De Vrije Student (DVS)

De Vrije Student is known for its unconventional and pragmatic approach, its focus on improving the study environment and student facilities, and its core values of quality education, flexibility, and academic freedom. Additionally, the party advocates for more transparency and efficiency in university governance.

DVS is organized within a national umbrella. Through collaboration and central coordination, De Vrije Student can find the most enthusiastic and talented candidates for the student councils.

With its fresh approach and focus on concrete results, DVS has had a lasting impact on student life in Amsterdam, Groningen, and Utrecht, demonstrating that students have a significant voice in local politics.

Click on any motion below to see the parties explination

The UvA should offer free menstrual products at each campus

Agree

DVS believes that everyone should have access to menstrual products. People do not choose to menstruate, and when someone is financially disadvantaged, they should not be without the necessary menstrual products. Providing menstrual products should be primarily a government responsibility, according to DVS. However, this is not the reality, and therefore the UvA should facilitate this. Additionally, the costs for the UvA to facilitate this are relatively low.

All lectures should be available online for everyone

Fully agree

DVS believes it is important to promote students' freedom and ensure free access to education. By making all lectures available online, students have more opportunity and freedom to determine when and where they study. This can be especially useful for students with jobs and other obligations.
Moreover, online access to lectures can increase access to education for students who are geographically limited, for example, due to distance or mobility issues. This contributes to a more inclusive learning environment and gives students more flexibility. Offering classes online can also be a solution for students who cannot find accommodation in or around Amsterdam.

As a way to curb the growth of the university, Dutch language courses should be a mandatory part of all programs

Disagree

DVS applauds the provision of free Dutch language courses to all international students interested in them. DVS encourages international students to learn Dutch as it will enhance their interaction with fellow citizens and significantly increase their chances of finding employment in the Netherlands.
However, DVS stands for an inclusive university. Mandating the completion of a Dutch language course as part of every program may lead to the exclusion of non-Dutch-speaking students. Therefore, DVS believes that the choice to take language courses should be left up to the students.

The university should stop the prioritisation of students from outside the EU in regard to the university provided student housing

Agree

DVS believes that the UvA should reduce the priority given to non-EU students. This creates unequal treatment among students.
The housing shortage in Amsterdam is a growing problem, and prioritising non-EU students exacerbates this shortage. It is important for the university to adopt a fair and balanced policy when allocating student housing.

There should be mandatory attendance for tutorials

Disagree

DVS disagrees with this statement. To promote participation and attendance in tutorials, a lecturer should incorporate more participation assignments in the form of debates/interactive activities in the tutorials. Attending a tutorial should be motivated by the intrinsic motivation of interactive learning experiences, not by obligation. A student should be free to choose whether to attend tutorials and is responsible for attending all assessment moments.

The UvA should address problems such as systemic overwork and bad working conditions among its teachers by giving out more permanent contracts

Agree

DVS believes that teachers who have certainty and freedom can fully focus on providing high-quality education. It is essential to recognise that teachers make an invaluable contribution to education and that their well-being should not be compromised.

The executive board of the university should be elected through an open election by the students and worker’s body

Disagree

According to DVS, good governance is essential for a good university. It is important to ensure that the university's governance represents not only the interests of students and staff but also the broader mission and objectives of the institution. A qualitative selection of the board, with representation from various areas of expertise and stakeholders, is essential in this regard.

Additionally, open elections may have low turnout, so a decentralized selection process is more suitable for finding and selecting capable candidates. To keep the selection process democratic, an independent selection committee with stakeholders, for example, can be established.

Student & Workers Councils should have the final say in policy decisions

Disagree

DVS believes that student and enterprise councils should not have veto power over policy decisions. This authority rests with the UvA's board. Through the participation councils, the board is scrutinized and can be persuaded to consider alternative perspectives through dialogue.

All food options should be plant based by default

Fully disagree

DVS believes that freedom of choice should be maintained. While promoting plant-based eating is inherently positive, other food options should also be available to respect freedom of choice.
We do believe that offering plant-based food options is a good way to normalize and encourage plant-based eating.

The UvA should give more training to the teaching assistants

Agree

DVS believes that providing more training to teaching assistants can result in improved communication with students, better understanding of individual learning needs, and more effective support. This investment would enhance the overall quality of education and positively impact students' learning experience.

The University must prioritise active diversity policies, including decolonization

Disagree

DVS advocates for a diverse university with equal opportunities for everyone. There are various ways to pursue diversity.

Part of active diversity policies includes diversity quotas, where a certain percentage of employees are targeted. This results in individuals being selected not based on merit, but on gender or ethnicity. Instead of quotas, universities should strive for equal opportunities for all, regardless of background, by offering outreach programs, mentoring, and education. This can help improve access to education for underrepresented groups without the need for rigid quotas. Ultimately, this will lead to a truly diverse and inclusive university community where all students can thrive based on their merits and talents.

More investment is needed in interdisciplinary education (providing students with more than just one perspective on a particular subject, such as is done in honours, PPLE or IIS programs)

Agree

DVS aims to advocate for more investment in interdisciplinary education. In the current job market, the ability to think across disciplines and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds and expertise has become increasingly important. DVS emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary education in promoting innovation and creativity, and believes that more resources could be allocated to programs such as honors, PPLE, or IIS. However, this should not come at the expense of investments in traditional studies.

All board members of study associations should receive equal financial support from the University

Disagree

DVS believes that the grants for board members of study associations should correspond to the amount of time each individual board member puts into their work. If the workload of each board member is equal, then the grant for it can also be equal.

When there is a concrete difference in workload/pressure between different board positions, the grants do not have to be equal.

The Binding Study Advice (BSA) should be abolished

Disagree

DVS believes that the BSA (Binding Study Advice) threshold may be lowered or that certain personal circumstances warranting leniency (resulting in a student not meeting the BSA requirements) could be handled more compassionately. The BSA serves as one of the few objective measures to assess student performance. Therefore, it is not advisable to completely abolish the BSA.

Calling the police is an appropriate response by the university to deal with student protests and demonstrations

Agree

The right to protest is of utmost importance to us. However, sometimes this may conflict with the academic obligations and the open academic debate of fellow students who are not participating in the protest. Protests should not obstruct access to education, and (fire) safety must be ensured for all students present. The UvA should operate with clear protocols to de-escalate such disproportionate protests. If demonstrators do not cooperate, the university should have the ability to involve the authorities.

The UvA should cut ties with fossil fuel companies like Shell

Disagree

DVS believes that completely severing ties is pointless and does not promote the energy transition. However, clear agreements must be in place to ensure the quality and integrity of such collaborative research. If researchers at the UvA can genuinely contribute to the transition to green energy through funding from fuel companies, this should only be encouraged. Sensibly on the path to a sustainable world.

Programs should have the sole responsibility in deciding whether they teach in Dutch or in English

Fully agree

DVS believes that the quality of education should always take precedence.
In the context of education quality, programs should have the autonomy to decide in which language the best education can be delivered. Lectures given by a teacher who does not speak English or Dutch fluently compromise the quality of education.

Admission to programs with a limited student capacity should be based on selection procedure rather than random selection through a lottery system

Agree

DVS prefers the selection procedure over the lottery system. Although such a procedure can be very demanding, it is the most fair. Students who demonstrate passion and competence for the respective program deserve their place through this process. This ensures that each spot in the program is filled by a willing student.

Having a physical accessibility university that provides equitable education for it’s students is a priority for the University

Fully agree

The university should strive for accessible facilities and support services. By focusing on physical accessibility and inclusive education, the UvA can strengthen its role as a leader in equal opportunities.

The canteen should be deprivatized

Neutral

In the canteen, the goal should be to provide the best possible food for the best price. Whether this is achieved through a privatized or 'de-privatized' canteen does not matter to DVS.
A privatized canteen should lead to a system of fair competition, resulting in the best price. To ensure fair competition, diversity of providers should be taken into account.

The UvA should invest in more accessibility for students with functional limitations as well as sensitivity towards these students

Agree

For students with physical disabilities, more investment should certainly be made to ensure they have equal access to the UvA as other students.

For students with mental disabilities, the UvA provides many resources (such as courses, extra time, and accommodations during exams, etc.). DVS is pleased to note that the UvA is already working to improve the opportunities for this group of students.

Furthermore, DVS prefers to focus on the potential of students with disabilities. We find the term "sensitive" inappropriate here, as we do not want to give this group of students the impression that they are disadvantaged.

It is the government’s responsibility to provide mental health support for students. Therefore, the university should not spend extra resources on this

Disagree

DVS believes that universities can support students more effectively and efficiently than the government. The national government is at a greater distance from the student than the university. Although the government is responsible for the well-being of students in many respects and should also allocate resources for mental health, the university can allocate these resources more targetedly.

Students wishing to take honours courses should be able to do so based on their motivation, regardless of their grades

Disagree

Grades are an objective measure of these performances and provide a reliable indication of someone's ability to handle complex academic tasks. DVS believes that the honors program should not only be a reward for motivation but also a recognition of academic achievements. If the honors program is solely based on motivation, this could compromise its academic integrity and diminish its value.
Furthermore, ignoring grades may pose the risk of admitting students who may not possess the necessary academic skills to successfully complete the program

The university should be allowed to limit the number of international students

Agree

DVS is proud of the University of Amsterdam's position on the international academic stage, partly thanks to all the international students studying at our institution. DVS believes that although it is currently not necessary to restrict, the university should retain the ability to regulate the number of international students in response to increasing pressure on facilities and housing.

The Numerus Fixus should be used to stopthe growth of the university

Neutral

At DVS, the quality of education is paramount. When the quality of education declines due to the growth of a program, the Numerus Fixus system is the most appropriate solution to maintain quality. However, we want to encourage the UvA to strive for more innovative solutions instead of repeatedly resorting to the Numerus Fixus system.

Student councils should support occupations as a legitimate means of protest at the university

Disagree

Occupations are a powerful and radical tool. They lead to serious disruption of university operations. This can cause tensions within the university community and hinder the institution from carrying out its core tasks. A participation body is there for all its stakeholders. Using a means that is inherently aimed at seriously hindering a part of the stakeholders, for goals that are sometimes not widely supported within the community, should not be justified by student councils. Additionally, occupations often incur high costs, which the academic community has to bear.

The UvA should involve students in long term plans for study spaces and teaching facilities according to the expected changes in student population

Agree

DVS believes that involving students in long-term plans for study spaces and educational facilities is important to ensure that the university meets the needs and expectations of its students, especially considering the expected increase in diversity in the student population.

The university lacks sufficient readily accessible gender-neutral toilets

Agree

It is important for universities to strive for an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere where all members of the community feel welcome and respected. Increasing access to gender-neutral toilets is an important step in this direction. There should be sufficient access to gender-neutral toilets in every UvA building.

Academic freedom is the most important value to uphold for a university

Agree

Academic freedom is a core value for DVS. Researchers, teachers, and students must be free to express thoughts, explore new ideas, and discuss controversial viewpoints without fear of censorship, punishment, or repercussions. Academic freedom is crucial for scientific progress; even non-conforming thoughts should be allowed to be expressed, enabling the demonstration of their falsehood and promoting truth-seeking. It fosters intellectual diversity and enables universities to play an active role in promoting societal engagement and change. We believe that academic freedom goes hand in hand with values such as diversity and social safety.