21 June 2022

On Friday 17 June Robbert Dijkgraaf, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, announced extra investments in higher education and research.

Grants and sector plans

Dijkgraaf wants to make 300 million euros per year available for university researchers’ personal budgets in the form of starter and incentive grants.  In addition, as far as Dijkgraaf is concerned, 200 million euros a year should go to all university disciplines that submit sector plans. He also wants to invest another 200 million euros a year in, among others, large-scale research infrastructure, student well-being and matching applicants with European research funds.

Essential

Students and staff at research universities and universities of applied sciences have been concerned for years about the declining quality of higher education and the increasing workload.

Dijkgraaf sees this financial injection as an ‘essential and long overdue investment’ in higher education and research. ‘Our research and higher education system has been under too much pressure for years,’ he says. ‘People are overstretched, in particular young researchers and lecturers who support our students.’

Parliamentary debate

It is not yet clear what the additional investments will mean for our students and staff. The minister’s policy letter does not answer all questions and the Lower House will be debating the letter on 30 June. Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board, Martijn Ridderbos: ‘It’s fantastic and necessary that we’re receiving this money. We’re still discussing the details with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science but are on the case and will inform you as soon as more is known.’

More information

For more information on Minister Dijkgraaf’s policy letter, check the link included.