Dutch science system needs bigger budget to be sustainable

Minister’s promises to ease workloads and top up funding are insufficient, says Erik te Roller

Last week, Ingrid van Engelshoven, the Dutch minister for education, culture and science, presented her strategic agenda for higher education and research.

During the event, the minister acknowledged that the workload for academics in the Netherlands was too high. She said the agenda would focus on solving existing problems rather than on revolutionary thinking. “No new ideas from The Hague at the moment,” she said, “but we’re doing what is necessary to bring more rest and stability.”