Schraven considers himself an ally of the universities in this election period and the coming cabinet formation, if it concerns getting more money for education and research. But the employers' chairman explicitly states two conditions. Closer co-operation between universities should improve quality and decrease cost, and business should be able to profit more from the knowledge generated by university research. 'Universities should acknowledge that it is also their mission to develop the knowledge economy in the Netherlands.'
Schraven's plea to realise a far-reaching co-operation between the three TUs in the short term seems to close the net around the universities of Delft, Eindhoven, and Twente. Economic Affairs minister Joop Wijn kept hammering away at universities needing to make choices and specialise at a number of occasions in the past weeks. If not, their wallets will become lighter. In December Philips CEO Gerard Kleisterlee as well as departing AWT-chairman and former UT-board-president Ben Veltman announced themselves in favour of a merger of the three TUs.
In his New Year's speech, the executive board chairman of Eindhoven University, Amandus Lundqvist, called a merger a real possibility.
Schraven's wish list for the coming cabinet formation also contains setting up a knowledge council, 'even more than a secretary for research and innovation'. This council should be chaired by the prime minister and should also consist of representatives from the four ministries with a research budget, business and knowledge institutes. Not an advisory council without obligations, but a club in which all parties commit to jointly formulated research and development aims and are individually responsible for their realisation. 'Everyone knows everyone is this country and a lot of energy is expended in fighting each other from any number of small kingdoms, both in politics and at the institutes. But in such a specific area we should be able to get consensus, especially with the aid of such a council. And, yes, if you can reach that, you have to have the courage to abolish a few of the existing advisory bodies.'
