De Vrije Student

De Vrije Student (DVS) has been an active and reliable student party within the representative bodies of the University of Amsterdam for over ten years. We are committed to high-quality education, genuine academic freedom, student choice, and a university where substance takes priority over symbolism.

DVS is a liberal student party that believes real change within the university is achieved through constructive dialogue with the administration, not through occupations or disruption. We believe students should make an impact through reason, debate, and well-founded proposals.

Our core values include:

Genuine academic freedom. Not a symbolic phrase or political tool, but a fundamental value. For us, it means protecting the space for critical thinking, open discussion, and working with the university administration to secure meaningful freedom of thought.

Education as the university’s core task. Funding should go to teaching quality, lecturers, and study facilities – not ideological side projects.

Free Dutch language classes for international students. Integration starts with language; we want all students to feel at home in Amsterdam.

Flexible, future-oriented education. No mandatory attendance policies, but room to excel and prepare for a successful career.

A safe and open campus. Protesting is a right, but vandalism and intimidation are unacceptable.

Constructive student representation. We focus on content and results, not symbolic politics. We aim for tangible improvements in student life and education.

DVS stands for an open, forward-thinking university that welcomes a diversity of perspectives. We believe students deserve education that truly helps them grow – and we work every day to make that a reality.

Click on any motion below to see the parties explination

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 flexibility to decide when and where to study. This is especially helpful for students with jobs or other obligations.
Additionally, online access to lectures can increase educational accessibility for students who are geographically limited, for example due to distance or mobility issues. Offering courses online can also help students who are unable to find housing in or around Amsterdam.

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

Neutral

Interdisciplinary education is valuable and deserves attention, but it should not be structurally prioritised over regular programmes. It is important for students to learn to think beyond the boundaries of their own field. Collaboration between faculties can contribute to broader perspectives and innovation. De Vrije Student supports further development of interdisciplinary education, provided it does not come at the expense of funding and quality in existing monodisciplinary programmes.

The UvA should place greater emphasis on protecting and promoting academic freedom

Fully agree

Academic freedom is a core value for De Vrije Student. Researchers, lecturers, and students must be free to express their thoughts, explore new ideas, and discuss controversial viewpoints without fear of censorship, punishment, or repercussions. Academic freedom is essential to scientific progress: even incorrect ideas must be allowed to be expressed so that their falsehood can be demonstrated and the pursuit of truth is advanced. It promotes intellectual diversity and enables universities to play an active role in fostering social engagement and change.

The Binding Study Advice (BSA) should be abolished

Disagree

De Vrije Student is against the abolition of the binding study advice (BSA). The BSA helps students to reflect on their study choice in a timely manner and prevents unnecessary study delays. It provides clarity and structure for both students and programmes. However, we believe the BSA should be applied reasonably, with consideration for personal circumstances.

The UvA should take a firm stance against the government’s cuts in higher education

Neutral

De Vrije Student believes the quality of higher education should not suffer due to budget cuts, but is cautious about symbolic politics. The university should advocate for its interests, but in a careful and substantive way. Taking a firm stand only makes sense if it is accompanied by strong arguments and dialogue with policymakers. At the same time, the UvA must remain critical of its own spending and prioritise resources for high-quality teaching and research

The Numerus Fixus (a limitation in the number of students admitted) should be used to stop the growth of the university

Agree

De Vrije Student sees the numerus fixus as a necessary and fair tool to safeguard the quality of education and manage uncontrolled growth. When programs become too large, personal guidance suffers, facilities become overstretched, and the connection to the labor market weakens. Selection through numerus fixus offers more transparency and predictability than random lotteries, where motivated students may unfairly miss out. By steering intake numbers deliberately, the university prevents students from bearing the consequences of overcrowded lecture halls and overstretched teaching staff.

Calling the police should be an appropriate response to deal with student protests and demonstrations at the university

Agree

The right to protest is fundamental and must be protected, including within the university. However, that right ends where the safety of others or property is at risk. When protests escalate into vandalism, intimidation, or obstruction of education, the university must act decisively. In such cases, involving the police is justified. Protest is allowed – but always within the boundaries of the law.

Peaceful occupations should be considered as a legitimate means of protest at the university

Disagree

Peaceful occupations are not a legitimate form of protest within the university. They disrupt education, block access to buildings, and infringe on the rights of other students and staff. There are plenty of ways to express opinions without bringing academic processes to a halt. The university should provide space for protest, but never in a way that undermines its functioning.

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 planning for study spaces and educational facilities is important to ensure the university meets the needs and expectations of its students, especially given the increasing diversity of the student population.

All food options should be plant based by default

Fully disagree

De Vrije Student is firmly against making all food options plant-based by default. Students and staff should be free to choose what they eat. While promoting plant-based options is fine, it should not come at the cost of freedom of choice. A varied offering that caters to everyone fits a diverse and open university better.

The UvA should cut ties with Israeli institutions

Disagree

De Vrije Student is against automatically severing ties with Israeli institutions. International cooperation is vital for academic progress and should not be dictated by political pressure or ideological boycotts. The UvA has an ethics committee that reviews each partnership based on human rights and academic integrity. Only in cases of clear, serious ethical concerns should collaboration be reconsidered. Academic diplomacy is more effective than exclusion: by engaging in dialogue and sharing knowledge, the university can help foster change.

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

Disagree

De Vrije Student does not believe student and employee councils should have veto power over policy decisions. That responsibility lies with the university’s executive board, which must consider long-term interests and the bigger picture. Councils should be able to advise, approve where appropriate, and provide oversight, but not govern. Good participatory governance enables councils to hold the board accountable and improve decisions through dialogue.

The UvA should offer free menstrual products at each campus

Agree

DVS believes that menstrual products should be accessible to everyone. Menstruation is not a choice, and no one should have to go without essential hygiene products due to financial constraints. While providing these products should ideally be a responsibility of the government, this is unfortunately not yet the case. Therefore, DVS finds it reasonable for the UvA to step in and offer them in the meantime. The cost to the university is relatively low, while the positive impact on students’ well-being can be significant.

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 academic performance and provide a reliable indication of a student’s ability to handle complex academic tasks. De Vrije Student believes that the honours programme should not only reward motivation but also recognise academic achievement. If the programme were based solely on motivation, it could undermine its academic integrity and reduce its value.
Furthermore, ignoring grades carries the risk of admitting students who may not have the necessary academic skills to successfully complete the programme.

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

Disagree

De Vrije Student believes that grants for board members of study associations should reflect the amount of time each individual board member dedicates to their work. If the workload is evenly distributed, then equal compensation is appropriate. However, if there are clear differences in workload or responsibilities between positions, grants do not need to be equal.

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

Agree

De Vrije Student believes the primary responsibility for mental health care lies with the government. Universities are primarily intended for education and research. While mental health is important, structural solutions and funding should come from national institutions such as the GGZ and not from university education budgets.
However, the university can serve a signalling role and seek collaboration with professional care providers.

The UvA Leadership should strongly oppose governments’ policy plans to reduce the number of international students

Disagree

De Vrije Student believes the UvA should not oppose national plans to regulate international student intake on principle alone. International students are welcome and enrich the academic environment, but uncontrolled growth can strain housing, education, and accessibility. It is therefore reasonable for the government to provide guidance on this. At the same time, DVS recognises that some current proposals go too far and pose risks to the international character of the university. The UvA should therefore not take a hardline stance based on principle alone but respond wisely, opposing disproportionate measures that would harm the quality of education and international collaboration.

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

Agree

De Vrije Student opposes the structural prioritisation of non-EU students for university-provided housing. It is unfair that Dutch and EU students, many of whom also face housing shortages, are placed at the back of the queue. Housing should be distributed fairly and transparently, based on need, not nationality.

The UvA should give more training to the teaching assistants

Agree

De Vrije Student supports more training and support for teaching assistants. They play an important role in education and deserve the tools and guidance to perform well. Investing in their development enhances teaching quality and reduces the workload for lecturers. If we expect quality in education, we must invest in the people who make it possible.

Current UvA House Rules should be amended to ensure that students can fully express themselves politically, culturally and socially

Neutral

The UvA’s house rules should align with Dutch law and aim to strike a balance between freedom of expression and the smooth functioning of the university. Within that framework, students should be able to express themselves politically, culturally, and socially. Adjustments to the rules are only necessary if this balance is no longer adequately maintained. Clear guidelines are important to ensure both space for expression and a safe, accessible learning environment for all.

The UvA should cut ties with fossil fuel companies like Shell

Disagree

De Vrije Student is against automatically severing ties with fossil fuel companies such as Shell. Excluding partnerships on principle does not contribute to progress. Collaboration should remain possible under strict conditions and with guarantees of academic independence,particularly when research contributes to knowledge development or the energy transition. What matters most is the quality and integrity of the research, not who the collaboration is with.

The canteen should be deprivatized.

Neutral

What matters to DVS is that the cafeteria offers good food at fair prices. Whether that’s achieved through privatization or de-privatization is less important. A privatized system should promote fair competition, ideally leading to better prices. It’s essential to ensure a diversity of providers and options to meet the needs of all students and staff.

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 a selection procedure over a lottery system. While selection can be demanding, it is the fairest method. Students who demonstrate genuine passion and relevant competencies for a program earn their spot. This ensures that every seat is filled by a motivated student.

The UvA should invest in more accessibility for students with functional limitations, such as guiding lines for people with visual impairment, as well as sensitivity towards these students

Agree

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

The University must prioritise active diversity policies and include decolonial perspectives in the curriculum

Disagree

The Vrije Student stands for equal opportunities and selection based on quality, not identity. Students want to be assessed on their knowledge and skills, not their background or gender. In recent years, the University of Amsterdam’s diversity policy has increasingly leaned on ideologically driven identity thinking, where the focus is no longer on individual merit. This can lead to polarization, undermines scientific principles such as objectivity and falsifiability, and puts pressure on open debate. Diversity can be enriching, but it should stem from equal treatment and academic quality, not be enforced through quotas or curriculum reforms without broad scientific justification.
Decolonial perspectives can certainly offer valuable insights within certain fields, such as anthropology or history, but are not necessarily relevant or applicable to all disciplines.

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

Disagree

De Vrije Student supports free Dutch language lessons for international students and believes the university should actively encourage learning the language. Proficiency in Dutch improves integration and employment opportunities. DVS therefore encourages international students to learn the language.
At the same time, we believe students should be free to choose whether they participate; mandatory language courses do not fit with an open and flexible educational offering.

There should be mandatory attendance for seminars/tutorials

Disagree

De Vrije Student does not support mandatory attendance at seminars, unless the educational format truly requires it. Students should have the freedom to organise their studies in their own way. Mandatory attendance does not reflect the trust placed in their independence. Only when active participation is essential to the learning process, such as in labs or intensive discussion groups, can mandatory attendance be justified. In all other cases, the focus should be on learning outcomes, not physical presence.

The UvA should strive to incorporate a broader range of ideological perspectives into its curricula.

Fully agree

De Vrije Student supports a wider array of ideological and intellectual perspectives in the curriculum. A university is not a place for dogma, but for debate, friction, and the critical examination of ideas, including those that currently dominate. Students deserve education that exposes them to various schools of thought, classical and modern, conservative and progressive. The exclusion of certain viewpoints and marginalisation of dissenting opinions leads to intellectual impoverishment. Not every course has to be neutral, but the overall curriculum must be balanced. Only then are students truly prepared for a world full of conflicting ideas.

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

Agree

De Vrije Student (DVS) advocates a targeted and balanced inflow of international students. They are welcome and enrich the university, but growth should never be at the expense of housing, accessibility or educational quality. International students also experience the inconveniences of these shortages, some even have to discontinue their studies, something that DVS finds very worrying. The university must therefore be given the space to limit the number of international students in programmes where there is a risk of overload, while inflow can be stimulated in sectors where there are shortages on the labour market. Growth must be in line with social needs, not just with international profiling.

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

Agree

The Vrije Student believes that education quality should always come first. Academic programs should therefore have the autonomy to decide in which language they can offer the best education. When a lecturer teaches in a language they are not fully proficient in, it can negatively impact the quality of instruction. At the Faculty of Economics and Business, for example, programs are offered in both Dutch and English. This flexibility allows students to follow education in the language that best suits their preferences and learning process

The UvA should comply with the ethical assessments made by its independent committee on third-party collaborations, including cutting the ties with institutions found to be complicit in human rights violations

Agree

De Vrije Student believes the UvA should, in principle, follow the ethical assessments of its independent committee when engaging in partnerships with external parties, even if that means severing ties. Thorough review of human rights, academic freedom, and ethical risks is essential to safeguard the university’s integrity. However, decisions to end partnerships must be well-founded, transparent, and proportionate. The committee’s judgment should carry significant weight, but should not lead to automatic exclusions without room for dialogue, nuance, and reconsideration if conditions improve.

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

Neutral

Addressing structural overwork and poor working conditions is important, but permanent contracts are not the only solution. De Vrije Student believes that the UvA should offer its lecturers fair working conditions, with attention to workload, career prospects, and education quality. Permanent contracts can contribute to this, but must be weighed carefully against flexibility, educational demand, and financial feasibility. Targeted policies for better support and clear expectations are at least equally essential.

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

Disagree

De Vrije Student opposes open elections for the university’s executive board. Effective governance requires professionalism, experience, and broad expertise, not popularity. Open elections risk low turnout and fragmentation. Instead, DVS supports a careful appointment process with meaningful involvement of students and staff through an independent selection committee. This ensures the board is both capable and representative.

The university lacks sufficient readily accessible gender-neutral toilets.

Disagree

De Vrije Student believes that current facilities, including gender-neutral toilets, are generally adequate. There should always be enough basic amenities for everyone, but that doesn’t mean every building must be fully renovated. The university should monitor accessibility and respond where needed, without going to unnecessary extremes.