Dutch universities allowed to teach in English, court rules

Dutch universities are allowed to offer courses in English, the court in Utrecht ruled on Friday in a lawsuit filed against the universities of Maastricht and Twente. The association for better education in the Netherlands BON wanted the court to ban further Anglicization in academic education, ANP reports.

According to the court, it was not sufficiently proven that the universities are acting in violation of the Higher Education and Scientific Research Act by offering courses in English. That Act states that higher education should also focus on "promoting the expression of Dutch language". But the court ruled that the universities gave sufficient motivation for why they are deviating from this.

Last month Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven of Eduction stated that higher education and vocational education should be able to internationalize further, but only if this improves the education and if Dutch students are not displaced. According to the Minister, internationalization is important for Dutch science, the Netherlands' knowledge economy and for the students themselves.