Budget cuts hit UM: protest on 14 November sorely needed

First and foremost

Some of the cuts the government is seeking to implement are clear. In many cases, however, there remain uncertainties around exactly what they will mean for UM—though they are unlikely to make things easier. All the more reason to speak up strongly on 14 November, before these damaging plans are finalised. 

We are very concerned about The Hague’s intentions. UM is in good financial shape, meaning we will not have to take immediate drastic measures in anticipation of the proposed cuts. But if the government’s plans go ahead, they will hit the university hard in the coming years.

What we do and don’t know about the cuts

Below we outline the three main components of the government cuts in higher education, indicating what is and is not yet clear.

Clear: In the long term, the government wants to save €293 million per year by reducing the number of international students in the Netherlands. To this end, the Internationalisation in Balance Act and the accompanying language test will play an important role. In the future, UM may be forced to reduce the number of English-taught programmes: a threatening development for the most international university in the Netherlands. 

Unclear: The minister has indicated that he will take the specific characteristics of universities into account: their location in shrinking and border regions or a more pronounced international profile. How he intends to do so remains unclear, resulting in uncertainty for UM. The consequences of the new law are expected to be noticeable from the 2027/28 academic year. 

The measures in the Internationalisation in Balance Act could lead to cuts of between €14.3 and €32.0 million for UM, calculated for the year in which the measures will have the greatest impact. However, our concerns are not only financial. A drop in English-language programmes will result in students leaving or not choosing UM in the first place: talented international but also Dutch students, sorely needed for the job market in Limburg and beyond. This will be a major blow not only for UM, but also for the Limburg economy as a whole, which will lose thousands of jobs.

Clear: The government is cancelling the starter and incentive grants from 2025. As a result, UM will miss out on millions of euros in funding compared to 2023 and 2024. The grants were intended to offer greater research freedom and reduce the excessive workload. Because UM has not yet awarded these grants for 2025 and beyond, there will be no direct cutbacks. This is little consolation, as the measure nonetheless affects researchers’ development opportunities and workload.

Unclear: In recent years, UM received additional starter grants to compensate for its historically lower rate of research funding. It is unclear whether and how this compensation will continue, but we are committed to ensuring that we receive it. The discontinuation of the starter and incentive grants means UM will miss out on €15.7 to €24.7 million per year (in grants we have not yet awarded). These figures take into account a correction in funding allocated by the government for workload and talent policy.

Clear: The government intends to increase tuition fees by €3000 for full-time students who incur more than one year’s delay in the bachelor’s or master’s phase. It will reduce the government grant for long-term students as of 2026. 

Unclear: The exact details of this measure, and its expected impact on our students and UM as a whole, are unknown. What is clear is that it comes at a time when students run a higher risk than ever of incurring study delays. The basic grant will be lower because the purchasing power measure has been withdrawn, while tuition fees and the interest on student debts have increased. As a result, more and more students have to work alongside their studies. If this results in a study delay, they will also be hit with a hefty long-term study fine.

Depending on how this measure is implemented, these cuts could amount to €9.7 million annually for UM.

UM opposes all three measures, and is working to combat them both publicly and behind the scenes. But if these cuts do go ahead, we need to be prepared. Given the uncertainty involved, we are preparing for different scenarios. The Executive Board, deans and directors will, supported by a large group of colleagues, further develop these scenarios in the coming weeks. As the university is in good financial health, immediate measures are unnecessary. The scenarios focus on the coming years, based on the abovementioned figures and the available financial reserves. 

At the same time, we are working with the other 13 Dutch universities, united in the UNL, to prevent major damage to higher education. Earlier this year, the universities proposed their own measures to ensure that the Netherlands retains its leading position as a knowledge country and can pursue internationalisation in a balanced manner. These measures remain our starting point. Additionally, we will continue to work with fellow educational institutions, regional authorities and the business community to emphasise the importance of well-considered government policy with an eye for regional differences. Only in this way can we save higher education from these drastic cuts and continue to train enough professionals for the tight labour market in Limburg and beyond.

By working together on solutions, we have emerged stronger from crises in the past. And that’s what we need to do now. Join us in Utrecht on 14 November to make sure UM’s voice is heard!