The degrees awarded to 15,000 students at Amsterdam’s hbo college Hogeschool van Amsterdam may have been influenced by years of intimidation, mismanagement and other problems, the Telegraaf reports on Monday.

The paper said at least 60 lecturers attached to the biggest faculty – Economics and Management – have withdrawn their confidence in the college authorities because of the problems.
The paper says some students have been given degrees under pressure from the authorities while others have been given pass marks because of faulty computer programmes.
Pressure
The problems also affect the International Business School and Johan Cruijff University which are attached to the college.
Rector Jet Bussemaker told the paper there are problems with the economics faculty. ‘The quality of this course is under pressure. We are scrapping middle management and there is an improvement plan,’ she told the paper. ‘It is only logical that some lecturers are unhappy.’
Earlier this year, a number of similar problems emerged at the InHolland hbo college group.