made," said a spokesperson for the organization. "We think this amount is necessary."
It will soon be the turn of the new cabinet, she continues. "With this campaign we are therefore mainly focusing on the new members of the House of Representatives and the forming parties". The planning is still in full swing, but it is expected that actions will take place in various cities on April 6, with a “central moment” in The Hague.
Court pond
According to Folia, VSNU chairman Pieter Duisenberg will walk into the Hofvijver there “to show that the sector is on its every word”. The university magazine spoke about this with professor and WOinA Actie foreman Rens Bod. AObdirector Marijtje Jongsma is looking forward to it, according to twitter.
The spokesperson for Normal Academic Level has yet to discuss that idea with Duisenberg. “It is of course a nice thought. The students were also enthusiastic about this. When Rens Bod says this, I also assume that he will also get into the water. ”
Statement
The alarm day is an initiative of trade unions, among others AOb and FNV, protest group WOinA Actie, university association VSNU and the national student organizations ISO and LSVb. In a statement on the promotional site let the AOb know how to show solidarity with the action. 'Politicians must invest more in academic education and research. Without these investments, scientists are in danger of succumbing to the enormous workload and structurally unpaid overtime.
