Stop on international students would be disastrous, says Zeeland MP

If no more international students came to Zeeland, it would be a disaster for Hogeschool Zeeland and other educational institutions such as University College Roosevelt (UCR) in Middelburg, deputy minister of Zeeland, Harry van der Maas (Education), said during a state meeting on Friday.

Van der Maas was responding to a question from D66 MP Wouter Versluijs. He wanted to know what the consequences would be for Zeeland's education system if the new composition of the Tweede Kamer were to curb the influx of international students. The Zeeland University of Applied Sciences and the UCR are very popular with students from abroad.

Van der Maas said that the problem of international students affects educational institutions throughout the Netherlands. "This requires customization. One college or university is not the same as another. Shouldn't we look at the impact per region?"

The MP said the province was already in talks with the central government and the Tweede Kamer on the subject. "It is on the agenda in The Hague," he said.