Universities of applied sciences and universities are all struggling to create the right balance between education and research. The difference is that universities of applied sciences focus more on education, whereas universities prioritise research, said Rathenau researcher Jos de Jonge at Utrecht University on Monday evening. The room was packed with over one hundred lecturers and researchers from various universities.

The evening was devoted to the third debate on the future of academia, organised by the Rathenau Institute in cooperation with the Education Council and the Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. The debates were organised following the publication of the 2018 Balance of Science study on the current state of affairs in Dutch academia.

Lucky few

Daan Andriessen, lecturer at University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, confirms that “research is something you do on the side” at HU. “Education is our primary focus. Only the lucky few get to take a break from teaching.”

The opposite is true at universities, were research is the main focus. “Some view teaching as an obligation. They would prefer to outsource it, because they say it keeps them from doing their actual jobs,” says De Jonge. He says the entire system is too focused on research. ‘That’s where the money is.”

Key

The speakers agreed that a cultural shift is needed to create a new balance, but the idea remains abstract because no specific measures were suggested. Frank Miedema, former vice president of UMC Utrecht, advocates for a top-down policy. The Dutch Research Council (NWO) should take a different approach to providing funds and grants, and universities should carefully review their human resources policy.

Edith Hooge, chairperson of the Education Council, also believes this holds is key: “You need to talk to people: what are you doing, and are you doing a good job? We need to value education more.”

Miss out on a great day

According to Miedema, we do not need to worry about the future of research. “There will always be more than enough research funding and activity. Many thousands of papers are published every year. There’s no harm in a slight reduction.”

He also says that having fewer PhD candidates could help, because all of them apply for research grants, which only increases the pressure on funding bodies. “Society would not be radically different without all those PhD candidates. Although parents and in-laws will miss out on a great day”, Miedema jokes.