The University of Twente has been struggling with financial problems for some time. A significant part of these issues stems from the Faculty of Science and Technology, which has been running at a loss for years. In September, a reorganization was already announced.

Now, it has become clear that the faculty is indeed taking drastic measures. Not only are 46 employees being laid off, but the faculty is also cutting eight research groups (groups centered around one professor). Over the past few days, the university's administration has held discussions with the affected employees.

“Effective Immediately”

A dismissed researcher told RTV Oost that the atmosphere at the faculty is “incredibly tense.” He is an associate professor and is losing his job at the university after twenty years. He was supposed to continue teaching in the coming weeks, but that will stop “effective immediately.”

A university spokesperson stated that “no one has to hand in their access card overnight,” but that the dismissed employees are, in principle, “relieved of their duties.” They are allowed to continue supervising students if they wish, but they can also stop working immediately.

Research Groups

According to the administration, the eight research groups do not fit the university's profile, generate insufficient funding, or have too little involvement in education. It remains unclear whether the reorganization will primarily affect academic staff or support staff, according to the university newspaper UToday.

It is also not yet known what will happen to the PhD candidates in these research groups. They are not always employed by the university but are supervised by professors or lecturers from the affected groups.

Technical universities facing financial pressure

The technical university in Enschede is not the only one facing financial difficulties. Last year, Wageningen University announced that it needed to cut €80 million, and last week, TU Delft revealed similar budget cuts.

TU Delft’s need for budget reductions comes as a surprise. Over the past few years, it has downsized much less than Twente, where student enrollment suddenly dropped by a quarter in 2022. In Delft, the main financial pressures come from maintenance costs, inflation, energy prices, and personnel expenses, according to the administration.

All faculties must determine how to reduce their spending by 10% in the coming months, reports the university newspaper Delta. While layoffs are “not the preferred option” of the administration, they are not being ruled out.

Beethoven

It seems that of the four technical universities, only Eindhoven is avoiding significant cuts. This could be linked to Project Beethoven: the previous Dutch government allocated billions to keep chip machine manufacturer ASML in the Netherlands. Around €450 million of that funding is intended for educational institutions in Eindhoven, though a smaller portion is also going to Delft and Twente.

Open University Cuts €6.2 Million

A decline in student enrollment and course registrations has led the Open University to cut €6.2 million. Sixty-five jobs are at risk, and forced layoffs have not been ruled out. The administration still needs to finalize the plans, and the participation council will review them, but staff were informed on Tuesday about the intention to make budget cuts.

“We face a significant challenge,” said Executive Board President Nicole Ummelen in a press release. She aims to reduce “structural costs” and introduce more “focus.” What this means in practice remains to be seen. The Open University is a small institution specializing in distance learning, offering 20 part-time degree programs and various courses. Currently, 15,100 students are enrolled, each earning an average of about nine study credits per year.