5 months Ago
The proposed rules, put forward by the minister of Education, Eppo Bruins, would involve screening researchers working in 115 high-risk areas of science, including generative AI, gene editing and hydrogen technology. The idea, Bruins said, is to protect the country's national security and economic interests in a world where advanced knowledge is in the crosshairs of foreign powers.
Universities Raise Alarms in Reopening Plans for Cost, and Political, Reasons
It added that the bill is a lot more demanding than the government expects it to be."Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), the umbrella body of Dutch higher education institutes, added: "Universities are concerned about staffing if the bill is changed in its current form. The ministry orders about 8,000 screenings a year, but universities anticipate as many as 20,000, primarily from May to September, when it's busiest.
The government has committed to spending €15 million a year to support the rollout, but universities believe they will require a further €8 million a year plus a one-off capital cost of €32 million.
UNL chairman Caspar van den Berg says: 'This law will not improve the security situation. It is unworkable and will only harm the international standing of our universities."
Sensitive Data and Legal Land Mines Emerge
The policy was initially aimed at non-EU students but had to be extended to prevent legal challenges over discrimination. Now, universities will be left to determine what constitutes "sensitive" for their areas of research, which they say only complicates things and breeds confusion.
Dutch intelligence services have previously sounded the alarm about espionage targeting sensitive research areas, such as military technologies and high-performance computing. But previous such incidents, like the barring of Iranian researchers, have been met with legal action alleging discrimination. Chinese institutions have been accused of providing funding for academic positions and partnerships with Dutch universities, raising additional security considerations.
Yet despite these concerns, university bosses are adamant that blanket testing is not the answer.
The plan, which was floated under the previous government, is unlikely to be fully implemented before 2028, allowing for more discussion and possible alteration.
