The government aims to strengthen Dutch ‘earning capacity’ by significantly increasing spending on infrastructure, knowledge and innovation. The minister wants to make the funds available even before the upcoming elections in March 2021.

This means the government needs to act fast. At the beginning of the new year, the ministers of Finance and Economic Affairs plan to send a letter to parliament “outlining the plans, the oversight structure, the conditions and the announcement of the initial launch”.

The short term

Wiebes made these promises in a letter that the government has been referring to for some time. Over the past few months, ministers have been asking for patience, saying that they would provide more information about the strategy they have in mind in the short term.

This must have been music to the ears of universities and colleges, who have been anxiously awaiting further news. Wiebes now mentions them, too: “Our institutes of higher education are top-notch”, he writes. Research and teaching go hand-in-hand here, he states, making the Netherlands an appealing destination for foreign talent.

It would appear, however, that major investments in education are not on the horizon, at least not in higher education. “What we need most is a quality boost in basic education,” according to the minister, meaning primary and secondary education.

But it appears that the cabinet is not thinking of additional funding at those levels of education either. The quality boost “will be within reach if we invest in new and interactive digital learning methods and if we use data wisely, making customised education possible.”

Potential

Wiebes is focusing mainly on the potential of research, innovation and technology. These are the areas he wants to give extra funding, although he has not yet mentioned any amounts. He says the country already has several strong ‘clusters’, including around Wageningen and Eindhoven. “But we must also invest in setting up new research and innovation ecosystems focusing on artificial intelligence, photonics, quantum technology and chemical recycling technology.”

He says some “tough decisions” need to be made, because “results will otherwise be lacking in terms of mass.” It remains to be seen which decisions will be made and by whom.

Experts

He previously stated in an interview with the Financieele Dagblad newspaper that he planned to consult with independent experts. “We need to prevent a situation in which politicians feel comfortable making a new suggestion every week. Politicians need to know when enough is enough.”