Party Programme 2025

First and foremost, UReka aims to guarantee the quality of education. Each decision made by the University on a policy level will affect the overall quality of education, and UReka will take the educational perspective as a starting point in the conversation.  These topics include digitalisation, assessment types, educational models and more. For example, UReka supports small-scale education to ensure that the focus remains on teaching with individual feedback rather than simply broadcasting knowledge. UReka recognizes the role Student Assistants play in making this possible in a cost-effective manner. It is especially important in the time of reorganisations and uncertainty in the university, when financial health may challenge educational quality. To ensure a high standard of education, it is of great importance that the Quality Assurance (QA) systems of all programmes are up to standard. To achieve this, the university should have a central overview of how each programme deals with this. As well as providing bottom-up guidance on how to ensure evaluate the quality assurance processes. This will enable programmes to learn from each other and guarantee a high quality of education for all students. In addition, we believe that QA dependence on active students should be evaluated.

Currently, the University of Twente has English requirements for students which are lower than other (4TU) universities in the Netherlands. To uphold the academic position and quality of education at the University of Twente, UReka believes that the entry requirements regarding the English level of all students need to be raised to an equal level to that of comparable universities in the Netherlands. In the past years, the faction of UReka has already worked on stimulating this initiative by sparking the conversation about keeping English levels to par with the language centre. Proposals to include academic English in a skills course or testing speaking abilities as an application requirement fall short in their implementation. UReka believes that stimulating the English level not only includes increasing the requirements for students as well as providing enough support from the university to improve the language skills of teachers.

On a national level, there is a lot of discussion about including the Dutch language more in education at all Dutch universities. UReka believes that the movement towards Dutch as an educational language in most Bachelor programmes should only be implemented if proper resources are available and leads to improved educational outcomes. UReka believes that keeping English as an academic language will preserve the quality of the given education, especially as it allows to keep existing infrastructure and make use of up-to-date materials and resources. Additionally, we emphasize that English should continue as the primary language for master’s programmes.

A second topic that has been discussed was lowering the BSA to a maximum of 30 EC’s. UReka believes that lowering the BSA to a maximum of 30 EC’s is a good way of lowering pressure for students. UReka wants to continue representing the opinions of students from the UT in conversations with stakeholders to make sure that the quality of education can be preserved for the entire UT community, and to ensure that the decisions, which are made on a national level, are implemented in the best way possible for UT students.

The University of Twente has a unique education model, which focuses on small-scale, student-driven learning as well as module and project based learning. This model was introduced in 2020-2021. UReka believes that despite the challenges faced by the University, the preservation of our educational model should be prioritized.

One of the recent improvements to the educational model is the validity of partial grades according to the EER, which allows students to mitigate study delays. Additionally, we also think that it is crucial to enable students to change their study program in the first months, to ease the transition a “doorstroommatrix” should be created, that shows students which study they can change to.

Lifelong learning (LLL), a programme that seeks to educate people who are no longer students on topics that are relevant to their work, is one of the targets of Shaping2030 and is considered the fourth key operation of the UT. The University intends to expand on its plans for LLL, using part of its existing capacity.  We want to be certain that this is done in such a way that we can be sure that the initial quality of education provided to the students will not be harmed, while not interrupting both the teaching and learning processes.

Over the last years, it has become clear that the demand for mental health support at the UT is very high. Students seeking out help often experience a long waiting list before seeing a professional. UReka believes it is the duty of the Executive Board to support their students throughout all stages of their academic journey. We therefore urge the Executive Board to prioritize providing and communicating alternative support options to students in these periods of long waiting times. Additionally, UReka continues to stress the importance of having enough student psychologists available on campus, even in the face of budget cuts. To improve long-term capacity, we call on the Executive Board to make the UT a more appealing long-term employer for student psychologists.

 

Currently, the student psychologists are the most used facility. UReka notices that students often only seek help when their situation has already escalated, rather than as a preventive measure. While the UT offers several low-threshold facilities to support students earlier, many students remain unaware of them — something UReka sees as a major concern. We will therefore keep urging the Executive Board to communicate clearly and consistently about the available mental health services and how students can access them. A positive step was the creation of a flowchart following a recent student well-being initiative from UReka, but this requires active and effective communication. A concrete plan should be made on how to reach more students and improve awareness around student well-being resources.

UReka recognizes social safety as a crucial component in enhancing student wellbeing. We value the various effective initiatives that have collaborated with the University of Twente, such as the Confidential Contact Persons (CCP), Amnesty UTwente, and the ‘Look After Your Friend’ training from the Student Union. Encouraging the use of CCPs within associations is important, as students may find it easier to approach a CCP than a study advisor. UReka aims to encourage their presence within sports, culture, and world associations to reach a broader group of students. UReka believes these associations should be approached more actively for CCP trainings to ensure social safety is prioritised across the entire student community. UReka urges the integration of these initiatives more systematically into UT structures and increase awareness among both students and staff. Furthermore, we advocate for embedding social safety education into skills courses within all study programmes, to improve awareness, confidence, and competence in addressing social safety issues. Lastly, the Help Structure is a key tool in safeguarding social safety and identifying potential problems. UReka urges the Executive Board to critically evaluate both the visibility and effectiveness of the Help Structure. Especially given the current circumstances at the UT, it is vital to ensure a safe, supportive environment for both students and staff.

The UT has presented its vision on student wellbeing. Various initiatives have been developed in order to provide students with suitable assistance for their physical and mental wellbeing. More  continuous and unified actions are in progress from various stakeholders regarding student well-being to be able to communicate the possibilities the UT has to offer on a larger scale. UReka wants to urge the EB to make sure these projects are provided with the support needed for fast realisation. To make sure staff and students have the resources available to increase resilience and wellbeing. The realisation and promotion of these initiatives can include wide-spread promotional campaigns of available workshops and trainings and collaborating with associations to enlarge the reach among  their members. Furthermore, UReka believes it is very important that students who are not part of an association are reached through email, canvas, and potentially short promotional talks during mandatory lectures. UReka also wants to stress the importance of creating a low threshold to make use of the resources, especially since e.g. obtaining a reference from the student-psychologist can be difficult when waiting times are high. UReka also aims to bring its own initiatives and engage in wellbeing work groups of the UT to solve the current wellbeing situation. UReka also recognizes the need for support of students involved in wellbeing initiatives. Students who assist their peers, such as Confidential Contact Persons and those who completed the Look After Your Friend Training, may run into challenging circumstances for which they require support or direction. According to UReka, the UT should be aware of this and take proactive steps to provide assistance, such as designating a Student Well-being Improvement Programme (SWIP) Officer and/or )contact person for these students.

Students can have a hard time tying their ends together. UReka understands that gaining income next to a full time study can be very hard on your mental well being, especially with current-day high prices. The currently changing current of the political context and its development might also add a lot of financial stress to students. UReka wants to advocate to the UT for more financial guidance for students. Of course it is not possible to provide financial funds to all these students, but providing help in terms of financial education is also a valuable way of helping these students.

At UReka, we believe that the University of Twente should be a place where every student and staff member, regardless of their background, feels socially and physically safe, both on campus and within the broader UT community. International students and staff members enrich our university with their perspectives, knowledge, and culture, and it is our responsibility to actively foster an environment where they feel welcome and supported. Especially during the Kick-In, the introduction period when many internationals leave everything familiar behind to start anew here, it is essential that extra attention is given to their integration. We advocate for a stronger focus on inclusive activities and accessible resources, potentially in collaboration with international student associations and world associations, to help them settle, connect, and find their place within the UT. This is all the more important given the current political climate in the Netherlands, with legislation like the Wet internationalisering in balans (Internationalisation in Balance Act) and regulations such as Richtlijn Voertaal en Tweetaligheid Hoger Onderwijs (Directive on Language of Instruction and Bilingualism in Higher Education), which risk undermining the inclusive and international character of Dutch universities. UReka stands firmly for an open, safe, and internationally connected UT community.

For students moving to the university it is important to have a place where they can feel at home. The people you as a student share a house with can be a big influence on your comfort during your time here. That is why we think it is important that students retain the choice who they decide to live with (cooptation). Still, students should also be given a fair chance for housing and we want to make sure that the UT keeps working on its communication and transparency on how the housing system works.

 

The UT is one of the few universities that is doing well with the student housing shortage, but it is still important that the UT takes an active role and responsibility towards the need for accommodation of students. While the UT does not have the power to regulate student housing in the city, they can influence the actions of the municipality in its housing policy. We as UReka believe the UT has a moral responsibility to monitor the need for student housing and make plans to address future changes in student numbers.

The thriving community of Sports and Culture associations is unique for our campus. Students should be able to have access to the facilities required to practice their sports and culture activities. However, current facilities are designed for 8.000 students, instead of the 12.000 we have now. Furthermore, due to the financial situation at the UT, the plans to expand the existing sports and culture facilities are currently off the table. With growing waiting lists for associations, investments are needed and these should be stimulated at the central level.

The UT should ensure that there are enough study spaces for students. Recently, UReka successfully advocated for extending the Bastille’s opening hours during high-peak moments like exam periods. Apart from that, the UT should raise awareness about the less busy study places so students are better spread out. Next to this, UReka believes that the UT should focus on turning current study spaces into Homebases with sufficient facilities, such as on the second floor of Carré. This is a great example of a high quality study space where students from different disciplines can come together to meet and work on their studies.

Study places to work with your project group and study together are scarce, as students crowd the available facilities. Therefore, we want the UT to open up smaller lecture halls for students when they are not being used for lectures. In this way it will be easier for students to work together with their project groups. In the past UReka has already brought up this option to the University, but the policy for empty lecture rooms was not developed. We will continue looking into possibilities of providing lecture room spaces for students group work.

Despite the university’s planned budget cuts, multiple renovations of university buildings are being planned and executed to bring the UT’s buildings up to modern standards. After the success of the new Langezijds building, UReka supports these renovations where possible. It should be kept in mind that some study facilities will no longer be available during the renovations, and the renovations should be planned accordingly to ensure enough study spaces remain available. During these renovations, UReka believes that it is a good opportunity to implement Homebase-style study spaces and flexibly usable lecture rooms, as mentioned above.

UReka strives for students to actively work on campus. One of the unique selling points of our University is the campus and the possibility for students to develop themselves in a designated space. Working on campus and being there allows students to inspire each other with their innovative ideas and offers beneficial aspects to their social development. Moreover, project work, student engagement, and student entrepreneurship thrive through creative collaboration on campus. We support initiatives that pull students towards engaging with student life on and around campus.

One of the University of Twente’s key strengths is its vibrant and green campus. We believe it is essential to preserve these green spaces to maintain a relaxed atmosphere for students and staff and to safeguard their well-being. Green areas offer space for lunch walks and the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy good weather, contributing to both mental health and a pleasant campus experience. In times where expansion of university facilities and housing is necessary, it is important to protect the greenness of our campus.

UReka will work towards getting the University to involve the student perspective in maintaining and upgrading the campus, to create an environment where everyone can thrive. Each year the University develops new points of improvement to enhance the look and feel of the campus, but new additions to our campus are often carried out with little input from students. This not only leads to possible dissatisfaction among those who spend most of their study life on the campus, it is also a missed opportunity to not use the experience, inspiration, and creativity of students, for example in art works, infrastructure, and facilities. Therefore, UReka encourages the UT to take a bottom-up approach in implementing changes to ensure that students’ voices are heard. On matters such as safety, the UT should seek an alignment with the opinions of the students.

We see events on campus as a highly beneficial addition to the vibrant atmosphere of the University, especially those organised by and for students such as the Kick-In, the Batavierenrace party, and the Summer Sounds. Besides student events, festivals like Hardfest and the Liberation Day festival provide a great way to facilitate a stronger connection between the UT and the local community. UReka encourages that these events and new initiatives are organised. However, loud events should be scheduled considerately, avoiding disruptions during exam periods, while still supporting their organization.

The university has embarked on efforts to embrace blended learning, digitalisation, IT resources, and new approaches to teaching, learning, and well-being that are fueled by emerging technologies. Improving our efforts in this regard is essential to staying up-to-date and ensuring continuous educational quality. To maintain our people-first-university approach, it is crucial to monitor developments and remain critical while still being daring enough to reinvent ourselves in an ever-digitalising world. This will help us ensure that we keep the interests of our students and staff in mind at all times.

With the upcoming trends about Artificial Intelligence, it has quickly embedded itself into the day-to-day lives of many students. AI functionality in academics is improving fast and steady, and therefore new tools and services are available for students and teachers. Not only is it in use now, but it will be an ever-growing topic in the future lives of students. Where in the current academic climate, use of AI is considered academic fraud, UReka believes that certain AI tools can enhance learning at the UT. UReka encourages the implementation of robust training on AI usage and citation in assignments, papers, and research. This should improve the visibility of the present AI policy. In tandem, there should also be sessions on the practical as well as ethical uses of AI, in line with the university’s values on learning by teaching.

The university’s digital systems are only useful as long as they can be protected from external threats. Many of the university’s stakeholders are raising concerns about the increasing risk of our cloud providers being compromised by institutions opposed to academic freedom and the rule of law. UReka shares these concerns, and wants to see alternatives to the aforementioned cloud providers be investigated and implemented.

Additionally, seeing that the awareness of dangers from the Internet has been dropping, with many falling for the LISA phishing mail, creating more awareness for the dangers and unintended consequences of AI and other new technologies is key.

At the University different digital solutions are part of students’ daily life and impact the way we work and study. We therefore think that it is crucial to ensure that, if new changes in IT and software are made by the UT, a broad range of students are consulted and included in the decision-making process. Examples of frequently used platforms that were changed where student input could have been valuable are platforms such as the new Osiris website, the new schedule application TimeEdit, or the new minor registration process.

Students at the University rely on different online facilities such as the online library. We want to make sure that these facilities are maintained and made readily available to all students at the University. Furthermore, we also think that it is crucial to evaluate current access to databases for online papers. We believe that the access is currently too limited for the wide range of research and graduation projects carried out at the UT. We, therefore, deem it crucial to encourage the University to enhance the current digital facilities by, for example, expanding the existing online library.

 

Moreover, we must also pay attention to the tools and software utilised within the courses. Thus, it is essential to remain up to date with state-of-the-art software licences in order to ensure students at the University of Twente have access to the latest tools and resources that can enhance their learning experience.

In parallel, we aim to improve the applications used throughout the University to ensure their relevance and smooth functionality in terms of user-friendliness, efficiency, and responsiveness.

We want to facilitate an overall effective provision of online and hybrid lectures, but only when they are necessary. This requires both a general technology proficiency of staff members, as well as fitting support staff, facilities, and equipment. We expect that recording equipment is provided and maintained in all lecture halls and that the provision of lecture recordings will be streamlined. Specifically we envision sufficient facilities and assistance provided on campus, such as Light Boards inside of proper ‘recording rooms’ allowing lectures to create online content as an additional tool. We deem the provision of general workshops on how to design such online content as very crucial and suggest that such opportunities are provided to staff to make effective use of the aforementioned facilities.

UReka sees that the number of active students at the University has been decreasing over the past couple of years. This decline is threatening the organisation of several valuable events such as the Kick-In which had difficulty finding a new committee, the Batavierenrace which had to take an alternate form, and the decline has already taken out CreateTomorrow. Besides that it is also threatening the existence of study associations who are struggling to find boards. Given this undesirable trend, UReka stresses the need for vision and policy to stimulate student engagement. UReka aims to lower the threshold of becoming an active student by encouraging the University to communicate the possibilities of becoming an active student next to your studies. UReka strives for a University that values and encourages student engagement accordingly and makes active students feel appreciated for their efforts.

 

When students want to organize something themselves, it can be a burden for them that they do not know what resources are available to them. UReka finds that the University should make enough spaces available to students to facilitate this extracurricular work, such as meeting rooms which you can book for committee meetings or having enough open working areas where you can confer about an event you are organizing. Additionally, UReka thinks that the University should work on making the resources to organize events easy to find and clearly accessible to all students.

From next year, FOBOS will be reworked and named StOF. UReka wants the university to explain the new system clearly to all students, so all students know what to expect when they qualify for a FOBOS/StOF compensation. UReka will monitor the effects of the change from FOBOS to StOF, by frequently asking associations about this.

 

UReka sees fair compensation for student efforts vital to facilitate and stimulate student engagement at the UT. Therefore the university should increase the FOBOS/StOF programme’s visibility and extend the range of activities eligible for FOBOS/StOF grants, while continuing to evaluate whether the amount of compensation suffices in an ever-changing study climate. Next to this, UReka thinks that other ways of compensating students, for example with EC’s, can also be a good way to reward students for the work they do.

 

UReka will also advocate for a more personal approach with FOBOS/StOF grant distributions. Students are more than just numbers in a system, when looking at the eligibility for a student more than just the first date of registration and the UT should be looked at.

 

The UT should strive to continue its track to achieve its sustainability goals, even under the current financial difficulties, with an added focus on solutions that are both sustainable and cost-saving. For students, this means a need to keep allocating funds to sustainable events and initiatives to facilitate more sustainability in associations and other organisations of the UT. For the UT as a whole, reducing the carbon footprint of international travel and keeping or even expanding elements of sustainability in student projects should be focused on. With previous sustainability related initiatives such as the Sustainability, Energy and Environment programme (SEE) and Green Hub being cut back on, the UT needs to find ways to uphold itself to its sustainability related goals.

UReka strongly advocates for making vegan and sustainable food options the default on campus, starting with expanding the current selection. Prioritising plant-based and environmentally friendly choices can significantly reduce the environmental impact of food consumption at the university. Another key area is waste management. With a change in the waste management provider already underway, UReka supports this development and expects improvements in waste separation and recycling.These measures will not only reduce UT’s environmental footprint but also foster a stronger culture of sustainability across the campus community.

To start, UT should prioritise energy efficiency and actively promote reducing energy usage across all its buildings. This includes optimising lighting, electricity, heating, insulation, and water usage, which in turn reduces utilities costs of the campus. Additionally, UT should aim to increase the percentage of green energy sourced from its energy suppliers. The university should focus on increasing the sustainability of the buildings that are currently being built or renovated and implement sustainability features into future plans concerning the alteration of buildings. Increasing the sustainability in buildings will not only reduce the university’s carbon footprint but also create a more comfortable, sustainable and future-proof environment for students and employees.

UReka represents the students at the UT. This is our task as Faculty and University Council representatives. In order to do so, students should be aware of the existence and role of the councils. UReka wants to make sure all students of the UT can understand what the different councils do and what type of decisions they can influence. This way, UReka strives to get more input from their constituents as it is better known who in participation is responsible for what and who students can contact and talk to when issues arise. We continue to invite associations for coffee dates to introduce us but to also hear about what issues they are experiencing. In addition, last year the University council started the walk-in hours for members of the UT community who have questions. We aim to keep this up and to explore other methods of increasing visibility.

Related to increased visibility is transparent communication. To effectively represent students, it should be clear to the UT community what the council is discussing. Students should be able to assess whether they are properly represented and that the relevant topics are discussed. Concise, understandable, and transparent information provision and an open and proactive communication culture is key in UReka’s view. To pursue more transparent communication, UReka is summarizing the important topics of every meeting cycle and sending these to students in a post on Instagram. UReka will continue this endeavor in the hope to better inform students of the UT.

From UReka’s point of view the university should be transparent about relevant topics that are going on at the university. This is in line with the close UT community. Those topics, including for example faculty or programme re-organisations, budget and changes to the campus, should be communicated to the students. In our opinion the means of communication are also crucial: while using the website and email are a great starting point, more students can be reached using the social media accounts of the UT. We therefore advocate for the UT to communicate to students in a clear and timely manner, especially when changes may affect education of UT’s students.

The Executive Board (EB) makes decisions that include finances, strategy, and academic policy. UReka acts as the students’ voice in decision-making processes, but we believe the Executive Board should do more to involve students in policy processes. The EB may be perceived as “mysterious” or “hidden” by the students. Visibility of the EB, for example through ‘lunches with the Rector’, are events that UReka supports and wishes to see more frequently. By increasing interaction with students, UReka believes students will not only feel more heard, but that they will feel that their opinions are actually listened to more sincerely, resulting in more satisfaction.

A majority of University students struggle with finding the desired information on the UT website and opt to navigate the site by searching through their search engine instead. Despite the UT acknowledging this problem and having reworked the website in the past years, it is still not fit for intuitive use. UReka encourages the UT to effectively rework the website based on student input. More specifically, we envision a tailored website experience, based on people’s role in relation to the University (e.g. student, researcher, lecturer, business). Important information for students should be easily accessible, such as information about exam regulations, psychologists, career services, or housing and not hidden within a muddled web of submenus.

The UT is filled with various initiatives, organised by different working groups, associations, and other organisations. It frequently occurs that different parties are working on a connected or very similar project, but are not in contact with each other. As UReka, we see it as the task of the Executive Board to improve coordination, alignment, exchange and help with centralization of different initiatives. This not only fosters fruitful collaboration but additionally creates a transparent overview, allowing students to raise new initiatives and make use of available resources efficiently across the UT. Facilitating this should be done in close collaboration with all involved parties, ensuring that student perspectives are incorporated.

UT should also facilitate student initiatives that aim to improve the university. UReka especially observes that many students have great ideas, but exactly how to initiate and realise them, is still unclear to them. Therefore, UReka desires more clarity on that, to make it easier for students to work out their initiatives together with the UT. UReka itself is always open for ideas and student initiatives and connects students with the right UT departments and employees when we receive student input.

UReka sees the goal of company collaborations to provide career orientation and to secondarily self-development to students. The university should provide all the support student-organised career related events, such as Student Career Services, Businessdays, Create tomorrow, symposia and others, need.

 

Moreover, UReka encourages more practical forms of collaboration, such as company visits, trainings, workshops, and CV checks, as these are of great value to students’ career development.

 

Finally, UReka strives to encourage entrepreneurship by students, which can be realised by committing ourselves to ensuring students’ ownership over their ideas. This can be done by supporting the Incubase, DesignLab, UT Challenge, and other existing start-up structures for young entrepreneurs at UT, where students are able to further learn the skills and make use of resources they may need for starting their own entrepreneurships.

Both letters in the abbreviation ‘UT’ are of equal importance to UReka. Not only are we a University, but we also hail from Twente and find it important that our University can benefit the region. In particular, we must closely collaborate with Kennispark since it provides a place for starters and start-ups to develop themselves after their studies and is therefore crucial to keeping talent in Twente and stimulating the local economy.

 

In addition, we have a close connection with our German neighbours in the EUregio with whom we should also collaborate with. For example, entry-level internships and the possibility for thesis assignments with German partners may be encouraged for UT students.

 

As a societal stakeholder UT has the responsibility to contribute to empowering local citizens, increasing the trust in science, and facilitating stronger interaction between academia and society. The DesignLab, Techmed, as well as current initiatives regarding Life long learning (LLL) should continue to have a priority next to the main tasks of Teaching & Research as they provide clear societal value to the region.

For years there has been an ongoing discussion about commercial collaborations with the fossil fuel industry and defense industry, and whether the university as a knowledge institution should have stricter guidelines regarding these. UReka believes that the university should create clear guidelines with its company collaborations, in line with the values it aims to uphold. The actions needed to follow these guidelines must then be clearly communicated to its departments, student associations/organizations, HR, and the like.

UReka believes that international students are an essential part of the University’s community life. Considering the recent changes in national policy that directly affect the university’s international student population, we must actively protect and strengthen the sense of belonging that international students in UT feel. We believe UT should continue providing better integration and onboarding support from day one, giving clearer guidance on how to get started in the Netherlands, housing, Dutch healthcare, and legal matters. This orientation should be continuous, and not limited to the introduction week.

 

Moreover, the university should support events that aim to strengthen the international community in the university, and provide regular (email) updates on policy matters affecting international students. The university should also advocate for structured well-being surveys or check-ins for international students after specific time periods.

 

Finally, in terms of career preparation and life after studies in the Netherlands, UReka supports initiatives such as the Employability of International Students minor. We aim to keep student talent in Twente; even after graduation. We will encourage projects that help students integrate within the regional culture surrounding our beautiful campus.

The University of Twente has seen both an increase and decrease in student numbers over the last couple of years. UReka acknowledges that student influx remains unpredictable. However, small scale education, interactive learning, and personal contact is what the University advertises, and why a lot of students choose the UT. UReka believes that the university should stick to this vision whether the student population grows or shrinks. It is important to maintain the teacher to student ratio, is consistent across the different studies and or relevant to the nature of the course. To ensure that the needs and desires of students are met, student input as well as clear communication from faculty should be prioritized in these plans.

Over the past couple of years, the University has seen a major variation in the student numbers, despite rapid growth in the years prior. The University aims to sustain a stable student influx. UReka stands behind this, but sees the variation in student numbers as an indication that the University needs to reconsider its marketing strategy. Considering the current political vision, stimulating national rather than international student influx, UReka believes the University should work on spreading its name among prospective students in the Netherlands, while remaining open to international students by marketing abroad to the extent that this is still possible. UReka believes that a re-evaluation of the setup of the UT open days is necessary.

 

Furthermore, UReka aims to maintain collaborations with universities and research centers in the Netherlands such as the Radboud and the VU. UReka appreciates the continuous efforts of Pre-U and urges the University to continue spreading its name in high schools across the Netherlands. UReka encourages a consistent, comprehensive marketing strategy within the Netherlands to ensure the University spreads its name and sustains its size for years to come.

Changing legislation, reduced funding, and shifting public opinion about higher education institutions are creating uncertain times for Dutch universities. In this context, UReka emphasizes the importance of the UT remaining true to its core identity. A strong campus culture, student-driven initiatives, and active student involvement are central to what makes the UT unique. UReka believes that especially in these uncertain times, the UT must continue to prioritize excellence in education and maintain its small-scale, personal learning environment. These values are not only key to student success but are also what set the UT apart and should be protected in discussions regarding the future of this university.

Over the past years the budget of UT has come under increased pressure due to a decline in new student enrollments and rising costs. Consequently, decisions have had to be made about what to continue and what to scale down. This led to re-organisations in two of the university’s faculties and substantial changes to the overall financial culture of the university. These events brought a lot of uncertainty and stress to both staff and students. UReka believes that despite the challenges we face as a university, our community and achievements should be resilient. Thus, the quality of education as a primary job of the university should be maintained at high quality, while the community is supported through clear communication and set performance expectations.

One of the measures that has been taken is scaling down the number of teaching assistants. Ureka believes that the quality of education should not suffer. Therefore, we try to keep in touch with representatives of all studies to keep a close eye on this matter. Next to that, the opening hours of the Bastille were reduced, which resulted in the university library becoming overcrowded during exam weeks. In response, Ureka successfully advocated for extending the Bastille’s opening hours during these critical periods.

 

When measures like this are taken, the university should communicate this clearly and transparently, to ensure that students and staff know what to expect.

UReka is committed to ensuring that the budgetary measures do not compromise essential aspects of education and student life. Next to its many inherent benefits, the lively student- and campus community are unique selling points of the UT and are thus crucial to maintaining a healthy influx of students.

 

Our first focus point is to ensure that the compensation for active students stays sufficient to facilitate students to be active next to their studies. UReka wants to make sure that — if the new FOBOS system is introduced — this will still be the case. To do this, UReka will stay in contact with the active student to monitor this transition. Secondly, our focus is on making sure large student organised events get the support they need, since they provide an immense value to the university at large. Examples of these include the Kick-in, Create Tomorrow and symposia.