Dutch universities see sharp drop in climate study enrollment
Student enrollment in climate and sustainability programs across the Netherlands is falling sharply, even as institutions warn the climate crisis remains unresolved and demand for expertise is still high.
An analysis by Trouw, based on unpublished data from DUO covering about 150 “green” higher education programs, shows that nearly two-thirds have seen declining student numbers in recent years. The trend persists even after adjusting for a broader, modest drop in overall student enrollment.
Programs focused on sustainability — including degrees at the Vrije Universiteit, Universiteit van Amsterdam and various universities of applied sciences — are attracting significantly fewer students than just a few years ago. Of 37 university programs with a strong sustainability focus, 31 saw enrollment declines between 2020 and 2025.
In some cases, the drop is steep. The global sustainability science program at Universiteit Utrecht fell from 191 new students in 2021 to 84 last year. Future planet studies at Universiteit van Amsterdam dropped from 131 new students in 2020 to just 36 last year. Some programs have already begun cutting costs or fear closure.
Researchers point to shifting public priorities as a key factor. Around 2019, climate change ranked among the most urgent concerns in the Netherlands. Today, attention has shifted to issues such as war, Donald Trump and the rise of artificial intelligence.
“When society is confronted with new problems, others fall away, such as climate,” Reint Jan Renes, a lecturer at Hogeschool van Amsterdam, told Trouw.
Frans Melissen, a sustainability expert at Breda University of Applied Sciences, told the newspaper that younger people may also feel discouraged by the topic. He cited a green minor open to students across Breda that once attracted 40 to 50 students annually six or seven years ago. “In the last two years we didn’t reach the minimum of 15, so it could not go ahead,” he said.
The decline spans technical, economic and interdisciplinary programs. Enrollment in the sustainable innovations bachelor’s program at TU Eindhoven has halved. A program focused on corporate sustainability at Erasmus Universiteit also saw a significant drop. The climate psychology and behavior master’s program at Hogeschool van Amsterdam decreased from 29 students at launch to 18 last year.
Renes said his program could be discontinued if enrollment drops to around 10 students, noting institutions must remain financially viable. A climate-focused minor at the same institution has already been postponed due to lack of interest.
He warned of broader consequences: “We have not solved the climate crisis by a long shot. Technically, socially and economically, we need more well-trained people.”
Not all environmentally oriented programs are shrinking. Biology programs have remained stable, while forestry and nature management programs are growing. John Raggers of Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences suggested practical application may play a role: “Maybe it helps that it is concrete. With us, students contribute very practically to a solution.”
Some specialized programs are also performing well. The energy and climate law master’s program in Groningen is growing, and a sustainability policy master’s program at Maastricht University rebounded last year after a dip around 2022.
Several institutions argue that sustainability has become more integrated into broader programs, such as economics. Tilburg University said it sees “no clear decline in interest in sustainability,” adding: “These themes are explicitly embedded in various programs and courses.”
Still, concern is highest among programs dedicated entirely to climate and sustainability. “Are we at the lowest point now, or is that still to come?” said Emiel van Loon, program director of future planet studies, where first-year enrollment has dropped to less than one-third of previous levels.
Universities are attempting to reverse the trend. Universiteit Utrecht is promoting programs through short Instagram videos, while Fontys and Avans are deliberately avoiding what they describe as “worn-out” terms like “environment” and “sustainability.” The institutions are launching a new master’s program, sustainable transitions, this year and hope to attract enough applicants to proceed.
