"I think we need to have a fundamental discussion about the future that doesn't look very favourable at all," Mark Govers believes. According to Nick Bos, member of the Executive Board, everyone is "aware of it". The whole sector has to cut 1 billion, "we have no idea yet how much that means for UM" , he replies, "we are waiting to see what will happen". For 2025, it will be a smaller amount, Bos said, but "for 2026, 2027 and 2028 we have to prepare for bigger cuts".
He reassures Govers that discussions have already taken place internally to deal with "potential problems", "but we should not intervene too early". But why does the U-Council not see any plans coming forward, Govers wants to know. "We hope to have more clarity in the autumn. Bring it in, possibly confidentially." Bos: "Mark, you're not the only one asking for it. Believe me, we have come up with several scenarios."
Groningen
At some other universities, though, it has already been announced what amounts will be involved. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is betting on around 60 million, but it could also be double that, reports Ad Valvas.
The cuts could cost the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG) as much as 16 million in 2025, rising to possibly 80 million in a few years. Although it is still uncertain how the proposals will turn out, the Groningen Executive Board sees the situation bleakly, UKrant noted. In fact, the RUG is already pulling the emergency brake. No decisions affecting the long term are being taken at the moment. Furthermore, there is a vacancy freeze, so only vacancies that are necessary will be filled. Property investment policy is also being scrutinised.
At Leiden University, the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA) is also concerned that significant cuts are being made. Although the Executive Board has asked them to prepare a budget that does not yet include any cuts, the FGGA thinks it should already be working on it, according to the Leiden university magazine Mare. "So we asked all the institutes what they would leave if they had five per cent less revenue."