Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Avond van Wetenschap & Maatschappij in Leiden, where Minister Eppo Bruins (the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science) spoke about the importance of science and the role that universities play in resolving complex societal issues. The speech felt somewhat disingenuous though given the Dutch government’s decision to cut 1 billion euros per year from higher education and research. At the end of the day, I guess you can’t blame a politician for doing politician things (even if they have a PhD in mathematics and physics).
Instead of commenting on the policies of the Schoof Cabinet, I want to take a moment to think (out loud) about how we got here in the first place and how we can get back on track. For example, I’m curious about why many of the Dutch voters felt the need to vote for parties that – amongst other things – promised to cut funding for higher education and reduce the number of international students above and beyond the over-simplified tripe about their alleged racism and xenophobia.
Within the academic bubble, we talk about how these short-sighted policies are detrimental to the Dutch (knowledge) economy. I realize though that in other bubbles, different conversations are taking place: For instance, I understand that the Dutch farmers were quite frustrated with the Rutte Cabinet’s approach to reducing nitrogen pollution, so their vote was perhaps a retaliatory one. In another bubble, some felt that the government was spending too much on asylum seekers while in others, some felt that the Dutch needed to strengthen their military capabilities and to shore up their missile defense systems. The proliferation of these diverging, ideological bubbles leads me suspect that the Dutch have gone quite tribal (including the academics), focusing on looking after their own interests, while minimizing the needs of others or that of society as a whole.
In times like these, we need more bridge-builders. We also need to reframe the way we think about austerity: It should not be portrayed as a zero-sum game, where everyone is trying to claim as much value as possible for their own; but instead, see it as a value creating opportunity for all.
So where do academics fit into this?
Bridging the Gap between Science & Society
I suppose events like the Avond van Wetenschap & Maatschappij help, given that the point of the evening was to reiterate the “importance of science by showing how scientific research is applied in everyday life”. True to its calling, I met academics there doing very interesting research and leaders of industry curious about them.
There was some discomfort though given that this was a very formal, black-tie event (with a three-course menu plus wine service in the stunning Pieterskerk). Juxtaposed to the budget cuts and the uncertainty that many of our colleagues are facing, the extravagance felt a bit tone-deaf, if not callous. Though to be fair, I suppose there is something to be said for formality and tradition. (The fact that I no longer fit so snugly into my tux likely contributed to my sense of discomfort, but nevertheless, there was something uncomfortably insulated about the event).
Thank you Pamela for letting me tag along to the event!!
Above and beyond these mingling events (and possibly changing the dress code to something more comfy and accessible like sweatpants), the Open Science movement and its aspirations have some promise to bridging the gap between science and society. By incentivizing research findings (and data) to be openly accessible to everyone (as in not behind a publisher’s paywall), the Open Science movement helps make useful knowledge accessible to all: For example, my wife always speaks highly of the Voedingscentrum (Nutrition Center), which is a free and reliable source of information about food backed by science (e.g. what can pregnant moms not eat, when can babies start eating, etc.).
Another way to bridge the gap is for scientists to be better communicators and to engage with the general public more without boring them half to death. Science Europe defines science communication as “the practice of informing, raising awareness of science-related topics, and also getting involved with audiences that include, at least in part, people from outside the science community.” At the Maastricht level, this is carried out through organizations like Studium Generale (who organize lectures and festivals where academics and non-academics can come together to discuss and debate societal issues) or projects like EDLAB’s Premium (where we match high-performing master’s students with clients in the business and government sectors for a specific project).
My suspicion, given how many Dutch voters voted, is that perhaps we – the academics – can do a better job of convincing the general public that what we do matter. That we are working on making things better for society through our research and teaching. Of course, the task of convincing others will now be made more difficult due to the drastic budget cuts, but at least we now have air defense systems, so at least that’s something. (Also, see how annoying paywalls are?!)
The Academic Industrial Complex
Above and beyond open science and better integration of academics with non-academics, the fundamental shift at the root of our disconnect that should be discussed (I think), is the possibility that Dutch academia is transforming from a civil service institution into a hardcore business. Like a corporation, we often talk in terms of bottom lines and the impact of this transformation is that we have commercialized education and commoditized knowledge.
In this corporate environment, the worth of a teacher is no longer being measured by the positive impact we have on our students, but by how many hours we can teach. The worth of a researcher is being measured more and more by the amount of funding that they can secure for the institution. Of course, I’ve over-simplified this for the sake of dramatic effect and initiatives like Recognition & Rewards are trying to reset the scale, but the lingering sentiment (at least for me) is that I am now a cog in the academic industrial complex.
Inside the complex, there are no specific hours allocated for taking time to connect with people, to reach out to the members of the local community, and to build meaningful relationships with non-academics. If we choose to care about others, we do so at our own peril and these draconian budget cuts don’t help us with these important tasks.
Scarcity Drives Creativity?
So what’s the path forward for academics in these uncertain and turbulent times? In short, we will have to bite the bullet and make do with what we have. In other words, keep fighting the good fight so to say. We should try to connect more with people (to the extent possible) and not just villainize those who voted for the budget cuts. In the end, we all strive for self-preservation and when the going gets tough, it’s only normal for people to get tribal and to think more short-term (there is scientific evidence to prove this). But we have to rise above our tribalistic tendencies and remind ourselves that it doesn’t all have to be a zero-sum game.
We should try to raise our voices and push back on the policies to the extent possible (e.g. you can sign a petition for the government not to cut the higher education budget), but at the same time, we have to use our “big academic brains” to find a way out of this predicament. The good news is that scarcity (sometimes) drives creativity and (perhaps) that is how we get back on track. (If I’m starting to sound like a politician trying to sell you a bill of goods, it’s probably because I am. In short, there is nothing good that comes from these frickin budget cuts, but that’s a rant for another time).
In the long scheme of things, the policies that the current government is peddling will likely have repercussions that the members of the cabinet will have to live with down the line. Eventually (and inevitably), a new cabinet will form and the austerity facing us will alleviate, at which point, we can start to repair the damage caused by their policies. Until then, we must soldier on. Thank God for those air missile defense systems!
P.S. For whatever it’s worth, I’m co-moderating the Open Science Festival on the 22nd of June here in Maastricht, where one of the speakers will be Hans de Jonge, the Director of Open Science NL!