Independent journalism about VU Amsterdam | Since 1953
21 October 2026
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Nederlands

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9 September 2022

Shortage of student housing still growing, government launches action plan

In the 20 largest student cities there is a shortage of 27,000 student homes. With the number of international students rising, that number could reach 45,000 by 2030. The government is launching an action plan.
30 June 2022

One in four PhD students fails to cross the finish line

A quarter of all doctoral candidates employed by Dutch universities quit before completing their dissertation, the Rathenau Institute has reported. Drop-outs are especially common in the field of law.
16 June 2022

Universities are not allowed to limit the influx of international students

Minister of Education Robbert Dijkgraaf is temporarily scrapping a bill that would have allowed higher education to gain a better grip on the influx of foreign students. The universities are disappointed by the decision.
10 June 2022

What lessons have higher education institutions learned from the pandemic?

During the lockdowns, higher education institutions had to quickly switch over to online teaching. Time now to take stock: what worked well and what didn’t? To allow education to continue as much as possible during the pandemic, educational institutions were…
12 May 2022

More international students have a right to student financing

Having lost a few court cases, the Education Executive Agency (DUO) is changing its course with regard to European students. They are now more likely to be granted student financing. The government is studying the consequences.
9 May 2022

For the first time more women than men get PhD

In the past academic year more women than men got a PhD at Dutch universities. That has never happened before. There were also a record number of PhDs awarded, after a dip during the coronavirus crisis. The difference may be…
28 April 2022

Political parties want equal compensation for participation bodies across the country

Why does a student on the participation council get more remuneration at one institution than at another? National guidelines are needed to change this, in the view of GroenLinks and the PvdA.  Via the participation councils of higher education institutions,…
6 April 2022

VU Amsterdam and other universities ask for financial support to help refugees

Many schools in the Netherlands have already welcomed young Ukrainian refugees to their classes. Higher education would also like to admit newcomers, but this is easier said than done. Nearly a month ago, the refugee student foundation UAF – with…
6 April 2022

Government: Energy relief is not for students

Students are being hit with skyrocketing energy bills. But the government has not moved to offer targeted assistance. Municipalities are even getting the advice not to give the one-off energy relief subsidy to students. 
1 April 2022

Dijkgraaf tries to mitigate concerns over ‘Recognition and Rewards’

Does the new ideal of ‘Recognition and Rewards’ in science damage the Netherlands’ competitive position? Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf thinks it does not: in fact, it gives science a better position internationally.
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