The letter was signed by university professors Detlef Lohse, Bram Nauta, and Albert van den Berg, along with six other professors and associate professor Bettina Schwab. They addressed the Doctorate Board in early October, but according to Lohse, received no response.
The UT does change its doctoral regulations, as was announced last week. The university is the first in the Netherlands to scrap the cum laude distinction for PhD theses, a move that sparked widespread debate and has drawn attention from national media.
The signatories strongly oppose the decision. They argue that removing recognition for ‘exceptional dissertations’ is ‘disastrous for the national and international reputation of UT, which will be seen as a university of mediocrity’.
Most of the signatories are members of UT’s Prizes and Awards Committee. They warn of ‘devastating consequences for excellent PhD candidates’. ‘It immediately excludes them from competing for national and international awards and prizes for best PhD thesis, and puts them at a significant disadvantage on the job market for scholarships and postdoc and academic positions.’
In conclusion, they write: ‘Abolishing the cum laude distinction significantly harms both the perspective of PhD candidates and the university’s prestige. A reconsideration of this policy would benefit all stakeholders.’
