I am shocked... and all this just to be sure they get the government fundings, which is based on the number of graduates.
I propose a better solution: just hand students their diplomas the moment they pay 5 years of tuition fee.

By joanna | January 5, 2012 12:52 PM

Joanna is right. Might as well hand students their degree after paying the tuition. Forget the education. Never thought the Dutch would lower their standards to American colleges where the education comes 2nd and paper mill degrees become rampant. US has plenty of universities that do not provide students with the much needed education and skills necessary for their jobs afterward. University educations have continuously become a for-profit endeavor rather than a prudent education. No wonder that the Dutch math and science grades have also fallen to US levels.

By CM | January 5, 2012 3:28 PM

Sounds to me that the Netherlands is going the way of America. It doesn't matter if you know how to read or work with numbers anymore. As long as you can spell your own name, then pass them on. My husband was a teacher in the states and saw this first-hand. Please don't go the way of America.

By Pam | January 5, 2012 3:38 PM

This is unfair to past students. Also this is sure to dilute the standards.

By Ashok | January 5, 2012 4:04 PM

While Delft is recognised as a leading technical university, it is not one of the top 50 internationally. It is clear therefore that the work load / Delft internal criteria do not result in added quality. Therefore good to review the course content/requirement and it may increase the standard, not decrease it

By AJ | January 5, 2012 4:51 PM

Sustainable Development is a non-essential subject? Yeah right!

By simonaw | January 5, 2012 5:54 PM

TU/delft has the arrogance of asking students to do the work equivalent of a Masters degree and then calling it a Bachelors. Naturally their engineers are in demand, who wouldn't want to hire a Masters student for the wages of a Bachelors student. Delft graduates may be proud, financially astute, maybe not.

By jaycee | January 5, 2012 7:00 PM

I don't suppose Delft U. understands the basic human nature; i.e., the easier you make it for the students, the less they will work --- and the lower the level! You don't graduate more students this way; you graduate incompetent and under-qualified students! Da!

By educator | January 5, 2012 7:56 PM

Its all about "money" these days. Universities can enroll more students to pay their staff but deliver less to their students. Nothing more than a business deal that will ultimately end with bad repercussions later on. Not to forget that these incompetent students will be running your financial and political offices in the future too.

By John | January 6, 2012 1:04 PM

Since when was sustainable development non-essential? That does not bode well for the future!

By Jana | January 6, 2012 4:01 PM

very well said simoanaw about the subject of Sustainable development!

TU Delft our most prestigeous university should not be allowed to risk its name built over the years by the very hard work of the students and the faculty.

By Ashok | January 6, 2012 4:07 PM

I work at a Dutch university and I will disclose what the Ministry of Education told us. Unis must:

1. Ensure that 70-80% of enrolling students graduate with degree within 4-5 years.

2. Increase quality of teaching

3. Prohibit entrance exams - open doors policy

When we ask them how to do this, they tell us that they do not know and that this is a "political" decision. In addition, we are told - point blank - that quantity is preferred over quality. The government wants to see a return on its money.

TU/Delft is doing precisely what the government tells them to do - they are just not keeping it secret. They are calling the bluff of the government.

By Matt | January 6, 2012 4:40 PM

The Anti-American rhetoric is entirely irrelevant. For-profit universities comprise a small market segment there. At least Americans have a clear road to access university-level education if they want it, whereas the system here will shut out children at the age of 12. Take a look at the many American-educated expats who help support this economy and be grateful the US teaches skills that are unavailable here.

By nina | January 6, 2012 7:50 PM

It would seem that TU has not realized that the Bologna process has occurred. A three year baccalaureate degree is not a five, six or seven year doctorandus. Wake up mensen.

By Ian | January 30, 2012 1:40 AM