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Budget cuts

Budget cuts

From government decisions to internal savings plans, financial pressures continue to affect the UvA.

tijdlijn

Nikola Edelsztejn | Why doesn't the UvA invest in language studies – while Leiden does?

9 juli 2026 - 07:45

Nikola Edelsztejn | Why doesn't the UvA invest in language studies – while Leiden does?

The fact that language and culture enthusiasts can pursue their passions in Leiden but not at the UvA is astonishing, thinks columnist Nikola Edelsztejn. “How globally minded is the UvA, really, when the study of the world’s cultural foundations is being hollowed out by budget cuts, and we have ...

After four years, the Yiddish language is disappearing from the UvA

18 mei 2026 - 15:44

Ets Haim–Livraria Montezinos Library. Collection of the Jewish Cultural Quarter.

Mazzel, mesjogge, jatten and of course Mokum: over the past few years, UvA students have been able to immerse themselves in Yiddish and the influence the Jewish language has had on Dutch and the Amsterdam dialect. But after four years, the fun is already over.

Master Latin American Studies will be discontinued as of 1 September 2028

13 mei 2026 - 13:32

Christ the redeemer

The Master’s programme in Latin American Studies, hosted by CEDLA, will end on 1 September 2028. CEDLA is currently developing a replacement track; current students will be able to graduate as normal.

LSVb presents black book to politicians: “Making the consequences of cuts tangible”

3 februari 2026 - 13:30

LSVb presents black book to politicians: “Making the consequences of cuts tangible”

The €1.3 billion in education cuts have left deep marks on higher education, according to a black book by the National Student Union (LSVb). The union points, among other things, to a decline in the quality of education and the merging of small-scale degree programmes—something that also threate...

Coalition agreement: 1.5 billion for education and science “A historic step”

30 januari 2026 - 16:07

Demonstration against education cuts in Utrecht.

With a structural investment of 1.5 billion euros in education and science, previous cuts will be reversed. The coalition also wants to focus on an international university again. This is evident from the coalition agreement “Aan de slag” (Let’s get to work) presented by D66, CDA and VVD this ...

Strikers on Dam Square call on Rob Jetten to save higher education

9 december 2025 - 16:08

Strikers on Dam Square

While coalition talks are in full swing, the higher education sector is already putting serious pressure on the future government. During a strike on Dam Square, lecturers and students are demanding that the parties involved in forming the coalition – with D66 leading – scrap the planned budget ...

French at the UvA is still alive and kicking – and will remain so

9 december 2025 - 08:00

Parisians in a park.

“Separate language programmes at the UvA appear to be disappearing,” was the headline of an article in Folia last week. A follow-up to earlier alarming reports? Another French programme facing closure as a result of budget cuts? Certainly not, argues Thom Westveer.

Separate language programmes at the UvA appear to be disappearing

1 december 2025 - 08:00

Separate language programmes at the UvA appear to be disappearing

Nine language, culture and regional studies bachelor’s programmes (LCR) at the UvA appear to be set to disappear within a few years. In order to counter declining student numbers, the individual bachelor’s programmes would have to be merged into one new, overarching LCR programme. This emerges f...

Minister Eelco Heinen at Room for Discussion: “Budget cuts are necessary”

10 november 2025 - 13:42

Heinen at RfD.

Innovation, budget cuts and fiscal discipline, if it were up to Eelco Heinen, these would be the key priorities for the years ahead. The caretaker finance minister appeared at Room for Discussion (RfD) with a clear message: the Netherlands faces difficult choices, and he is not afraid to make them.

Theatre studies under threat as budget cuts loom

24 juni 2025 - 13:48

Theatre studies under threat as budget cuts loom

The Action Group Save Theatre Studies gathered yesterday at Spui to protest against cuts in higher education. They arrived at the Maagdenhuis building with banners and loudspeakers. They fear that their programmes will be discontinued as a result of government policy.

Why cutting back on languages even more at this point is particularly unfortunate

27 mei 2025 - 15:00

Brittany, land of the Gauls.

The teacher shortage remains as severe as ever. But who will train the teachers of the future? The outlook in this area is not particularly bright, especially for modern foreign languages, which is particularly unfortunate, according to French language teacher Thom Westveer.

Budget cuts threaten research into mass graves: ‘You can only excavate once’

18 maart 2025 - 13:47

Preparation of the mass grave research on a ‘bodyfarm’ in Texas

It took archaeologist Hayley Mickleburgh more than five years to develop a virtual mass grave so that police officers and researchers could be trained in digging up human remains. But the loss of her start-up grant has put her project in a state of limbo.

Humanities professors and scholars want revision of year division 8-8-4

13 maart 2025 - 13:24

The P.C. Hoofthuis, headquarters of the FH

A group of professors and researchers at the Faculty of Humanities wants to get rid of the 8-8-4 academic year schedule (again), which was introduced throughout the UvA in 2012, but already met with much resistance at the faculty at the time. The group has sent a letter to the faculty Board urging f...

Strike at UvA on Monday: “There is a hint of revenge cuts”

12 maart 2025 - 15:18

Strike at UvA on Monday: “There is a hint of revenge cuts”

On 17 March, UvA students and staff will strike against budget cuts in higher education. The protest is part of a nationwide relay strike by universities and some colleges - the first ever relay strike, according to Rens Bod, UvA professor and initiator of WOinActie. 

UvA vicechair Jan Lintsen: “We can prevent layoffs if we make the right choices now”

5 maart 2025 - 12:01

UvA vicechair Jan Lintsen: “We can prevent layoffs if we make the right choices now”

Many universities are now laying off staff due to the budget cuts, but the UvA seems to be able to avoid this by cutting back in other areas, according to UvA Vice Chair Jan Lintsen. “We are generously, or perhaps even too generously, using our square meters. To save on rent, faculties and departm...

Coalition and opposition are out: agreement on education budget

12 december 2024 - 10:49

Coalition and opposition are out: agreement on education budget

The coalition parties reached an agreement yesterday afternoon with four opposition parties on the planned education cuts. These amounted to two billion across the board, but will now be reduced by 748 million euro. The Senate will now almost certainly agree to the cabinet plans. The higher educatio...

In French and German studies we are at our wits’ end

29 november 2024 - 13:00

Students demonstrate against cuts in higher education in Utrecht.

Fewer and fewer students that study French and German, a growing teacher shortage and fear of budget cuts: what a poverty, write didactician French Rosalinde Stadt and didactician German Mireille Hassemer in this opinion piece. “You lose the enormous scope – which the Netherlands has always had ...

Han van der Maas | The ban on English in bachelors is far more disastrous than the cuts

26 november 2024 - 11:47

Han van der Maas | The ban on English in bachelors is far more disastrous than the cuts

The ban on English in higher education is way worse than the cuts, writes columnist Han van der Maas. “It throws us back decades, causes massive reorganisations and puts the economic development of the Netherlands at great risk.”

Perhaps it was not so bad that the demonstration was cancelled

18 november 2024 - 13:14

Students during the demonstration of last week.

Because the demonstration against budget cuts in university education was cancelled, Jos Verbrugge suddenly had a whole afternoon to reflect on his ambivalence about the demonstration. After all, demonstrating against budget cuts does cause some friction. “The underlying question is always: OK, an...

Young scientists hit disproportionately hard by cuts

15 november 2024 - 14:38

Students demonstrate November 14th against the long study fine, among other things.

It is obvious that the major cuts to higher education will have very damaging consequences for education and science. However, what is less highlighted is that talented and often young researchers are being hit disproportionately hard by this. Many of them are already discouraged from entering and s...

Students are still travelling to Utrecht to demonstrate

14 november 2024 - 11:07

Students are still travelling to Utrecht to demonstrate

Student union Asva, together with other student organisations, is travelling to Utrecht today to demonstrate against the cuts in higher education. The mayor of Utrecht, Sharon Dijksma, calls on protesters not to come.

Humanities invests in new study programmes despite cuts

14 november 2024 - 08:00

Humanities invests in new study programmes despite cuts

The announced cuts in higher education are hitting language and cultural studies at humanities faculties in the Netherlands extra hard. Utrecht and Leiden already announced cutting bachelors. What can we expect at the UvA? “A violent storm is raging, but fortunately we have a boat.”

Demonstration in Utrecht against budget cuts will not go ahead

13 november 2024 - 15:11

Demonstration in Utrecht against budget cuts will not go ahead

The demonstration against the cuts in higher education planned for 14 November will not go ahead on the advice of the mayor of Utrecht. Mayor Dijksma fears for the safety of demonstrators, after a pro-Palestinian organization announced it would ‘hijack’ the demonstration.

Six thousand people expected in Utrecht at demonstration against higher education cuts

12 november 2024 - 13:00

Six thousand people expected in Utrecht at demonstration against higher education cuts

On Thursday November 14th, thousands of students and staff are expected to demonstrate in Utrecht against the cuts in higher education. What is at stake? Five questions to UvA professor and initiator of WOinAction Rens Bod.

And once again the language student is in the doldrums

11 november 2024 - 15:43

And once again the language student is in the doldrums

Small language studies are - once again - the one to suffer, writes assistant professor Thom Westveer. And that is unjustifiable. “Without language no knowledge transfer, no exchange of ideas, no cooperation, no future.... Language is capital.”

Business community also very concerned about mammoth cuts to higher education

24 oktober 2024 - 15:01

Business community also very concerned about mammoth cuts to higher education

In an open letter to the government, 24 companies in the Netherlands and 15 national start-ups and scale-ups have warned about the consequences of the mammoth cuts facing higher education.

Strike? Demonstrate? For the University Forum, that 1 billion must be off the table no matter what

3 oktober 2024 - 10:39

Strike? Demonstrate? For the University Forum, that 1 billion must be off the table no matter what

The new cabinet’s announced 1 billion cut in higher education has little sympathy from the University Forum. Around 100 members of the UvA staff gathered in De Rode Hoed on Tuesday evening to discuss it.

Budget Memorandum 2025: “Major cuts in higher education and science”

18 september 2024 - 09:41

Budget Memorandum 2025: “Major cuts in higher education and science”

As expected, the planned cuts in higher education and science will continue. Presenting yesterday the Budget Memorandum 2025 (in Dutch), Education and Science minister Bruins said that the cuts in his department “add up considerably,” but also that not all cuts are “set in stone” yet. Howeve...

WOinaction announces new actions against proposed budget cuts

3 september 2024 - 16:47

WOinaction announces new actions against proposed budget cuts

The Domplein in Utrecht was packed with angry academics and students yesterday during the alternative annual opening, demanding that the government adjust its hefty austerity plans of 1 billion euros annually. If not it threatens to be a hot autumn. The word ‘strike’ was dropped several times ye...

UvA anticipates cuts of potentially 110 million a year

10 juli 2024 - 09:36

UvA anticipates cuts of potentially 110 million a year

Like other institutions, the UvA will not escape substantial cuts as a result of the new cabinet’s plans to cut 1 billion annually from higher education. In the coming financial year, the consequences can be foreseen, but from 2026 onwards, the cuts will be visible and tangible for everyone. Board...

Hard cuts and fewer foreign students: “It could lead to a wave of layoffs”

2 juli 2024 - 13:27

Hard cuts and fewer foreign students: “It could lead to a wave of layoffs”

The opposition is very concerned about the future of higher education, according to questions about a bill aimed at controlling internationalization. But even the governing party NSC still sees some obstacles.

Universities want to challenge government cuts

28 juni 2024 - 12:00

Universities want to challenge government cuts

Universities are considering legal action against the new cabinet if it is indeed going to cut scientific research. After all, shouldn’t the government keep its word?

PVV celebrates cuts as victory over activism in higher education

12 juni 2024 - 14:30

PVV celebrates cuts as victory over activism in higher education

The PVV wants tough cuts in higher education and research to combat political activism at universities and colleges, a debate on education showed yesterday.

Student cuts not feasible so soon, officials warn

11 juni 2024 - 14:27

Student cuts not feasible so soon, officials warn

The long-study fine, fewer foreign students ... These cuts to higher education won’t be made overnight, officials say. It will take more time in any case, they say.

Hicham El Ouahabi | The coalition agreement is an outright middle finger to the academic community

27 mei 2024 - 15:45

Hicham El Ouahabi | The coalition agreement is an outright middle finger to the academic community

Precisely at a time when science is supposed to play a major role, the new cabinet is choosing to make drastic cuts, writes Hicham El Ouahabi. “A more powerful expression of contempt for knowledge and expertise could hardly be imagined.”

Announced cuts hurt him, says Dijkgraaf

22 mei 2024 - 15:46

Announced cuts hurt him, says Dijkgraaf

“Those plans make me somewhat sad,” outgoing minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said yesterday in the House of Representatives about the upcoming administration’s cuts. He warned of the consequences.

Universities and students shocked by austerity plans

17 mei 2024 - 11:09

Universities and students shocked by austerity plans

The plans of the forming parties harm education and research, universities warn. For student organizations, the return of the long-term study penalty is a particularly unpleasant surprise. Colleges have “reason to worry.”

Coalition agreement: Tough cuts and penalty for long-term students in higher education

16 mei 2024 - 10:10

Coalition agreement: Tough cuts and penalty for long-term students in higher education

Fewer foreign students, hefty cuts in higher education and science, and extra money for the lost generation. These are some of the intentions of the coalition agreement outline of the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB parties.

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