> Even if the Netherlands makes every effort now, a fully-fledged alternative won't be readily available.

You don't need to match their product. You have a smaller user base and smaller number of functionally to cover than Microsoft.

> That gives American companies power.

Guess what happens if you don't do anything?

The trend of universities sacrificing long-term sovereignty for minimal short-term savings is concerning. I have observed this in my home country, where the strategic investment in national technology (which would return back to the country) is dismissed in favor of cheaper foreign platforms like Google. This approach naively puts sensitive research and institutional data on external servers, creating vulnerability where access could be compromised[^1].

Hopefully this person does not express the opinion of that university.

[^1]: https://agorarn.com.br/ultimas/google-bloqueia-acesso-ufrn-c...