The organisation left little to chance, given the arrival of the outgoing prime minister. After an entrance on the red carpet, a body scan and some overzealous security guards awaited. There was considerable interest in this Opening of the Academic Year. Not to mention the considerable criticism beforehand from some action groups that did not agree with Schoof's arrival. About thirty demonstrators gathered at the city hall to voice their dissent.
Speech immediately disrupted
Even though the academic ceremony was 'sold out', a few dozen seats remained unoccupied. After the cortège of professors entered in silence, presenter Laurens ten Den brought a certain light-heartedness to the program by reciting a poem by Willem Wilmink together with presidents of the respective Executive Board Vinod Subramaniam and Inge Grimm.
The light-heartedness quickly disappeared when outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof took the stage. Two demonstrators stood up from the hall to shout to disrupt the speech. They were removed from the hall by security, after which Ten Den pointed to the location. 'The Wilmink Theatre is a house of stories. That means that we also listen to each other.' That resulted in a big applause from the audience.
‘Not running away from responsibility'
Schoof did not beat around the bush after the interruption. 'What I learned during my childhood in Twente was that you don't run away when things get difficult. You take responsibility. With those lessons in mind: during my visit here, students conveyed to me their concerns about the situation in Gaza. I get that. The war must stop and the Palestinians and Israelis must be able to live safely and in peace.’
The other elephant in the theatre did not go unmentioned either: the cuts in higher education. 'Politics is always about distributing scarce resources, but here the consequences of those decisions are all too tangible. Of course, I could tell you that many things just go on as usual. That 'less' is not the same as 'nothing'. That many roads lead to Rome. But that doesn't change how you feel, nor the impact your institutions experience,' says Schoof.
'Real conversations'
Schoof pointed to the 'real conversations' he had with students and staff of the UT and Saxion prior to the academic ceremony – and that he saw those conversations as 'a confirmation and celebration of the freedom we enjoy in the Netherlands'. The outgoing prime minister then talked about the importance of cooperation and how the UT and Saxion do it well in his view, he addressed their role when it comes to providing talent and knowledge for defense and the 'digital revolution'.
He concluded with the words: 'Wherever the wind blows, it always comes back'. 'Just like me today. Thank you for allowing me to come home again this afternoon.' Whether those words will stick long after the OAY remains to be seen. Between the lines, there was also another message from the outgoing prime minister. 'The national and international challenges are putting pressure on our budget. And yes, that also applies to the education budget. That will take some getting used to.'
‘Vloek en een zucht’
After Schoof, it was the turn of UT President Vinod Subramaniam. In his speech, he pointed to the consequences of cutbacks in higher education. 'Today is about the city of Enschede, Eanske. The knowledge institutions and the young people we train have left their mark on today's Enschede. That contribution is under pressure due to government cutbacks,’ said Subramaniam, who emphasized the emotional distance between Enschede and The Hague.
What followed was a plea for the importance of knowledge for the Netherlands – 'our most important raw material' – and a specific UT example of why the cutbacks are so disastrous. Subramaniam mentioned Schoof's predecessor Wim Schermerhorn, who was involved in the establishment of ITC and was the first rector. 'The recent cuts in ODA funding are forcing the ITC faculty to reorganise. But there are also broader consequences. As a country, we have worked for decades to build close relationships with countries that we see as partners for economic cooperation and access to essential raw materials. Building these relationships took years. Breaking it down can happen in een vloek en een zucht.'
Prizes
That is why Subramaniam concluded with a call to keep looking for the connection. Saxion Executive Board President Inge Grimm also pointed to financial difficulties, the importance of seeking connection in these times – and how important it is to keep talking to each other. What remained was a musical intermezzo, some Twente wisdom from presenter Ten Den towards the prime minister ('Oetzicht gef inzicht, inzicht gef oetzicht') and the awarding of several prizes.
A new academic year – albeit with a momentary clash – is a fact. This was done at the push of a button by the Saxion and UT administrators and mayor Roelof Bleker.
