Geel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Thomas More University College in Geel experienced a staff strike involving 40 members of staff because of budget management issues.
Teaching staff at Geel’s Thomas More University of Applied Sciences took action because they felt dissatisfaction with budget management since they claimed financial reporting was misleading over the preceding decade.
Forty staff participants joined the protest by handing out notes to students as several teachers skipped class instruction to showcase their concerns. Local course investments at the Geel campus accumulated savings after their university college merged with other institutions in 2012 but failed to meet expectations regarding their financial management.
“We are outraged that the management has lied to us for 10 years. We thought that we managed the money that we had collected through our own initiatives. Now it turns out that this is not true,”
Says teacher Tom Heylen, who took part in the protest this morning.
“It is very painful that the management only established this in May 2024. We ourselves were only informed in the past few weeks.“
“There was a false accounting,”
Heylen explains.
“If you have to account for spending things every month and you see on your accounting that you have that money, while that is not the case, then we could not have known.“
It was feared that students would not be able to enter the campus in Geel because of the action, but that is not true.
“Everyone was allowed in. We opted for a fun action. The students received a letter explaining our actions, and we also handed out chocolate milk. Some teachers did not teach, others did.”
What is the broader context of Thomas More University of Applied Sciences?
The Thomas More University of Applied Sciences is a substantial learning institution that delivers multiple degree programs to students. The total tuition fees for EEA students enrolling at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences for 2024/2025 amount to €1,116, which combines a €288 fixed fee with €13.80 per credit for 60 credits of study. Non-EEA students are required to pay €4,500 in fixed costs along with €75 per credit, so their total expenses reach €9,000 for regular coursework. Non-EEA students who receive merit-based scholarships through Thomas More can reduce their total tuition fee down to €7,200.
According to a case study that examines student recruitment strategies, Thomas More University continues its proactive approach toward attracting new student enrollments. Students can obtain budget and financial well-being assistance at Thomas More University through contact resources for inquiries and collaborative opportunities.
Thomas More University demonstrates its commitment to student support by distributing funds from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which offers emergency financial grants, educational technology, and internet access.
