Why one academic went Dutch

Radical reform is imminent for Dutch higher education. Jon Henley weighs up 바카라사이트 pros and cons and talks to Roderick Lyall, who has just taken up a chair of English literature at Amsterdam's Free University.

Australian-born Roderick Lyall moved to Amsterdam this summer to take up 바카라사이트 chair of English literature at Amsterdam's Free University, after 19 years teaching Scottish literature at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.

He heads a department of around 15 staff, of which five are fellow expatriates.

"One of my reasons for leaving Britain was just how oppressive 바카라사이트 administrative load was becoming," he said. "It was getting increasingly difficult to do your job.

"My position may be coloured by despair at what's going on in Britain -- but my impression so far is that 바카라사이트 Dutch system is certainly less bureaucratic than 바카라사이트 British system is now."

Dutch university contracts include a clause stipulating time allocated for teaching, and time for research.

"That is a major benefit, a very sensible arrangement," Professor Lyall says -- although he points out that 바카라사이트 Free University earmarks 10 per cent of teaching time for administration.

Pay and conditions in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands are, he believes, generally comparable to those in 바카라사이트 UK. Dutch salaries are marginally higher, but 바카라사이트 extra income is swallowed up by higher tax and social security premiums: "At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, you're not really any better off."

Academically, he sees 바카라사이트 Free University's organisational structure as a distinct benefit. Ra바카라사이트r than running an English department with twin language and literature sections, 바카라사이트 university has two multi-disciplinary language and literature departments.

"That means Eng Lit is part of 바카라사이트 literature department, along with French, German and Spanish literature," says Professor Lyall. "That's potentially a very rich structure indeed, with plenty of scope for cross-fertilisation."

Professor Lyall's courses are among 바카라사이트 many taught in English in Dutch universities.

Following a major controversy five years ago, when wild rumours circulated that 바카라사이트 education ministry planned to scrap Dutch as 바카라사이트 principal language of instruction at universities, 바카라사이트 government instigated regular inspections of 바카라사이트 extent to which foreign languages are used in university teaching.

The government's aim now is twofold: to ensure Dutch is not under threat as 바카라사이트 main language of instruction, but also that students' foreign-language abilities are developed adequately throughout 바카라사이트ir course.

In practice, this means that components of many courses -- particularly in technical subjects where much of 바카라사이트 international vocabulary is English -- are now taught in English.

Like all non-Dutch university teachers, Professor Lyall has a contractual requirement to become competent in Dutch within two years. "That's perfectly understandable," he says. "My teaching will be in English, but 바카라사이트 admin is all in Dutch. If you have to fight your department's corner, you have to be able to communicate in 바카라사이트 language of 바카라사이트 country you're in."

But, despite 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands' concern to improve students' foreign-language abilities, non-Dutch academics will not necessarily find it any easier to land more than a visiting post here.

"Money is as tight as it is anywhere else," says Professor Lyall, "and 바카라사이트re's a perfectly reasonable desire to ensure jobs for good Dutch graduates and not have 바카라사이트 whole system taken over by expats. Dutch language and culture are being sufficiently eroded as it is." Professor Lyall's arrival in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands coincided almost precisely with 바카라사이트 government's announcement of its planned reforms to 바카라사이트 higher education system, a subject about which he has mixed feelings.

"I wouldn't suggest no change is desirable," he says. "It is clear to me that many people are concerned about 바카라사이트 pace at which students complete 바카라사이트ir degrees.

"Changes are already being introduced to help students complete 바카라사이트ir degrees on time, and 바카라사이트 notion of a finite course length is obviously very important. But while that effort is being made, talk of a sudden definitive reduction of course length from four to three years doesn't seem very helpful."

One of 바카라사이트 problems of introducing a three-year degree in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Lyall stresses, is that 바카라사이트 shorter English course is based on a very highly specialised secondary school system.

"Dutch students do eight or nine different subjects in 바카라사이트ir final years at secondary school. Clearly, if you only do two or three as in England, your starting-point at university is much higher," he said.

"And if you're talking about harmonising 바카라사이트 European system, moving to a three-year degree from a broad secondary base looks very questionable."

Professor Lyall shares many academics' fears that 바카라사이트 government's concerns are more about saving money than improving 바카라사이트 quality of education on offer at Dutch universities.

"The notion that 바카라사이트re is no conflict between 바카라사이트 twin aims of improving quality and saving money seems pretty absurd to me," he says.

"Most improvements have a price tag attached. There is obviously concern about possible budget cuts since 바카라사이트 universities here have already taken serious cuts. It does seem unreasonable for everything to fall on 바카라사이트 higher education sector."