Universities of Applied Sciences also working on limiting international student influx

Following the example of the Dutch universities, the universities of applied sciences are also working on a plan to limit the influx of international students, reports the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. At universities of applied sciences, the majority of courses are already taught in Dutch, and only a small part of the students are from abroad, a spopesperson said.

The association wants to present a “well-thought-out and careful proposal” and does not yet want to comment on the content of the plans. The association also does not want to say anything about the impact of missing out on income if it accepts fewer international students. “We are taking up the challenge to come up with a balanced plan. We see the concerns about this subject in society,” said the spokesperson.

The 14 Dutch universities announced on Thursday that they were taking measures to limit the influx. No new English-language bachelor’s programs will be developed for the time being, the Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) reported. It is also investigatin which courses currently taught in English can be switched to Dutch. Major bachelor’s degrees, such as economics and psychology, should at least also be offered in Dutch.

According to the association, the number of international students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at one of the 36 universities of applied sciences is “quite limited.” For several years in a row, 8 to 9 percent of students have come from abroad. The vast majority of courses offered at the universities of applied sciences are in Dutch.

“We mainly train for professions that are and remain Dutch-speaking, such as nurses and teachers,” said the spokesperson. Several sectors that are more international, such as hotel schools and aviation professions, are offered in English. That concerns about 7.5 percent of the courses, the spokesperson said.

The universities of applied sciences must submit their plan to Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf (Education, Culture, and Science) by mid-March. The Minister is working on a law for universities and universities of applied sciences regarding a maximum limit of students for English-taught courses. There are concerns that the large number of international students studying in the Netherlands threatens to displace Dutch students. The shortage of housing has also increased due to the many students from abroad.