Publication of the UG Annual Report for 2024

The annual report of the University of Groningen for 2024 is now online. In this report, the UG presents text and figures to account for the policy pursued in the calendar year 2024, as well as for the expenditure of its government funding. The past year was a time of contrasts. On the one hand, for example, the UG celebrated its 410th anniversary, with the theme of ‘Making Connections’. Several festive events were organized as part of this celebration, including the presentation of honorary doctorates. On the other hand, developments outside the University – such as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine – had tangible effects. The UG strives to be a socially safe university for all students and all staff members, in which the principle of academic freedom is crucial.

In addition to the areas of teaching, research, and impact, the report addresses knowledge security, social security, cybersecurity, privacy, and internationalization. One key development is the Balanced Internationalization bill (WIB), the objectives of which include controlling the intake of international students. The UG has already taken steps to stop the active recruitment of international students, and these steps have had an effect on the intake of international Bachelor’s and Master’s students. The share of international students decreased to 26.9% (as compared to 27.7% for the previous year). The total number of students also declined slightly, from 34,047 to 33,297.

The annual report further devotes attention to the emerging deficits, which are largely the result of high inflation and decreasing government funding. To this end, the UG launched the ‘TeRUG in balans 2026’ programme in 2023. In addition, the University faced severe cuts from the coalition programme of the now outgoing Schoof government. The UG needs to economize. At the same time, however, it wants to continue investing and looking for additional income. The Framework Coalition Agreement action plan came into force to this end in 2024. This plan calls on every faculty and service unit within the University to take responsibility for realizing the plans and absorbing the funding cuts.

An important role is also reserved for the University’s four interdisciplinary schools and the University of the North, as an engine for cooperation with businesses, government institutions, and civil society organizations. We aim to be a flexible university, where knowledge sharing and participation with society is the norm.