Two faculties in Maastricht don’t have a BSA, says rector Pamela Habibović: Health Medicine and Life Sciences and Law. At FHML, “it doesn’t fit in with the examination system” (programme-based testing), at the Faculty of Law, a pilot is being carried out at the moment in which the BSA (with a negative advice, the student has to leave) is replaced by a non-binding advice. There are no definite results yet, the rector stated, but it would appear that law students who are told that the study programme is not suitable for them, often stay anyway.
The standard at the other Maastricht faculties is around 45 credits, just like at most other Dutch universities. An exception is Erasmus University Rotterdam: its first-year students must get all 60 ECTS credits to be allowed to continue.
Dropout rate
The BSA was created in order to determine as quickly as possible whether a student was doing the right study programme. If that is not the case and the student continues but doesn’t finish after all, it will cost the institute money. Research by the collective universities (UNL) showed that the dropout rate of students (about 13 per cent with a BSA of 45) in programmes with a BSA is not greater, but they do drop out more quickly, Habibović explained.
None of the student council members appear to be in favour of the minister’s proposal. Charles de Groot (NovUM) supports the Executive Board: 30 credits is not enough, 45 is okay. The same goes for Noël Capetti (DOPE), who pointed out the consequences: “If you lower the bar in first year, there will be more pressure in second year.” That is bad for students’ well-being too, which after all is the reason why Dijkgraaf is currently presenting the plans.
Little low
Annefleur Bruin (DOPE) feels that 30 credits is a little low, she argued, but there could be a little more flexibility, the number 45 is not sacred to her. What worries her is the fact that a student who is sent packing cannot enrol for the same study programme at the same university for some years afterwards. The rector does understand that rule: “Why would it work next time?”
Frustration
There was also approval from the academic staff for the Executive Board’s stance. Luana Russo: “When students eventually reach the point of writing a thesis after years of studying, it often appears that this is an impossible hurdle and it can take a long time for them to complete their studies. This causes frustration, both for students and for staff. It is good that there is a threshold in first year.”