Intake of physics and chemistry students has risen by 62 percent in seven years

From 2011 to 2016, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science made 20 million euros per year available to bring physics and chemistry in the Netherlands to a higher level. The Breimer Committee supervised the implementation of the Sector Plan Physics and Chemistry that was developed for this purpose. On 19 May the Committee presented its final report 'A successful step' [in Dutch] to the Minister of Education, Culture and Science. The most important conclusion is that structural funding is needed to ensure that the results achieved are not lost. Based on the final report the Minister announced that the temporary annual investment of 20 million euros would be structurally included in the budget with effect from the next financial year.

For research and education
All of the available funds for the Sector Plan between 2011 and 2016 benefited the universities: 14 million euros (70 percent) directly and 6 million euros (30 procent) via indirect government funding (NWO-CW and FOM). From the direct funding, 12 million euros was used for improving the university infrastructure, such as appointing new scientific staff. The universities used 2 million euros for national outreach activities and strengthening education. The 6 million euros from indirect government funding was awarded to project proposals on a competitive basis; this funded PhD positions and scientific equipment. All of the funds were used for predetermined focus areas. The balance chemistry/physics is 50/50.

The results

Between 2008 and 2015 the intake of students for university programmes in physics and chemistry rose from 1514 to 2448. The number of women rose by 86 percent: from 409 to 761. For nearly all Sector Plan BSc programmes more than 100 new students are recruited each year.
The BSc success rate also increased spectacularly: only 44% of the cohort of students who started in 2005 graduated, whereas for the cohort that started in 2011 63% graduated. With 643 for chemistry and 660 physics, the number of BSc graduates per year is far above the goal set of 500 per discipline. The intake for the MSc programmes has more than doubled: from 838 in 2007 to 1816 students in 2015.
Via Sector Plan funds, 97 new (top) positions at universities were created. Eighteen of these were tenure-track positions especially established for women. Women have been appointed to 32 of the 97 positions.
The Masters education has been successfully linked to the research focus areas that were established at each university. The consultative body for natural sciences deans has produced a national matrix that must now be used to recruit MSc students from the Netherlands and abroad.

A Council for Physics and Chemistry
New nationally coordinated efforts are needed to give these positive developments a permanent character and to further build upon these. The Breimer Committee therefore recommends the appointment of a Council for Physics and Chemistry, which must ensure that Dutch efforts in chemistry and physics once again approach international standards. The Minister for Education, Culture and Science is encouraging the appointment of the council. She has agreed to pass on the final report 'A successful step', together with the previous recommendations in the report 'Staying on course' [in Dutch], to the Dutch House of Representatives in the context of the progress report about the National Technology Pact 2020.

Staying on course
In the Vision on Science 2025, the Dutch government asked the Breimer Committee to make recommendations for strengthening the natural sciences disciplines. The report 'Staying on course' was the response to this request and it was presented to the Minister for Education, Culture and Science on 29 January 2016.

For further information please contact the secretaries of the Breimer Committee:
Drs. H.G. (Hendrik) van Vuren, (030) 600 12 25.
Dr. T. (Tanja) Kulkens, (070) 344 07 69.