De Vrije Student

Disagree
DVS wants to promote more diversity and inclusivity within the UVA. However, we disagree with some of the solutions suggested in the 2016 diversity report. One of the solutions mentioned in the diversity report is diversity quotas. Selecting candidates based on their background or identity is inherently discriminatory. It shifts the focus from what a person has to offer based on their personal achievements, qualifications, and experiences to only characteristics such as color and origin. Better solutions could focus on substantive factors that aim to remove barriers and provide equal opportunities for everyone. Substantive factors that play a role include social-economic circumstances and potential need for support in language and integration. This way, as a university, we can contribute to diversity and inclusivity without polarizing. We share the same opinion regarding the decolonization of the curriculum. The emphasis should be on academic quality. This is more important than adjusting the curriculum to meet the social and political goals of a particular group. The university is a pluralistic environment where different perspectives and ideas are discussed and debated, without excluding or favoring certain opinions or facts. We support the most complete and inclusive educational offer, as long as we do not lose sight of our primary goal: quality of education.INTER

Fully agree
INTER considers that it is one of the main responsibilities of the UvA to acknowledge their colonial history and make an active effort to do better. Given our existing focus on international students, we highly support the initiatives for a more diverse student and staff composition.HUMANS ARE MADE EQUAL

Neutral
First of all, we want to state that HUMANS. is committed to diversity and that inclusion is one of its core values. At the same time we see certain flaws in the proposed motion. While the intentions behind the 'decolonization' of universities may be noble and aim to address historical injustices and promote inclusivity, there are several concerns that suggest it might not be the best approach. It is important to consider these concerns in order to ensure that universities continue to serve as places of learning and knowledge-sharing for all. Loss of academic rigour: One of the main concerns is that 'decolonization' efforts may inadvertently lead to the loss of academic rigour, as they prioritize certain perspectives and texts based on their cultural, racial or political background rather than their intellectual merit. This can undermine the primary goal of universities, which is to advance knowledge through critical inquiry and evidence-based reasoning. Reinforcing stereotypes: 'Decolonization' efforts may inadvertently reinforce stereotypes and cultural essentialism by associating specific knowledge or ideas with particular groups. This can perpetuate the idea that some cultures are inherently more capable or suited to certain types of knowledge, which goes against the universalist ideals of academic inquiry. So while it is important to recognise and address historical injustices and promote inclusivity in higher education, the potential drawbacks of 'decolonization' need to be carefully considered. Alternative approaches, such as promoting intercultural dialogue and critical examination of existing knowledge based on merit, may be more effective in achieving these goals without the risks associated with 'decolonization'.Partij MFAS Bachelor

No opinion
Sefa Student Party

Agree
Sefa Student Party has diversity as one of the most important aspects of its program. We want the University to recognize the harmful effects of its colonial past and work towards actively decolonizing the curriculum. As part of our efforts to promote diversity, we also want to revisit and improve the 2016 Diversity report. The SSP cares deeply about creating a more inclusive and welcoming community on campus for everyone.STEM

Agree
UvASociaal

Fully agree
Diversity has been one of the core pillars of UvAsociaal since 2005, and the first section of our party program is dedicated to this issue. The UvA should definitely prioritise policies such as decolonisation in order to help students develop a wider worldview while also allowing those from different backgrounds feel comfortable at the university. Furthermore, we believe that every person at the UvA should feel included in the policies that are put in place and we will be able to achieve this as we have a large number of Dutch, European and International students running for both CSR and FSR this year.020

Fully agree
020 strives towards more inclusion. Decolonising the course content is an important part of improving education at the University, as it will help remove some of the long-standing biases that exist in many courses. Furthermore, it will encourage students to question their own views, and consider those that they perhaps have not yet been exposed to.EnCore

Agree
Diversity is one of UvA’s greatest strengths, so the UvA should continue to take necessary actions to improve diversity and inclusivity on and around campus.Partij MFAS Master

No opinion
The Founding Students

Neutral
We are not pro or against diversityLIEF

Agree
LIEF does see diversity as an important pointKies ACTA

No opinion
Activistenpartij UvA
