For more than ten years, the UT and Saxion have been practicing sports and culture together in Enschede. The UnionCard model proved to be a fruitful tool for this. It is a unique model in the Netherlands, which very much aligns with the mindset of Twente. Moreover, it is a situation where a diverse group of students are able to meet, develop and relax together.
Since May of 2018, the Student Union has been in discussion with Saxion about the UnionCard collaboration. On April 17th, 2019, the Student Union was informed by Saxion University of Applied Sciences that Saxion will not continue the UnionCard collaboration with the University of Twente per the 2019-2020 academic year. The fact that Saxion students can no longer use the card at the reduced rate is due to the increase in costs per card. These costs are too high for Saxion in relation to the limited number of students currently using them. Most Saxion students exercise in their place of residence and commute daily between the place of residence and Saxion location. As a result, the demand for and the use of sports and cultural facilities in Deventer and in Enschede is limited, "explains Saxion.
The Student Union deeply regrets the termination of the UnionCard collaboration. Through this letter, the Student Union hopes to inform all those involved in a timely manner.
This means that the costs of the UnionCard for Saxion students will increase. The exact cost increase is currently being carefully examined. Please note that the maximum costs may correspond to the costs for the CampusCard category B (https://www.utwente.nl/en/campuscard/prices/).
The Student Union would like to maintain contact with Saxion, so that a renewed cooperation may arise in the future.
The boards of the culture and sports associations are invited to attend an information meeting organised by the Student Union. If you have any questions, you can contact the Apollo cultural umbrella and/or the Sportkoepel, or the Student Union.
