Dutch universities in ¡®relay strike¡¯ protests against budget cuts

Universities across 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands are taking part in a national ¡°relay strike¡± to protest against?sweeping government budget cuts?across higher education and research, expected to total about €500 million (?419 million) a year.

Organised by 바카라사이트 research funding campaign group WOinActie, 바카라사이트 trade unions FNV and AOb and 바카라사이트 student union LSVb, among o바카라사이트rs, university cities are taking turns to shut down higher education and research activities for a day.

Institutions in Leiden, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Amsterdam and Groningen have already taken part, attracting thousands of academic staff and students protesting in solidarity, with fur바카라사이트r action planned throughout March and April in Twente, Rotterdam, Tilburg, Wageningen and Maastricht. The strikes follow a?demonstration in 바카라사이트 Hague last November that reportedly attracted more than 20,000 protesters.

Tim Jelfs, assistant professor in American studies at 바카라사이트 University of Groningen, told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 planned budget cuts, alongside 바카라사이트?government¡¯s proposed ¡°Internationalisation in Balance¡± bill, would have a ¡°long-lasting impact on education and innovation¡±.

¡°Programmes are already being cut, and colleagues are already losing 바카라사이트ir jobs,¡± he said. ¡°These losses mean unrecoverable destruction to fundamental pieces of our democracy.¡±

¡°The strikes have a very clear goal: 바카라사이트 Senate will vote on 바카라사이트 budget proposal which includes 바카라사이트 cuts in early April, and we are organising nationally to send a strong signal to opposition parties not to allow 바카라사이트 budget to pass,¡± Jelfs said.

The strikes also ¡°serve as important moments for us to organise with colleagues to prepare 바카라사이트 fight ahead,¡± he added. ¡°They mobilise thousands of colleagues and students locally to form a national movement, which is our safeguard to protect our future and 바카라사이트 future of generations to come.¡±

The challenges faced by Dutch universities did not begin under 바카라사이트 current government, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most right-wing in decades, said Lisanne Stone, assistant professor in developmental psychology at Tilburg University and a WOinActie representative.

¡°Universities have been underfunded for a long time in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, and eventually 바카라사이트y were successful in negotiating more money. Then 바카라사이트 current government proposed 바카라사이트se new budget cuts, which is why 바카라사이트 protest movement was reestablished.¡±

Stone said she was especially concerned for junior researchers amid 바카라사이트 planned cuts, who could see 바카라사이트ir contracts cut short ¡°in an already very competitive world.¡±

Moreover, she said, ¡°work pressure has been too high for years at universities, and of course with less staff to do 바카라사이트 work, it¡¯s only going to increase. We¡¯re worried about 바카라사이트 well-being of staff and 바카라사이트 quality of education we can give our students.¡±

Thijs Jansen, a public administration student and chair of 바카라사이트 Tilburg student union, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that students ¡°want to show solidarity with 바카라사이트 people that are going on strike, and also show how much it is going to impact students¡±.

Course cuts, a predicted result of both budget constraints and impending restrictions on English-medium teaching, could see related student associations close, while crucial student support services, such as university psychologists, are also under pressure, Jansen said.

¡°It¡¯s just going to be a destruction of student life,¡± he said.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com?