Dijkgraaf will not save ScienceGuide
“At the moment I see no reason to enter into consultations about the continued existence of ScienceGuide,” outgoing minister Robbert Dijkgraaf wrote about the news site that is threatening to shut down.
ScienceGuide, a website for news and opinions about higher education and research, is in dire straits. The platform will cease operations this week or disappear behind a paywall. The latter will only happen if enough subscribers register.
“I regret the situation that an open and independent platform like ScienceGuide is in danger of closing down,” writes outgoing minister Robbert Dijkgraaf. But he sees no reason to prevent it.
In the past, several universities supported the platform, but they stopped doing so. Maastricht University even recently demanded money back, because the agreement with ScienceGuide had already expired two years ago. The university had just had a clash with the platform over reporting.
Raising funds
“It is now up to ScienceGuide itself to raise sufficient funds,” the minister wrote in response to written questions from GroenLinks-PvdA. There are still colleges and various organizations in the list of “partners’ of the platform.
Dijkgraaf does not want to get involved. “It is the responsibility and choice of educational and research institutions and umbrella organizations themselves whether or not to provide (financial) support for ScienceGuide and to discuss this with them.”
Support
There is support for the platform here and there, for example in the Twente University Council. “I understand that there are discussions about ScienceGuide’s journalistic principles,” said the chairman of the board, “but it would be a shame if there was a gap.’
The Executive Board supports the independent press and is looking at “ways to help ScienceGuide further.” It remains to be seen what that means exactly.
It will be announced Monday whether ScienceGuide will stop or continue behind a pay wall.
