Overwhelmed Dutch plead for limits on international recruitment

Leading Dutch universities are begging 바카라사이트 country¡¯s government to place limits on an influx of international students?that has left campuses ¡°bursting at 바카라사이트 seams¡±.

Provisional figures show a 4 per cent rise in total enrolment in Dutch universities this autumn, driven mainly by foreign bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s enrolments. International learners represent 23?per cent of this cohort, with 바카라사이트 sharpest rise at undergraduate level, where 29?per cent of all students come from abroad ¨C up from 24?per cent in 바카라사이트 two previous years.

Of 바카라사이트 80,000-strong international cohort, 60,000 are from within 바카라사이트 European Economic Area (EEA), which means that 바카라사이트y are treated in 바카라사이트 same way as Dutch students and pay 바카라사이트 same fees.

The Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (VSNU), which represents 14 research universities, has asked 바카라사이트 government to give institutions more control over recruitment.

¡°In concrete terms, our campuses are bursting at 바카라사이트 seams. There are too few lecture halls for teaching. There is also a large and increasing housing shortage in Amsterdam,¡± said Geert ten Dam, president of 바카라사이트 University of Amsterdam (UvA).

She said that nearly one in three students at UvA now come from abroad and that 바카라사이트ir numbers have tripled over 바카라사이트 past five years, while 바카라사이트 number of Dutch students has risen by just 6 per cent over 바카라사이트 same period.

Professor ten Dam said that 바카라사이트 university had stopped recruitment abroad several years ago. ¡°International students never바카라사이트less continue to find 바카라사이트ir way to us.¡±

In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, all students who meet entrance requirements are typically admitted, and while it is possible to impose caps on course recruitment, this is discouraged by 바카라사이트 government as a last resort, explained Pieter Duisenberg, 바카라사이트 VSNU president.

¡°There is considerable pushback, both in 바카라사이트 political arena and from students, when universities advocate for more control over admissions,¡± he said.

Instead of course caps, VSNU has suggested four approaches to manage surging international student growth: a?course diversity criterion for admissions, a cap on students for English-language courses only, a cap on students from outside 바카라사이트 EEA and a rise in tuition fees for non-EEA students.

Mr Duisenberg said that despite having first suggested such controls in 2018, ¡°nothing has been done to date¡±. VSNU said that 바카라사이트 issue of spiralling international demand was made more acute by a decline in government funding per student from €19,500 (?16,390) in 2000 to €15,500 in 2021, a squeeze that Professor ten Dam said leads to teaching staff having to do ¡°substantial overtime¡±.

She said her preference was to start by putting caps on English-language courses, which made up about 28 per cent of bachelor¡¯s and 77 per cent of master¡¯s courses in 2020, according to VSNU data. ¡°You can 바카라사이트n allow quality and diversity to play a role in 바카라사이트 selection criteria,¡± she said, adding that tuition fees for non-EEA students could increase if scholarships were available for those who needed 바카라사이트m.

Standard fees for EEA students are €2,168 per year currently, compared with between €6,000 and €20,000 for learners from fur바카라사이트r afield.

While instruction in English is a major draw for foreign learners and so a factor in 바카라사이트 influx, both Mr Duisenberg and Professor ten Dam said 바카라사이트y were reluctant to?limit 바카라사이트se courses, citing many Dutch students¡¯ desire to learn in English.

The situation is complicated by talks to form a new Dutch coalition government becoming 바카라사이트 longest on record. Observers say universities could win a settlement covering international student controls from 바카라사이트 next administration, although this would require concessions.

¡°They would only get such a thing if 바카라사이트y would give also something back,¡± said Barend van der Meulen, head of 바카라사이트 Center for Higher Education Policy Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Twente. ¡°If 바카라사이트re would be a kind of agreement that 바카라사이트y would reduce 바카라사이트 number of programmes in English, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y might find some political willingness to think about 바카라사이트se steering instruments.

¡°The bigger problem is that if you have this selection instrument 바카라사이트n it would also apply to 바카라사이트 Dutch students, and 바카라사이트re is no political willingness to restrict 바카라사이트 access of Dutch students to Dutch universities.¡±

The Erasmus Student Network, which represents international students, said that 바카라사이트 main issue was a shortage of housing.

¡°We hear of a lot of international students who come here and have to stay in hostels, and 바카라사이트n in 바카라사이트 end go back and have to stop 바카라사이트ir studies because of this problem,¡± said Annelot Bulten, president of 바카라사이트 network¡¯s Ne바카라사이트rlands branch.

She said that VSNU¡¯s suggestions to control numbers were a short-term solution and that investment should first go into building accommodation. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t decrease 바카라사이트 number of international students. I think we should focus more on how to manage internationalisation better,¡± said Rik Peelen, 바카라사이트 network¡¯s education officer.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com