The Board indicated that, together with the Faculty Board, it will study the taskforce’s recommendations in more detail over the coming week in order to reach a guiding decision on whether the proposed decision needs to be revised or adjusted. By 18 November, it will be clear whether and in what direction further steps will be taken. The advisory report will also be made public at that time.
The Taskforce Earth Sciences was established following an exploration by an external consultancy to advise whether new information and developments, including external input from stakeholders, provide grounds to reconsider or amend the proposed reorganisation of the Department of Earth Sciences. To reach a sustainable and broadly supported solution, not only experts but also content specialists, including staff and students, were involved in the process, along with representatives of participatory bodies and external stakeholders.
Marcel Nollen, Vice-Chair of the Executive Board, recognises that the ongoing uncertainty about the future weighs heavily on everyone involved, and stresses that all efforts are focused on providing clarity about the future of Earth sciences research and education as soon as possible.“This is a long and difficult process that involves, on the one hand, a substantial budget reduction and, on the other hand, calls from stakeholders to preserve essential knowledge, all while having a major impact on valued colleagues who are deeply committed and passionate about their field. We must make a balanced assessment in order to arrive at a sustainable and broadly supported solution. The advice is an important step in this process. As a Board, we are grateful to the Taskforce, the Department of Earth Sciences, the participatory bodies, the stakeholders, and the Faculty Board for their commitment and involvement.”
Updates on new developments will be posted on VU.nl.