29 mei 2008 - Dutch university students are reproached for adopting a ‘culture of minimal efforts’. They are alleged to have very meager ambitions. Nevertheless they finish their studies with 7.3 as their average final grade (out of 10). Are all those reproaches justified then?“The complaint of elderly gentlemen moaning that everything used to be better.”

Scientific journalist and Volkskrant columnist Maarten Keulemans does not believe that Dutch students are such lazybones as Prime Minister Balkenende claims, among others. Admittedly a report in the scientific education monitor 2005-2006 does show that only 34 percent of them aspire for ‘the highest grade’, which percentage is considerably lower than in nine other European countries. Yet the graduation grades that Keulemans asked for from the researchers present a different picture. Dutch university graduates score 7.3 on average. Only one percent graduated with a six and 16.4 percent scored eight or more. In addition, more nines and higher grades were scored than sixes.

Keulemans thinks that there is a lot to be detracted from the value of these grades - for how strict are the requirements set by institutions - “but it is definitely not a ‘culture of minimal efforts’”. According to the compilers of the monitor Dutch graduates appear to be less diligent than their European colleagues. They devote little time to their studies, usually will not work harder for examinations than is strictly necessary and, as stated, in two out of three cases they do not aspire for the highest possible grades. Besides, they do not consider Dutch education to be really challenging.