UG staff must step up their opposition to the government’s cuts to universities, says lecturer Rodrigo Gonzalez. ‘These cuts are not just financial – they are political.’
On 7 April, the Dutch Upper House approved the largest education budget cuts in the country’s history, after eight months of protests by academics, students, and citizens who understand education as essential to democracy. The consequences are already unfolding. What now?
At the UG, we face a projected deficit of 23.6 million euros in 2025 and savings of up to 80 million euros by 2030. Though detailed plans are lacking, it’s clear what’s going to happen: Utrecht University will phase out six academic programmes; University College Roosevelt is reducing 25 percent of its staff; and the Open University expects to lay off sixty-five employees.
The Balanced Internationalisation Act (WIB) has already forced universities to scale back English-taught programmes. We don’t know exactly where the axe will fall, but we know it will hurt us all.
These cuts are not just financial – they are political. Across the globe, right-wing governments are undermining education systems that promote critical thinking. In the Netherlands, as in the U.S., Hungary, Slovakia and recently Serbia, academic institutions are being targeted to weaken democracy. This is not a coincidence; it’s a strategy.
We don’t know exactly where the axe will fall, but it will hurt us all
Let’s look at particularly vulnerable spots: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes, the social sciences and humanities, and university governance.
DEI efforts are often the first on the chopping block. The UG’s central D&I committee is expected to disappear in its current form, despite objections from the University Council. Nationally, LANDO, the platform for D&I officers, has warned about increasing attacks on such initiatives. These are not neutral cuts—they disproportionately affect equity, representation, and justice.
The social sciences and humanities are also at risk. These fields offer essential insights into war, fascism, and systemic discrimination—topics that autocratic governments would rather see silenced. Unlike STEM fields, which often attract private funding, critical social research has no corporate fallback.
That is precisely why it is essential to safeguard the independence of academia from political and economic elites and to uphold its role in striving toward social justice. Who will fund studies on the Palestinian struggle, for example? Not this government.
No other Dutch university has a movement like this
At the same time, university governance is being challenged. The UG has created eight internal working groups to identify savings but the Young Academy Groningen has raised concerns about the lack of diversity and representation in these groups, whose leaders are largely Dutch, male, and senior. While the university engages in slick rebranding campaigns, real participatory decision-making is missing.
So what can we do?
We must organize. ‘Organize the RUG’ (OtR) is a grassroots movement of staff and students building a more democratic university. Since joining OtR last year, I’ve found solidarity, purpose, and power. It’s not just a union-like space; it’s accessible, local, and unique in the Netherlands. No other Dutch university has a movement like this.
While universities explore legal options to challenge the government’s breach of past agreements, we must act collectively on the ground. We all have a role to play—because this is more than a policy dispute; it’s a fight for the future of education.
And yes, even the ‘get your fries’ demo matters
Why do so few act? One theory says people engage in collective action when they feel part of a group, recognise injustice, and believe they can make a difference. But academics are often taught to be neutral, detached. Meanwhile, narratives of a bloated, inefficient university justify the cuts. Bureaucracy keeps us busy, tired, and disempowered.
But we’ve seen change is possible. Thanks to collective mobilisation, parts of the original budget plan were scrapped. The Malieveld rally, the national strike – these were historic moments. And yes, even the ‘get your fries’ demo matters. Protests are what we make of them.
Now is not the time to quit. More cuts are coming. Our responsibility as academic citizens is clear: stay informed, take a stand, join a union—and organise the UG.
Rodrigo Gonzalez is a social sciences lecturer at University College Groningen (UCG) and serves on diversity and inclusion (D&I) boards at both the faculty and university levels.