UvA Kieswijzer

Diversity in ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, but also in literature and perspectives, is indispensable for the quality of education and the development of academia.

Student party TOF

Fully agree

It is important that the study programmes and programme committees ensure that students become aware of the perspective from which they practice science. Especially establishing diversity in ethnicity, gender and sexual preference amongst staff members deserves extra attention. Curriculum scans can also ensure that the curricula will be decolonized. Although the faculty should encourage and facilitate as many bottom-up initiatives as possible with regard to diversity, this should not be an excuse for not taking up initiative itself. Where programmes fail to make plans themselves, the faculty has to adopt a proactive attitude.

De Vrije Student

Disagree

Diversity is an important topic during meetings of the faculty and central student council. There, according to DVS, good attention is paid to the existing problems concerning diversity. However, DVS does not consider diversity in color, gender and sexual preference to be indispensable for the quality of education and development.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

The University must prioritize active diversification, including decolonisation, as mentioned in the 2016 Diversity Report.

Student party TOF

Fully agree

TOF is of the opinion that the recommendations of the diversity committee must be adopted in its entirety. In practice, the suggestions of the 2016 diversity rapport often remain ideals. TOF therefore believes that practical steps must be taken and that an active role of the UvA is essential to do so. In addition, TOF believes that diversity in knowledge and people go hand in hand: if the curriculum becomes inclusive, it will attract a more diverse population.

De Vrije Student

Disagree

This is not a matter in which the UvA should interfere, keep politics in The Hague separate from the UvA.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

Vegan or vegetarian food - with optional meat options - should be the standard in the canteen, so the University can lead the example in terms of sustainability.

Student party TOF

Fully agree

We cannot claim to be sustainable if meat remains the standard. The bio-industry is one of the biggest polluters on earth, as the UvA we are responsible for more pollution by eating than the emissions of our buildings.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

De Vrije Student

Fully disagree

The university should focus on what the student 'wants', most students think the canteen is far too expensive. Invest in making the canteen cheaper before a symbolic policy is imposed.

Study associations should be encouraged and financially supported by the University.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

Active students need more and better financial support for the important work they do for the faculty and university. Student associations are indispensable links for the social well-being of students at our university.

Student party TOF

Agree

Study associations strengthen the sense of community at this university and also offer a good opportunity for extracurricular activities. For this reason, TOF believes that the UvA should support them financially, certainly when its about subsidizing events like lectures related to the subject of the study programme.

Every student must be able to pay per study point at the UvA (flexible studying).

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

Flexibilisation: students should not have to pay a whole year's tuition fees to obtain only a remaining course. Flex studying is being used more and more as a pilot, De Vrije Student thinks this is a good development and is devoted to make this a standard policy!

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

Student party TOF

Fully disagree

TOF is against flex studying because it leads to the commercialization of education. The faculty should not be a place where students put courses in their shopping carts and pay for them individually. Moreover, courses of a course are not usually isolated, but together form a coherent whole. Because flex studying makes it possible to follow courses in a different order, it can lead to students missing crucial knowledge. Instead of expanding the flex-study pilot, TOF believes that the faculty should conduct research into other good ways of studying part-time. Due to the corona crisis, many students may experience study delay and a solution must be found for them, but TOF thinks that flexible studying is not it. Our faculty is no FEBO.

The University must invest more in sustainability.

De Vrije Student

Agree

A green world is better for everyone. But it has to be done with reason: vegan food shouldn't be imposed on us or become the standard in the canteen.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

Student party TOF

Fully agree

For TOF, sustainability should be a driving force in all UvA policy and should therefore be given a higher priority both at faculty and at central level. The need to become more sustainable is becoming increasingly important and there is not a single person or institution that can deny it. This is why we must strive for a more sustainable UvA on all fronts: the buildings, the canteen, the trips to conferences and the UvA's investments all should be reviewed.

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

Anti-Corona Party

Agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

De Vrije Student

Disagree

The Honour Program is designed for excellent students. The idea of admission based on motivation instead of grades is out of proportion now that there are many other opportunities to develop yourself as a student.

Student party TOF

Fully agree

A grade average says too little about a student to be allowed to serve as the basis for exclusion from honours courses, TOF believes that a student's motivation says much more about the chances of them completing the honours programme.

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 programmes)

Anti-Corona Party

Agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

De Vrije Student

No opinion

Student party TOF

Fully disagree

TOF believes it is up to the ones that know most about education to come up with new programmes: the teachers. Extra investment in interdisciplinarity according to our party must not be a goal in itself, but can be something to invest in if teachers think it will benefit the quality of education at the faculty of humanities. TOF emphasises there is no interdisciplinarity without strong mono-disciplines. Interdisciplinary programmes do not make sense if students are not educated in a monodiscipline, which is why investments in the two should go hand in hand. These investments should be done at a faculty level, where there is room for minors and electives, TOF believes an institute like IIS is not needed.

Programmes should decide for themselves whether English will improve the quality of education.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

Student party TOF

Fully agree

Internationalization is often used for financial reasons only, sometimes at the expense of the quality of education. This should not happen, high quality education always comes first. TOF believes that the teachers and students of the programme itself are most fitted to judge whether using the English language will benefit the quality of education, as they are the experts.

De Vrije Student

Fully disagree

The University is internationalising too quickly.

De Vrije Student

Fully agree

Student party TOF

Agree

Internationalisation became a trend in the Netherlands to attract more students, concluding in a search for more profit. We believe it is beneficial for both Faculty and the University to have international classrooms and Verengelsing can be done when it is found necessary by the programme committee. However, the current strategy of UvA with establishing English programmes to attract more international students, and indirectly more profit, is inhumane both for international students and the programme. Internationalisation puts a lot of pressure on programmes and they should not be rushed with their process of change in language of instruction as verengelsing does not mean internationalization. Moreover, It is known that there is a large shortage of student housing in Amsterdam. Although it is even more difficult for international students to find a room, international recruitment is still done by UvA. The promotion is not realistic: when international students come to Amsterdam, it is often not as promised. TOF believes that the university should stop working with international recruitment agencies as long as the housing shortage has not been resolved and accessibility of the faculty is improved for everyone as important documents are only in Dutch.

Anti-Corona Party

Fully agree

#cutthetuitionfeesinhalf #freezethegradeaverages

Student parties that receive support from external parties, such student associations or national political parties, should be excluded from participating in the student council elections.