Committee advises on future scenarios for AKI

At no point has the quality of education at AKI in Enschede been in doubt. The continued recognition and awards received by students and lecturers, such as the recent Royal Award for Modern Painting, demonstrate that the education provided meets the highest standards and ranks among the best nationally and internationally.

New students can once again apply for the Fine Art programme in Enschede for the 2026–2027 academic year. Recruitment and selection are currently in full progress. The Executive Board has full confidence in the measures that have been implemented and in the management team leading the academy, while a decision about the future of AKI is pending. For current students, as well as for new students enrolling in a programme at AKI, it is guaranteed that they will be able to complete their studies regardless of the final future scenario.

While significant measures were taken in 2025, underlying challenges must now be addressed, including persistent financial deficits. To arrive at a sustainable and future-proof solution for AKI, the Executive Board established an independent committee last summer. This AKI Future Scenarios Committee, chaired by Wim van den Doel (Dean of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities), recently presented its advice to the Executive Board. In its report, the committee outlines four possible future scenarios for the positioning of AKI, with attention to organisational culture, profiling and its role within the art and design sector:

•    Scenario 1: Closure of AKI
This scenario would cause significant cultural loss for the Twente region while offering only limited financial savings for ArtEZ.
•    Scenario 2: Continuing the current course
Maintaining the current situation is not considered a realistic option, as the financial deficits are substantial and cannot be resolved in this way.
•    Scenario 3: Autonomous hybrid art–tech academy
AKI would continue as an independent academy with a new profile focused on programmes at the intersection of art and technology. This scenario would result in considerable financial deficits in the coming years, with potential improvement if the academy grows substantially in student numbers.
•    Scenario 4: One cluster of ArtEZ Academies for Art & Design
ArtEZ would bring its Art & Design programmes together in one cluster: a single organisational structure with three teaching locations (Enschede, Arnhem and Zwolle) and local specialisations. In this scenario, the number of students in Enschede would need to grow significantly to achieve a structurally healthy financial position.

The committee advises Scenario 4 as the most promising option.

The Executive Board is currently discussing the advice with staff, students, representative bodies and regional partners before making a decision on one of these scenarios or a possible alternative. Although no scenario can be ruled out at this stage, the starting point is clear: the Executive Board is firmly committed to ensuring that ArtEZ continues to provide Art & Design education in Enschede, as part of a broader, future-proof strategy that strengthens higher arts education in the eastern Netherlands.