Speech Ingrid Robeyns on the education budget cuts in The Netherlands

Dear attendees, dear students and colleagues who are watching this live stream all over the country,

We had wished to stand with many thousands at the Domplein in Utrecht. It is deeply concerning that this plan was not allowed to go ahead, and the last word has certainly not been said about this. Fortunately, this meeting, taking place in the heart of democracy, is a powerful alternative, and we are grateful to the politicians who have made this event possible on such short notice.

It is important that our protest could still proceed in a different form, because there is a lot at stake. Attacks are taking place on the right of our students to study without being stressed about financial burdens, and with the time they need, as young people, to develop into rounded human beings. There are attacks on scientists, who are increasingly cornered, and no longer able to properly carry out their tasks. There are attacks on the Netherlands, which desperately needs knowledge, to ensure we can remain a prosperous country with a strong democracy and a robust rule of law.

Because let one thing be clear: There is not a single rational justification for these budget cuts of more than one billion euros. Over the last few weeks, we have already repeatedly argued in the media that these budget cuts are unnecessary, unreasonable, undesirable, and not legitimate. But Eppo Bruins [the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science – Ed.] appears to be indifferent to facts and arguments. Thus far, he has not refuted any of our substantive arguments. He is only able to constantly repeat the cabinet’s ‘tune’ about their decision to invest more money in the country’s defence and livelihood security.

This is not just a regular budget cut. This is a deliberate attack on universities of applied sciences and on universities.

Let’s consider the facts, instead of what Eppo Bruins asserts. This cabinet does very little to improve people’s livelihood security, while it gives stakeholders and people with great financial assets more than one billion euros of tax cuts. The latter will yield nothing for the country. Knowledge, by contrast, is beneficial for both the economy and society. That is why this is not just a regular budget cut, but an attack of the Schoof cabinet [[he composition of all government ministers, led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof – Ed.] on young people who wish to study, on teachers, and on scientists. This is a deliberate attack on our universities, as well the universities of applied sciences. 

And now we are also being confronted with an attack on our right to protest. On the basis of information that none of us could verify, the veiligheidsdriehoek [a deliberative body in which the police, the public prosecutor’s office and local government meet – Ed.] in Utrecht has de facto decided to ban our protest. That’s why I will proclaim our demands here: We call on this cabinet to revert these budget cuts. We call on the members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives to vote against these cuts. A strong country needs strong, independent universities of applied sciences and universities. Stop these attacks on the Netherlands! A strong democracy and a robust constitutional system require institutions that critically assess society. Stop these attacks on democracy and our rule of law!

 We want university administrators to oppose these attacks, instead of absorbing and executing them. We ask for administrative disobedience!

We call on university administrators to not carry out these budget cuts. Instead of already implementing the policy, we expect our administrators to show moral and political leadership. We want university administrators who oppose these attacks, instead of absorbing and executing them. We ask for administrative disobedience!

We also call on all alumni to defend the universities and universities of applied sciences. In the past, you had the chance to study — and you will reap the benefits for the rest of your lives. Stand up for younger generations, who have the right to study as well!

We call on students, teachers, scholars and scientists to inform fellow students and colleagues who have not yet decided to protest. Many of them are not fully aware of the danger of the current situation. If the Schoof cabinet can cut one billion euros from our budget today, despite all the reasons why this is unnecessary, unsensible, undesirable and not legitimate, it can utilise the same authoritarian methods next year to cut our budget even more, or to triple the tuition fees. Universities and universities of applied sciences are extremely valuable institutions. If they are under attack, we must defend them.

Dear students and colleagues, together with a lot of people, we hope to send a very strong message today, that the announced budget cuts are totally unacceptable. We demand that these cuts are off the table. Soon, we will also make these demands en masse in the heart of The Hague. 

And if Eppo Bruins is unwilling to give in to our demands, we will have to escalate our protest. This will only be possible if we stick together. All students, teachers and scientists must participate. All universities must join in — also the universities that are hit less hard by this attack, and are able to raise funds from the industry. We count on everyone’s solidarity!

My final words are addressed to Eppo Bruins and the Schoof cabinet. The Netherlands has a fantastic higher education system that ensures many young people are appropriately trained. Keep higher education accessible, and provide teachers with the resources they need to provide high quality education! And the Netherlands has a fantastic system of public research, in which research is being conducted that improves both the Netherlands and the world, carried out in a superefficient way. 

Minister Bruins, we will not let higher education and science be destroyed. Withdraw the budget cuts!