TU/e, Fontys Hogescholen and also the business community should do more together with the municipality to tackle the housing shortage among students. This is the opinion of various groups in the Eindhoven City Council.
Among others, VVD, SP, CDA, and PvdA think that the educational institutions in the city are not yet taking enough responsibility for housing students. Presently there is a huge shortage of studios and rooms.
Shared Responsibility
“More organizations need to step up their efforts, than just the municipality. That means the educational institutions themselves, and perhaps also the business community, where the students will soon be working,” says PvdA council member Rosa van den Nieuwenhof. “The university and college are very much promoting that they are welcoming thousands of new students. Meanwhile, they do expect us to solve the housing problem,” stressed VVD council member Tom Meylink. SP council member Jannie Visscher: “I agree with the VVD. The educational institutions have to do more.”
Revenue model
The coalition party CDA goes a step further. Council member Niels Groot thinks the problem is so big that perhaps the TU/e should just accept fewer students. “If you want so many students, you will have to match that with housing. If you don’t, you will have to retrace your steps. Of course, it’s a nice revenue model, especially with all those foreign students. If you can’t accommodate them, then we’re in a problem.” Volt also points to the social responsibility of companies in the region. Group chairman Jacco Rubenkamp: “If you look at ASML, they could do more. The company could take an example from Philips.”
Brainport
The TU/e previously informed Studio040 that it does take responsibility, for the construction of 735 student houses on campus. Limiting the influx of international students is out of the question, according to the university. The influx of these students would be necessary to provide the companies in the Brainport region with sufficient employees.
Source: Studio040
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta. She also gives online INBURGERING classes.
