The Future of Introduction Week for Students is Under Pressure. This is partly due to financial groups and a shortage of Volunteers. Organizations Tell Nu.nl That intro Week in Their Current Form May Not Be Sustainable.
The Financing of Introduction Week Varies per city. One Organization’s Board Relies More on Subsidies from, For Example, The University, While Another Raises More From Ticket Sales and Sponsoring.
But Most Organizations Tell Nu.nl That They Still Experience Financial Stress. Among Others, The Kei-Week (Groningen), The Bruisweeken (Zwolle), The Uit-Week (Utrecht), The Eurekaweek (Rotterdam), The Intreweek (Amsterdam) and Inkom (Maastricht) Say They Experience Financial Pressure to a Greater Or Lesser Extent.
The Reasons for this vary per introduction week. Most organizations say that they are struggling with rising costs, eSpeciate the Corona Pandemic. This groups deals with Companies or Permits, the Organization of the Uitweek, For Example, Knows. “That could Become a problem in the future.”
‘To the Background on the Financial Agenda’
In Addition, A Number of Organizations Cite The Cuts in Education as a Cause. Educational Institutions Are An Important Source of Funding for Many Introduction Weeks. Because schools Receive Less Money, there is also less moneyable for the intro week.
“We Notice That We Are Moving To The Background On The Financial Agenda, Especial at The Educational Institutions That Are Of Course Struggling With Cuts,” Says the Organization of the Kei Week. The Intro Week in Zwolle Recognizes That Problem: “Educational Institutions Must Be Able To Properly Account for Expenses for Introduction and You See A National Trend That Are Cuts Within The Institutions,” According to the Organization of the Bruise Weken.
Not Everywhere is that the case. El Cid in Leiden, for example, is self-sufficient. This mean that the organization manages on Ticket Sales and Sponsors, and Therefore does not rely on subsidy money. That also applies to entrance in Maastricht. “We get by From Ticket Sales, Sponsors and Income From, For Example, Beverage Sales,” Says the Organization. However, entrance Recognizes The Rising Costs, which Puts Pressure on the Budget.
Other intro week’s have confidence in the educational institutions that provide subsidies. Leip! In Leeuwarden Says That the Budgets for next year are already in place and is positive about the editions after that. The Aid Says That The Wageningen University & Research (WUR) Considers The Introduction Week “Very Important” and That There Are No Cuts Yet.
Lack of Volunteers Further Increases The Pressure
In Addition to Financial Concerns, Virtualy All Introduction Week Are Struggling with a Shortage of Volunteers. “Students Want To, But Cannot Financless,” Explains Sarah Evink. She is Chairman of the Intercity Student Consultation (ISO), which representents the interests of some 800,000 students. Organizing an introduction week take time and does not yield as much as a side job.
More and More Students Are Therefore Chosing Eggs for Their Money, Evink Explains. “Studying Has Become Increasingly Exensive in recent years. The Basic Grant is Going Down, The Interest On Student Loans is Rising Sharply and Students are also Paying More and More Tuition Fees,” She Says.
The result is that it is Becoming Increasingly Difficult for Boards of Introduction Week to Fill All Places. Halved is in Rotterdam, The Board of the Eurekaweek. In Maastricht and Utrecht, Among Others, The Organization had to be Changed. Evink sees that it is mainly a financial trade-off for students. “As soon as Money Becomes available, you see students signing up and masse.”
Fear That Introduction Week Will Have To Shrink or Even Disappear
The Lack of Financial Resources and the Volunteer Shortages mean that a number of boards have already had to revise the introduction program. In a number of cities, boards just that in the long term, just like in Den Bosch, the intro week can no longer be organized at all.
That would be a huge shame, evink thinks. Social Activities Such As Introduction Week Are Extremely Important For The Mental Health of Students. Accordance to the Trimbos Institute, This is Already Under Pressure Due to Performance Pressure and Stress That Students Experience.
Evink Thinks It is a pity that the performance pressure is so high. “Students experience huge pressure to graduate as quickly as possible,” she explains. A board year or activities for Student Associations Can Cause Study Delay. “But if students take longer to study, that is not understood,” she explains.
Accordance to her, the experience that students gain duration a board year is very valuable. “It’s good for your network and it looks good on your resume,” She says. “This child of work gives a lot of self-development. And you take that with you to your next employer.”