spacer.png, 0 kB
Volg Cursor via Twitter Volg Cursor via Facebook Cursor RSS feed
spacer.png, 0 kB

spacer.png, 0 kB
Cursor in PDF formaatCursor als PDF
Special Cursor 50 jaarSpecial Cursor 50 jaar
PrintE-mail Tweet dit artikel Deel dit artikel op Facebook
Mixed reactions higher education to fall Cabinet
If anything, higher education sees opportunities after the fall of the Cabinet about the issue of Uruzgan. There is criticism as well: a powerless Cabinet is far from convenient, considering that so many major decisions about higher education must be taken.

The HBO Council (Association of Dutch Polytechnics and Colleges) is not sorry about the fall of the Cabinet. “We prefer a government that is in firm control to one in which parties do not trust each other”, a spokesperson reacts. The HBO Council hopes that new elections can be held as soon as possible in order “energetically to continue its efforts for the knowledge society” which the Council envisages.

The universities are unhappy about the premature demise of Balkenende-IV. “Politics will be in a stalemate position for six months now, when they should move ahead full throttle towards the economy of the future”, says VSNU (Association of Universities in the Netherlands) chairman Sijbolt Noorda. Investments in education and research are indispensable for this. Noorda is of opinion that this does not admit any standstill.

Student union LSVb says in a first reaction that it resents this situation, given the energy it has put into talks with the Veerman Committee, which would offer advice on the higher education system. “The question is what will happen to the outcome of those talks.”

Chairman Gerard Oosterwijk also sees opportunities, though. “It will be election time now, so we have every opportunity of lobbying to promote our interests.”

The SOS Committee which organized an action week earlier this month against the abolition of the basic grant, says on its Facebook-pagina that the fall of the Cabinet provides opportunities for the student movement in particular. “We are a big group, so we can really make people listen to what we have to say.” (HOP)/.