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Government funding is the biggest revenue stream for Dutch universities, and this will remain the case for the upcoming years as well. However, there is a decreasing trend visible in the government funding for Dutch universities. This is especially noticeable when looking at government funding per student. In 2000, the government funding per student was €20.168. This decreased to €13.661 per student in 2025 (Universiteiten van Nederland, 2025). Because of the growing number of students studying at Dutch universities each year (168.093 in 2000; 380.700 in 2025) the total amount of government funding for universities is still growing, but universities also need to facilitate this growing number of students.

The government funding as a percentage of the total revenue of Dutch universities shows a slightly decreasing trend as well. In 2004 61.04% of the total revenue of Dutch universities originated from government funding. In 2023 this was 59.67%. This increases the need for universities to become more self-sustaining. This is also seen in the development of the revenue generated by universities through work commissioned by third parties and through tuition fees. In 2004 the revenue generated through work commissioned by third parties was 21.86% of the total revenue of Dutch universities, while this increased to 24.09% in 2023. The growing number of students at Dutch universities is also reflected in the revenue growth of tuition fees from 6,99% of total revenue in 2004 to 9,66% in 2023 (Rathenau Instituut, 2025). If these trends continue, the decrease in government funding and increase of revenue from work commissioned by third parties and tuition fees will become increasingly visible in the revenue streams of the university of 2050.

Additionally, recent political decisions accelerate the cuts in governmental funding. These are big changes in the short term but should also be considered when thinking about the long term. This phenomenon is not only visible in the Netherlands, where structural budget cuts of half a billion euros to higher education and science are implemented (Universiteiten van Nederland, 2025), but also in an international context (Center for American Progress, 2025; Universities UK, 2025; Research Professional News, 2025; SDU net, 2025). This changing landscape was also highlighted as an important area of focus by leaders in the academic world in an international validation group we initiated for the University of the Future project. The members of this validation group are currently involved in the academic world in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, and The Netherlands. They clearly indicated that they saw similar developments at their local universities and governments. This implies that these decisions are the result of a bigger and lasting international shift in the political climate regarding the role of governments in funding universities.

Key partners

Collaborations with industry, research institutions, governmental bodies, society, non-profit organizations, and (inter)national higher education alliances will be an important cornerstone throughout all levels within the university. These collaborations will play an

important role in, among other things, co-developing curricula, sharing resources, transdisciplinary research and education, and within thematic hubs and learning communities on campus. Next to this, national and international universities will be important partners in sharing educational resources, enabling the university to scale personalized learning offerings globally.

Key activities and Customer relationships

Key activities will shift toward, or be extended to, modular, competency-based education, facilitating lifelong learning, interdisciplinary research, and centering projects around socio-technical challenges. Additionally, assessment will focus on assessing the quality and level of learning that occurs, instead of assessment of courses and knowledge. The ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø will actively engage in co-creation with learners and stakeholders on all different levels. Another core activity will be orchestrating the alignment of learning communities within thematic hubs across campus: aligning learners, university, industry, and society around socio-technical challenges.

Value proposition

The value proposition will be centered around offering ongoing learning experiences, modular and flexible learning pathways, global access to educational offerings, and striving for meaningful societal engagement. The ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø will be a learning and innovation ecosystem that puts learners in the lead of their own educational journey, supporting them to continuously develop themselves as a changemaker and achieve societal impact. Additionally, initiatives within the university are mission-driven and aligned with long-term societal goals. The value proposition of the University of the Future is elaborated upon in the scenario.

Customer Segments

Customer segments for education will no longer be limited to full-time bachelor and master students. Instead, the university will cater to a broader group: professionals seeking upskilling/reskilling, alumni engaged in lifelong learning, micro-credential seekers, and societal partners involved in collaborative research. Each segment will have distinct needs, requiring a tailored educational offering.

Channels

Digital environments are an important platform for learning. The physical campus together with digital platforms act as the hybrid learning environment for interaction and co-creation. These environments will be personalized, connect users with content, coaches, travel companions, and peers, and use AI to recommend and assess learning paths.

Learning communities are critical to support social connections and transdisciplinary collaborations.

Revenue

There is a decreased reliance on government funding. The university therefore has to become more self-sustaining by growing the third revenue stream, consisting of third-party commissioned work, and diversification through new income sources. These new sources of revenue can consist of, among others, lifelong learning revenue, endowments and philanthropy for mission-driven initiatives, and private sector collaboration through co-funded research, education, and innovation. Not all revenue streams in the university are money-based. It can also be in the form of development of learners, and the added value of this development to the university as a whole.

University principles

• We collaborate with stakeholders in the region
• We act responsibly towards society
• We protect an open and inclusive environment
• We contribute to a sustainable world
• We maintain academic freedom
• We drive research and education by curiosity
• We foster personal and professional growth
• We connect and engage our diverse community
• We lead the change
• We maintain a critical mindset
• We embrace continuous development

Design principles

• The long-term vision of ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø is determined by a committee consisting of the ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø executive board, Societal Review Board, and representatives of the learning communities.
• The Societal Review Board is a representation of society. In this board, representatives from industry, societal organizations, and local citizens have a chair. This enables them to share their thoughts and participate in active public debates.
• The active thematic hubs are constantly evaluated and updated to keep up to speed with the latest developments and tackle the, at that moment, relevant grand societal challenges.
• A core team is responsible for the vision and mission of a learning community. Surrounding this core team is a flexible layer of stakeholders, which allows new stakeholders to join, initiate projects, and eventually integrate into the core team, and vice versa. This dynamic structure ensures that the learning communities remain open to all, while supporting project continuity and innovation.
• Thematic hubs are not governed by the university, while the learning communities are.
• The departments still exist and are intertwined with thematic hubs and learning communities.
• The research institutes still exist and are intertwined with thematic hubs and learning communities.

• How does the university manage the decreased reliance on government funding and ensure financial stability given the decreasing trend in government funding per student and as a percentage of total revenue?
  • What strategies are implemented to grow revenue from third-party commissioned work?
  • How are new income sources, such as lifelong learning revenue, endowments, philanthropy for mission-driven initiatives, and collaborations (co-funded research, education, and innovation), developed and integrated into the financial model?
• How are government funding and new income sources distributed within the university? Which performance indicators are considered?
• How are thematic hubs financed, and what is the role of the university in this?
  • What in-kind investments does the university make in thematic hubs?
• What is the desired balance between central funding and decentralized funding efforts for learning communities?
  • How are external funds collected by learning communities managed?
•  What are the criteria for allocating central funds to mission-driven initiatives, thematic hubs, and learning communities?
  • How are these criteria evaluated and updated?
• Is there seed money or development funding available for initiating and sustaining new learning communities?
• How are funding mechanisms supporting the agile allocation and buying of staff hours from staff units for transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary projects?
• Are educational staff part of staff units of specific learning communities, or will they be located centrally to be ‘hired’?
  • How are their roles funded and integrated into the overall structure?
  • Are they rewarded through an hourly contribution, project-based, or other forms of recognition?
• How are external experts valued and compensated for their educational tasks?
• How does the financial model account for the compensation and funding of new roles, such as Travel Companions, Personal Coaches, Project Coaches, and Boundary Spanners?
• What are the financial implications for funding, developing, and maintaining the AI guidance system and digital learning environments?
• How are the physical thematic hubs funded and maintained? Are they ‘rented’ by the learning communities?
• How does the financial model account for the innovation, development, and execution of education?
• (How) can the new financial model co-exist with the current structure?
• What resources are involved in collaborations with external partners?