So far, getting into the study program of Political Science has been accessible to almost all students with a diploma. However, this is about to change as the implementation of a numerus fixus is insight. What does that mean for the future?

So far, political science students-to-be were more or less easily accepted at UvA. The only entry requirements entailed a diploma and UvA Matching: an exam that familiarises students with the study and results in non-binding advice of whether the program fits them. However, now discussions arise whether the enrolment should be more restricted through a numerus fixus. But what is that? A numerus fixus limits applications to high demanded study programs. This could mean the entry requirements become more difficult, higher standards in grades, or a lottery system.

The report of the education dialogue shed more light on this topic as teachers, together with students, discuss ‘The Future of Our Education’. Due to increased numbers of students, fewer teachers are in place to teach them––which makes classes bigger––and students’ education suffers, as less detailed feedback is provided. Moreover, not enough money is accessible to pay new teachers through government funding for Dutch universities. In the report, a third-year student asks what the consequences are for not implementing a numerus fixus. Political Science’s bachelor director Armèn Hakhverdian answers: ‘[…] not doing a numerus fixus would be something dystopian––lesser exams, lesser grading, lesser teaching.’ The employment of a numerus fixus appeared to be successful in Leiden. A few students wondered whether the matching process that is already in place should have more heavy requirements and a higher standard. But this is not the solution according to Hakhverdian: ‘The matching is not mandatory, and the results are not binding, that’s the difference between numerus fixus and a matching.’ So, it seems that a numerus fixus should be implemented by the academic year of 2023-2024. Will it be based on qualification? Will the acceptance rate be gender equal? A more explicit plan of how this idea translates into practice remains unclear.

We have reached out to the CSR and the council of social and behavioural science faculty in order to understand what students think about this, however, we have not received an answer yet.