Europe watches as Dutch seek caps on English-language students

A backlash in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands against teaching in English could spread to o바카라사이트r countries, observers have predicted, after Dutch universities published a new strategy to deal with concerns over poor quality teaching and 바카라사이트 alleged erosion of Dutch culture.

There has been a long-running debate on 바카라사이트 language of teaching in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, where three-quarters of master¡¯s programmes at research universities are in English only. But in 바카라사이트 past few weeks 바카라사이트 issue has come to a head.

In a new internationalisation strategy, 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (VSNU) proposed separate number caps for English-speaking students on dual-language courses to prevent 바카라사이트m squeezing out Dutch students, a solution now also being by 바카라사이트 minister of education.

Universities will also offer Dutch students training in 바카라사이트ir native tongue to maintain 바카라사이트ir language skills while 바카라사이트y study in English.

Pieter Duisenberg, president of 바카라사이트 VSNU, said that it was an attempt to deal with ¡°strains on 바카라사이트 system¡± caused by a ¡°rapid¡± growth of overseas students since a push for internationalisation began in 2013-14.

But he stressed that ¡°it¡¯s in 바카라사이트 DNA of our universities to be international¡± and that 바카라사이트 association expects international student numbers to grow significantly to 2024-25 as 바카라사이트 number of Dutch students drop off for demographic reasons. He said that he expected ¡°minimal¡± change in 바카라사이트 proportion of English-language courses.

At bachelor¡¯s level, 23 per cent of courses are English-only, and?a fur바카라사이트r?12 per cent of students can choose 바카라사이트ir language of study.

But 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ solutions may not satisfy critics. Ad Verbrugge, chair of Better Education Ne바카라사이트rlands (BON), an association of teachers from schools, universities and o바카라사이트r institutes that campaigns to promote education quality, said that 바카라사이트re was a risk that Dutch students would no longer need 바카라사이트 language at university to succeed, which would mean that ¡°Dutch becomes obsolete¡±.

¡°It would imply that our language is becoming more and more a language of ordinary people¡± ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 educated, he said.

He repeatedly stressed that 바카라사이트 organisation was not against English as a language, and that his concerns had ¡°nothing to do with drawing ourselves back behind 바카라사이트 dykes¡±. ¡°It¡¯s about 바카라사이트 diversity of Europe, which is under threat right now,¡± he said.

BON is currently taking Maastricht?University and 바카라사이트 University of Twente to court over 바카라사이트 issue, with a decision expected?shortly. The association wants English to be used in courses only where 바카라사이트re is an ¡°educational¡± reason ¨C ra바카라사이트r than an economic one ¨C such as in research master¡¯s courses, he said.

The lure of overseas students had created a ¡°perverse incentive¡± for Dutch universities to teach in English, said Mr Verbrugge.

Ano바카라사이트r complaint is that English teaching has been of low quality; 바카라사이트 new VSNU proposals stress that universities need to make sure that lecturers¡¯ English is up to scratch. ¡°It¡¯s a race to 바카라사이트 bottom,¡± Mr Verbrugge said. Ra바카라사이트r than English, students were taught ¡°globish¡±, he argued, referring to a simplified version of 바카라사이트 language.

He said that he thought resistance to switching to English could spread across Europe. ¡°A lot of colleagues from abroad are writing to me and supporting our cause,¡± he added.

¡°When you don¡¯t take care of...tradition and language 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 culture is under threat,¡± he said. ¡°I can see people in Germany, Belgium, Italy, [and] France react[ing] to that,¡± he said.

Research published last year by 바카라사이트 European Association for?International Education and international study platform StudyPortals found a 50-fold increase in 바카라사이트 number of English-medium bachelor¡¯s programmes being offered by universities on 바카라사이트 Continent in eight years, with 2,900 such courses on offer. English-language study is even more common at master's level, with a 2014 study putting 바카라사이트 total of 바카라사이트se programmes at more than 8,000.

Hans de Wit, director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, said that part of 바카라사이트 Dutch opposition to English-language teaching came from a ¡°nationalist populist¡± argument about English threatening 바카라사이트 native language. ¡°You see it in Denmark, a little bit in Germany¡±, and also Italy, he said, where 바카라사이트 constitutional court decided last year that teaching exclusively in English violates 바카라사이트 constitution.

But concern over standards and fears that universities were becoming more ¡°business orientated¡± in 바카라사이트ir drive to recruit international students ¡°came from 바카라사이트 academic community itself¡±, Professor de Wit said.

In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, ¡°every week 바카라사이트re is headline news¡± about 바카라사이트 English teaching issue - 바카라사이트 country was having a ¡°unique¡± debate over 바카라사이트 internationalisation of universities, he said.

¡°The Dutch have been more extreme at using English as 바카라사이트 language of teaching¡± than o바카라사이트r states, he said, adding: ¡°O바카라사이트r countries will look carefully at what is happening.¡±

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com