The University of Twente will eliminate the cum laude distinction from its PhD regulations starting January 1, 2026. The university says the "with distinction" label lacks objective standards and has systematically disadvantaged female PhD candidates.
Twente's internal review found that decisions about who receives cum laude are too subjective and the honor has been unequally awarded across candidates. University communications and Dutch media report the measure aims to create a fairer and more transparent system for evaluating all doctoral graduates.
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The decision is backed by broader research on bias in Dutch academic honors. Independent studies of PhD awards in the Netherlands show that women were nearly twice as unlikely to receive cum laude as men, even when supervised by the same advisors. Researchers point to evaluator bias and informal decision-making norms as likely causes of this disparity.
Rather than replacing cum laude with another single prestige label, Twente says it is updating its doctoral regulations to focus on clearer guidance and stronger supervision throughout the PhD process. Under previous rules, awarding cum laude was left to the discretion of the PhD supervisor (promoter) and examination committee, with limited formal criteria to ensure consistency.
The move has sparked national debate across Dutch higher education. Some media outlets frame the decision as ending an unfair accolade that reinforced inequality, while others express concern about losing a recognized way to highlight truly exceptional doctoral work. Similar discussions have been underway at other Dutch universities since earlier research findings revealed significant gender gaps in academic honors.
Starting with the January policy change, new Twente PhD graduates will no longer receive cum laude designations. The university plans to monitor outcomes under the new system and explore other, more transparent methods to recognize excellence in doctoral research. The decision is likely to put pressure on other Dutch universities to review their own honors systems and address potential bias in how distinctions are awarded.
