The University of Twente's ITC Faculty is a global leader in earth observation, geoinformation, and climate vulnerability research. The reorganization of the faculty was announced in March 2025, following a 14.5% budget cut imposed in October 2024 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development under then-Minister Reinette Klever (PVV)—a known opponent of development cooperation. This reduction aligned with her party’s ideological stance against international aid, rather than evidence-based policy. Now, with Klever’s resignation and the PVV’s exit from government, the future of ITC’s funding is highly uncertain. Pushing ahead with the reorganization is therefore irresponsible:

If the next minister reverses these cuts, ITC will have needlessly lost invaluable staff, only to scramble to rehire later—a devastating blow to stability and morale.

ITC’s staff are already emotionally exhausted. Many fear for their jobs and residency permits, despite the faculty’s strong financial performance. Cuts at ITC threaten excellent and widely recognized research that advances resilient, inclusive, and sustainable living environments worldwide.

We call on the University of Twente’s Executive Board to immediately halt the Type 3 reorganization of ITC. Stop sacrificing world-class science and livelihoods to an ideological agenda!

For more information, read up here:

https://www.utoday.nl/news/75650/ut-expects-surplus-again-in-2025​

https://www.utoday.nl/news/74677/itc-faculty-receives-roughly-3-million-euros-less-per-year​

https://www.utwente.nl/en/news-events/corporate-announcements/2025/3/225473/itc-faculty-announces-plans-for-financially-healthy-future-reorganisation-inevitable​

https://www.utoday.nl/news/75391/we-are-confident-that-itc-will-come-out-of-this-stronger