The bachelor’s programme in Earth Sciences will be phased out by September 2027, along with one of the tracks within the master’s programme. Several research lines will be discontinued, while four will be absorbed by two other departments within the faculty: one by the Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), and three by the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). Elements of the discontinued bachelor’s programme will be used to strengthen the existing Earth, Economics and Sustainability bachelor. Out of the department’s 98 staff members, 37 are expected to lose their jobs.
“This is a very difficult decision”, says science faculty dean Aletta Kraneveld. “We’re talking about a reorganisation, and that’s never something to be happy about”, adds president of the executive board Margrethe Jonkman. “But unfortunately, it’s something that has to be done.”
Declining enrolments
Kraneveld explains that Earth Sciences has become financially unsustainable. “When I started here as dean, the department could still be maintained — though it was always supported financially by other departments. But rising personnel costs, energy prices, and expensive housing have made that impossible. On top of that, there’s been a significant drop in student numbers. Last year, our faculty saw a 20 percent decrease in new enrolments.”
VU is also facing a university-wide cut of 60 million euros, of which 26.5 million must be absorbed by the Faculty of Science. “So no, we can’t keep operating the way we always have”, Jonkman says. “It’s simply not feasible.”
Jonkman acknowledges the societal relevance of Earth Sciences, particularly in addressing urgent issues like climate change and the energy transition — areas central to VU’s identity as a socially engaged university. “But that applies to all departments. Nothing here is redundant; all research and teaching is valuable. Still, we’re forced to focus and make choices.”
Kraneveld adds: “Earth sciences research and education will not disappear completely. The department as an organisational unit will be gone, but we will retain four important research lines and four excellent programmes related to climate and Earth.”
Collaboration with Utrecht
The department houses several brand-new, state-of-the-art labs, which turned out to be extremely expensive. After the introduction of a new financial model, these costs began to weigh heavily on the department’s budget. One lab’s construction has been halted; the other labs will be repurposed, although it’s not yet clear how. “Just because they were designed for Earth Sciences doesn’t mean they can’t be used by other departments”, Kraneveld notes.
‘We’ll make sure each student has a tailored study path so they can complete their degree’
Currently, 130 bachelor’s students are enrolled in Earth Sciences at VU. “We’ll make sure each student is offered a tailored study path so they can complete their degree”, Kraneveld says. “Some might take courses in Utrecht, for instance, or, if they’ve only just started, consider switching to a different bachelor’s.”
Utrecht University will soon be the only Dutch university offering a bachelor’s in Earth Sciences. According to Kraneveld and Jonkman, that programme attracts significantly more students than VU’s. The two institutions have discussed the phasing out of VU’s programme and are now exploring further collaboration opportunities.
Kraneveld and Jonkman spoke to Ad Valvas two days before staff and students of Earth Sciences were informed of the plan. Kraneveld was therefore reluctant to share all the details. On Thursday 3 April, there will be a meeting for all staff, followed by one for students. “After that, we’ll meet with groups of employees to explain what this proposed decision means for them”, says Kraneveld. “Next week is fully reserved for individual meetings with all staff members.”
‘Other departments will manage without such drastic cuts’
Kraneveld emphasises that the decision was made with care and a clear long-term strategy. Still, the process was not transparent to staff. Six scenarios were considered — ranging from a complete shutdown of all positions to maintaining the status quo — but employees weren’t kept informed of these options. “And no, we didn’t involve the entire department in the discussions”, Kraneveld admits, “but we did have extensive talks with the Earth Sciences management team.”
Significant measures
Other departments within the Faculty of Science also operate expensive labs — such as Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Are they next? “No”, Kraneveld says. “They too need to make cuts, but none of them require measures as drastic as these.” Some may face internal reorganisations, but current plans suggest those won’t involve job losses. Their required budget cuts are smaller than those for Earth Sciences — which faces a 2.7 million euro gap on an 8 million euro turnover.
Other departments will manage through “natural attrition” — staff retiring or leaving and not being replaced — and by generating external income through commercial contracts, for instance. The same applies to most departments and services at VU, Jonkman adds.
“There won’t be one big ‘big bang’ moment when all of VU’s budget cuts are announced at once”, says Jonkman. “Each unit has its own dynamics and its own solutions. Some departments have already seen significant turnover in recent years; others are focusing on boosting revenue. So there’s no single master plan.”