Minister is considering maximum number of flex contracts
The high workload at universities must now really be reduced, Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven said in a parliamentary debate. If the number of temporary contracts is not decreasing, she is considering setting limits.
Picture: Type tank
The night before the presentation of advice of the Van Rijn Committee on the funding of higher education, the House of Representatives debated science policy. Bad timing, the minister acknowledged, who was unable to answer questions about investments. The focus was mainly on diversity and work pressure.
The position of women in academia is not yet a celebration, the PvdA stated. Only 20,9 percent of professors are women, there is still a pay gap of 438 euros per month and scientific harassment (stealing ideas, discouraging publishing, scrapping women's names from publications) is still the order of the day, the party recalls.
Stimulus
Minister Van Engelshoven regrets that the proportion of female professors is not high enough. But she has no incentive. For the time being, she is sticking to the sector agreements she has made with universities and colleges. Only when the number of female professors fails to materialize will she consider a stronger incentive. After the gender summit, which will take place later this year, the minister will present a new action plan.
VVD and CDA again raised another point: the diversity in views and opinions. "It should not be the case that scientists no longer submit an application because their ideas would be too controversial," said the CDA. The parties wanted to know what Van Engelshoven will do about these problems.
According to Van Engelshoven, it is up to the rectors to guarantee the diversity of visions. “All opinions must be allowed, but we must keep this out of the sphere of politics. I sharply distance myself from hotlines that deal with left-wing or right-wing indoctrination, ”said the minister, referring to the Forum for Democracy hotline.
All views must be given space, but we must keep this out of the sphere of politics. I sharply distance myself from hotlines that deal with left-wing or right-wing indoctrination
The workload in higher education is also a concern. Scientists have to fight for a research grant and the number of temporary contracts is still high. "That makes them vulnerable in hierarchical situations," said the SP.
Maximum
The minister agreed. According to her, there are too many temporary contracts and that causes stress. That really needs to be improved, she thinks. She is thinking of imposing a maximum number of flex contracts, if universities themselves do not show any improvement. That limit will differ per university. “Universities have to scratch their heads and think about what a healthy work organization is. How many temporary contracts are you allowed to have? ”
Universities need to scratch their heads and think about what constitutes a healthy work organisation
Several MPs referred to the recent union survey FNV Education and Research and VAWO which showed that four in ten university employees suffer from bullying, gossip, exclusion or abuse of power. Half of the university employees work in a department where there is or has been social insecurity.
Unacceptable, says Minister Van Engelshoven. "Everyone has the right to a safe working environment." She will examine whether there is a need for an independent ombudsman / woman in the institutions. But universities should never sit back, she says. "Every employer remains responsible for a safe workplace."
Request pressure
MPs also expressed their concerns about the embedding guarantee that scientists must have at a research institution if they want to apply for a Vidi grant. A negative consequence of the NWO measure is that the number of applications from researchers without a permanent appointment has been halved. But according to the minister, the measure has an effect: after all, the application pressure has decreased by a quarter. She will, however, work with NWO to examine the criticism that scientists without a permanent job or who have worked abroad have less chance of a grant.
Van Engelshoven also sees something in the idea of assessing scientists more in a team context in the context of a new way of recognizing and rewarding. Perhaps the Spinoza Prize can be awarded to teams from now on, the CDA stated. The minister was interested in this and will investigate it.
