Photo WUR Universities and colleges should no longer offer cheap sports facilities. Otherwise they distort the market, says education minister Eppo Bruins.
Educational institutions may not freely use public funding for private activities. Sports facilities are such a private activity, according to the minister. The same, incidentally, applies to canteens and cultural facilities. Universities may invest in them, but the price paid by students and employees must be in line with the market. That is usually not the case now.
Government funding
For years, academic and applied universities have had their own sports facilities, where students and staff can play sports cheaply. Until now, this was allowed because sports contribute to the mental and physical well-being of students and staff. Bruins wants to curb this as of next year. Cheap sports will then be seen as unauthorized government funding.
University association UNL opposes the new interpretation of the rules on behalf of the universities. According to UNL, a sports card for students can cost as much as 700 euros. Such a sports card now costs 120 euros per year at WUR.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
