BM 66 – Endangered accessibility
ESU supports LSVb in its struggle for accessible higher education. ESU believes that everyone who in one way or another has proven their capacity to enrol in higher education should be able to do so. The accessibility of higher education is vital to make sure that everybody can develop themselves to the best of their abilities.
The continuous introduction of selective admissions into the Dutch higher education system, in tandem with rising financial barriers, endangers the accessibility of higher education in the Netherlands. An increasing number of studies apply the Numerus Clausus and limited opportunities are given to progress from vocational to academic education.
Moreover, higher financial barriers are a threat. Increasing tuition fees, higher tuition fees for specific higher education programmes deemed excellent and the upcoming proposal to remove student grants, are creating great inequity in access to higher education.
ESU calls upon the Dutch government to stop initiatives and policy changes that reinforce elitism and reduce access to higher education.
