AUAS: Government coronavirus entry pass plans impossible

The proposed legislation restricts the accessibility of higher education for all students and poses a major enforcement issue. The AUAS joins the protest by The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (Vereniging Hogescholen) and the Universities of the Netherlands (Universiteiten van Nederland) against implementing the coronavirus entry pass in this manner. Deploying the 'corona check' is unmanageable and time-consuming. It would mean that thousands of students will have to be checked at many different locations simultaneously.

Impossible assignment

Chair of the AUAS Executive Board, Jopie Nooren: “This bill is an impossible assignment. Online classes are not a viable alternative to face-to-face education. Moreover, teachers cannot teach a double curriculum, they are already stretched to the limit. We hope that the House of Representatives will not accept the amendment in its current form.” Getting together in person is vital for students. The Mental Health Monitor (Dutch information) shows that more than half of students experience psychological distress during corona, caused by loneliness, stress and academic pressure. At the AUAS we do our best to support students."

Keep discussions going

The Executive Board understands that staff and students are concerned about the growing number of infections. Jopie Nooren: "Restrictive measures are necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This leads to uncertainty and unrest. We are aware of the tensions between people and various groups who have different opinions and perspectives. Rather than magnifying what divides us, we at the AUAS wants to focus on what connects us. Let us engage in conversation about what is possible within the framework of conditions that enable education to continue."