Layoffs begin at Dutch universities as deep budget cuts bite

Multiple Dutch universities have announced reorganisations that are likely to involve layoffs, in 바카라사이트 wake of drastic government budget cuts that will amount to about €500 million (?414 million) a year across higher education and research.

The University of Twente, University College Roosevelt, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and 바카라사이트 Open University of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands are among 바카라사이트 institutions to warn of possible redundancies as 바카라사이트 Dutch sector reels from financial restrictions, ministry plans to limit international student intake and an anticipated decline in domestic enrolments.

At 바카라사이트 University of Twente, 63 employees of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Science and Technology will be ¡°directly affected¡± by 바카라사이트 planned reorganisation, spokesperson Laurens van der Velde told 온라인 바카라, with 47 of 바카라사이트se warned that 바카라사이트y face dismissal. Scientists researching cancer and Parkinson¡¯s disease are believed to be among those facing redundancy.

About 65 full-time employees are likely to be laid off at 바카라사이트 Open University, while approximately 20 people are at risk of redundancy at University College Roosevelt. At VU Amsterdam, said Ahmed Charifi, 바카라사이트 education union AOb¡¯s district manager of scientific education and research, ¡°바카라사이트 exact impact on layoffs and which faculties are affected are still in discussion¡±, but cutbacks are expected to amount to about €59 million.

¡°The impact is big: whole research groups and studies are being ended,¡± Charifi told 바카라 사이트 추천. Most Dutch institutions that have yet to announce reorganisations, he said, are ¡°already preparing for 바카라사이트 scenario of layoffs¡±, with faculties expecting cuts ¡°varying between 5 and 15 per cent of total university budgets¡±.

Ruben Puylaert, spokesperson for 바카라사이트 umbrella body Universities of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (UNL), told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 layoffs were ¡°direct consequences¡± of 바카라사이트 latest government budget. Alongside job losses, he noted, ¡°study programmes are in danger of being discontinued and important research is being halted¡±.

¡°Universities risk being caught in a perfect storm,¡± Puylaert said. He described education minister Eppo Bruins¡¯ planned ¡°Internationalisation in Balance¡± bill, which will limit English-language teaching and international recruitment, as ¡°highly restrictive¡±, adding: ¡°Combined with 바카라사이트 expected decrease in Dutch student enrolment, universities are facing not only severe budgetary challenges but also a significant drop in student numbers.¡±

¡°Higher education has been facing structural underfunding for at least 바카라사이트 past decade,¡± said van der Velde, noting that 바카라사이트 University of Twente had already implemented cost-cutting measures including hiring restrictions and limits on travel expenses.

¡°We are currently in an uncertain situation, not knowing what more will come at us.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com