In the summer, criticism of the outgoing prime minister's presence as a speaker at the opening of the academic year grew. Several action groups wrote a joint open letter in which they expressed their dissatisfaction. In that letter, the groups mention Schoof in the same breath as the cuts in higher education and do not think he fits in with the values of the UT community.
'Conveying importance'
The Executive Board responded to the open letter on Tuesday. That response contains words of understanding for the action groups, but the Executive Board is not changing course: Schoof will be speaking at the joint Opening of the Academic Year with Saxion on Monday afternoon. 'Together we celebrate the 700th anniversary of the city of Enschede and the contributions that our educational institutions make to the city and the region. This is a moment to reaffirm the importance of regional contributions to key policymakers in the West.'
According to the Executive Board, Schoof will continue to play an important role in national politics in the coming months, also with an impact on higher education and research. 'His presence does not mean that the university or Saxion endorses government policy. On the contrary, we make our worries and disagreements heard clearly and constructively. Our values – academic freedom, equal opportunities, inclusivity and international cooperation – remain central to who we are and we will express them unequivocally.'
'Difficult, but necessary discussions'
The Executive Board also points to the tradition of inviting distinguished speakers to academic ceremonies. 'Speakers who challenge the audience with different perspectives; sometimes perspectives that members of our community may disagree with. Universities should be places where we meet, exchange differing views and have difficult but necessary discussions.'
Incidentally, there is a great deal of interest in attendance at the OAY; the UT and Saxion expect a full house in the Wilminktheater next Monday. Whether action groups will still demonstrate in a certain way during the event is unclear at the time of writing.
