In the Netherlands, English courses are taught at university

(ETX Daily Up) – Dutch universities offer many courses in English to accommodate the foreign students who come to study in the country every year. But Shakespeare’s extensive use of language was highly contested in the Netherlands, including at the highest levels of power.

Education Minister Robert Dijkgraaf proposes a bill to restrict the use of English in higher education. The text, submitted to a referendum in the second half of 2025, provides that one-third of the subjects taught at the bachelor’s degree will be taught in a language other than Dutch. “My starting position: the language of training is Dutch. If you want to offer some specialized courses in English, that is possible,” says Mr. Dijkgraf explained in an official speech, quoted by the German daily. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Exceptions may be granted to Dutch universities that wish to integrate other languages ​​into their courses, but these will be exceptional measures. In principle, higher education institutions in the country must already offer most of their courses in Dutch. But, in fact, many teach their students in English to better integrate them A job market International orientation, and facilitates the integration of foreign students.

For good reason, the Netherlands welcomes many international students. According to statistics, no less than 115,000 in 2021 Dutch Statistics Office. This is estimated to be 35% of the country’s student populationEuronews.

Importance of international talent

Like other countries, the Netherlands competes with each other to attract large numbers of foreign students to its higher education institutions. Because their presence creates a significant economic impact on the country, while helping to develop its “soft power” beyond its borders. Especially since many international students choose to stay in the Netherlands, their studies Done. system Nufiq It estimates that a quarter of them are still living there five years after graduation, and three-quarters are working. This shows the extent to which these types of students provide a real economic boon to the Netherlands.

But voices are rising in the country against the generalization of courses in English Universities Dutch. However, they affirm that other steps can be taken to strengthen the attractiveness of higher education institutions internationally without abandoning the Dutch language. But the prospect of restricting courses in foreign languages ​​is worrying in the university environment.

University directors are concerned about the implications of this policy for areas where enrollments are declining, particularly in the sciences. Many of them wrote, “Dutch students and engineers alone cannot solve the labor shortage in the technology sector due to the population and shortages in many sectors of the Netherlands.” A tribune In the everyday life of the Volkskrant. “[Les] “International talent is essential and the Netherlands cannot make technical degrees entirely or mostly Dutch-speaking, as some political parties argue.”

Another big problem: recruitment of teachers. Many Dutch universities employ non-Dutch speaking teachers to teach their courses. Robbert Dijkgraaf’s bill would make hiring in academia more difficult. “It’s a big problem for us because we can’t find enough teachers to teach in Dutch for certain courses. Artificial intelligence or electrical engineering,” Eindhoven University of Technology president Robert-Jan Smits said in June. Euronews. And added: “The Netherlands has always had a reputation for being open, tolerant and liberal. Our historical success is based on the openness of the country.”