Dutch Universities Urge Government to Rethink Plans to Limit International Students
Dutch universities warn that stricter government measures on international student intake could harm critical fields and threaten the country’s global educational reputation.
Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences are seeing a decline in international student enrollment and are voicing concerns over the government's plans to further restrict the inflow. Both institutions report a drop in the number of new international bachelor students, especially from the European Economic Area (EEA), as well as challenges in maintaining enrollment in fields where there is a high demand for skilled graduates.
The number of new international bachelor students at universities decreased by 6%, with a 9% drop from the EEA. Universities of applied sciences similarly saw an 8% decline from the EEA and 7% from non-EEA countries. The University of Groningen (RUG), for example, experienced a significant drop, with 14% fewer new European bachelor students enrolling this year—the largest decline in recent years.
This trend is particularly alarming for universities, as international students play a crucial role in fields critical to the Dutch workforce. Caspar van den Berg, chairman of Universities of the Netherlands, warned that the government's push for stricter controls on international student numbers risks undermining the sustainability of certain programs, potentially affecting Dutch students as well.
At Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, international enrollments have dropped by nearly 25%. The University of Groningen has attributed its enrollment decline to anticipated government policies, specifically the proposed Balanced Internationalisation Act. This act aims to prioritize Dutch as the main language of instruction and has faced criticism from universities for its potential to threaten the Netherlands' international reputation and educational diversity. The University of Groningen has expressed concerns that these new rules could undermine the country’s status as a global knowledge hub.
While the total number of new bachelor students at Dutch universities fell slightly, the number of Dutch students increased by about 1%. The universities of applied sciences also noted a rise in new teacher training enrollments, addressing the country’s teacher shortage. However, they caution that further restrictions on international students are unnecessary, as they are already taking steps to manage the number of foreign enrollees. Maurice Limmen, chairman of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, emphasised that more drastic government interventions would be excessive.