It is very likely that many people from outside the institutions completed the survey after that. Research agency Newcom, which is conducting the research on behalf of the Kring van Hoofdredacteuren van Hoger Onderwijsmedia (Editors-in-Chief of Higher Education Media), can no longer guarantee the quality and reliability of the research.
The questionnaire was intended for staff and students of all participating higher education institutions, but not 'private' and therefore also accessible to people from 'outside'. That is a risk that was thought about in advance, but that the organization dared to take.
“It is a shame that a publication by GeenStijl torpedoed a careful and neutral investigation”, says Kring chairman and editor-in-chief of the Utrecht DUB, Ries Agterberg. “The survey was specifically intended to investigate the experiences and opinions of students and staff on this theme.”
The Kring van Hoofdredacteuren van Hoger Onderwijsmedia received a grant from the Journalism Stimulation Fund for this large-scale study.
In December, Observant and the higher education media will in any case publish the results of the national qualitative research into the diversity policy of the institutions. Observant is currently collecting stories from individual students and staff. These will also be published in the upcoming weeks.