The faculty board hopes to turn the tide by investing in new programs such as the Digital Society and Global Studies bachelors. These should ensure growth in the coming years. But is that the right way, the scientific staff (wp) wondered during the discussion of the budget for 2022.
Does the board also know what caused the decline in recent years, asked wp councilor Darian Meacham. No, Fasos director Cerien Streefland replied. “There are too many variables to draw a conclusion on that.”
The board is "puzzled" by the downward trend, Fasos dean Christine Neuhold added. “The student numbers are falling, especially in European Studies, although it is still a large programme.” But, Neuhold nuances. “All faculties except the School of Business and Economics are experiencing a decline.”
The latter is incorrect, according to the figures of 1 October. The inflow of new students is also growing at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (4.2 percent) and the Faculty of Law (1.5 percent). The influx at Fasos decreases by 3.2 percent. At psychology and neurosciences, there are 0.2 percent fewer first-years this year and 5.9 percent less at the Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences.
“Let's invite the marketing department. They should be able to tell us more about these numbers," suggested wp councilor Pablo del Hierro. “Why, for example, is the number of German students declining so quickly? Because of Covid? Are German universities doing something different? Or has a competitor emerged elsewhere? Getting answers to these questions should be a board priority. If it continues like this, we will have more programs, but fewer students. Our viability depends on it.”
Alexandra Supper, also WP councilor, also wanted to know how it is possible that the pre-registrations go up, but the number of students that actually come decreases. “It seems that there is a to be gained there.”
The board does not seem very willing so far. Streefland: “I think this year was a bad year. Probably because of Covid.” The decline in bachelor's degrees could also be related to the completely 'on campus' education since September, Streefland thinks. With regard to the decrease in German students: “That is due to the increase in English offer at other universities. We always ask students who apply but ultimately don't register what the reason is for this, but we usually don't get a good explanation for that."