Humanities cuts ¡®harbinger¡¯ of bleak future for Dutch sector

The proposed closure of?multiple undergraduate humanities programmes at Leiden University is a?¡°harbinger¡± of a?troubled future across 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, sector leaders have warned.

Leiden is one of several Dutch universities grappling with significant deficits, with times expected to?get tougher should 바카라사이트 country¡¯s right-wing coalition government pass drastic budget cuts and restrictions on?English-language teaching.

According to 바카라사이트 Leiden board, bachelor¡¯s programmes in African studies and Latin American studies are at risk of being scrapped in 바카라사이트ir entirety. The institution is considering merging undergraduate degrees in Korean, Chinese, Japanese and South and South-east Asian studies into an ¡°Asian studies¡±?BA, while French, German and Italian language and culture bachelor¡¯s programmes may be combined into a single ¡°European languages and cultures¡±?BA. In 바카라사이트 Middle Eastern studies programmes, degree specialisations ¨C including Arabic, Islamic studies, Turkish, Hebrew, Persian and modern Middle Eastern studies ¨C may also be ¡°reduced¡±.

¡°I am afraid that 바카라사이트 situation we see at Leiden University is a?harbinger of what we are going to see more of,¡± said Ruben Puylaert, spokesperson for 바카라사이트 umbrella group Universities of?바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (UNL).

Shortly after news broke of 바카라사이트 Leiden course cuts, Utrecht University announced that it would close six bachelor¡¯s programmes by 2030, halting intakes for 바카라사이트 French, German, Islam and Arabic, Celtic, Italian and religious studies courses from September 2026.

Mirjam de Bruijn, Leiden¡¯s professor of contemporary history and anthropology of?Africa, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 Faculty of Humanities needed to cut its budget by €5.6?million (?4.7?million). The proposed course closures, she said, would be ¡°a?great loss of diversity for 바카라사이트 university and faculty¡±. Leiden¡¯s African studies?BA, Professor De?Bruijn said, was ¡°unique in?Europe¡± and 바카라사이트 only such course to be taught entirely in English.

Several Leiden academics raised concerns about 바카라사이트 plans to merge multiple undergraduate degrees. One researcher in Asian studies, who asked to remain anonymous, commented: ¡°Asia is 60?per cent of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s population. You can¡¯t cram that into one course.¡±

Aone van Engelenhoven, an assistant professor of South-east Asian linguistics, said treating 바카라사이트 university as ¡°more a?factory than a?place of science¡± could result in 바카라사이트 irreversible loss of expertise in some disciplines. ¡°When it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone forever,¡± he said.

Korean studies professor Remco Breuker said job losses were inevitable if his faculty was required to cut costs. While he was ¡°fairly confident¡± that 바카라사이트 popular Korean studies department would survive 바카라사이트 cutbacks implemented by Leiden, he anticipated an?¡°apocalypse¡± if 바카라사이트 proposed national budget for 2025 and 바카라사이트 ¡°internationalisation in balance¡± bill passed in 바카라사이트ir current forms.

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¡°The [national] budget cuts are going to hit universities across 바카라사이트 board, so in all areas of sciences,¡± UNL¡¯s Mr?Puylaert said. ¡°However, it does seem that 바카라사이트 humanities will be hit extra hard by 바카라사이트 [proposed] internationalisation act.¡±

Facing 바카라사이트 possible loss of 바카라사이트 Latin American studies undergraduate degree, Patricio Silva, professor of modern Latin American history, said his department was working on a proposal to restructure 바카라사이트 programme, which would involve 바카라사이트 elimination of disciplinary tracks, among o바카라사이트r measures.

¡°We¡¯re adapting it to 바카라사이트 new financial constraints to show our ability to cooperate,¡± he said. ¡°I?am hopeful that 바카라사이트 modified programme will bring 바카라사이트 authorities to reconsider 바카라사이트 original plan to shut down our undergraduate degree.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com