Universiteiten van Nederland (UNL), the association of Dutch universities, has announced plans to increase the number of Bachelor’s programs offered in Dutch. The move aims to address concerns about the accessibility of higher education for Dutch-speaking students and the impact of internationalization on the Dutch language.
Dutch goes Dutch: Making bachelors accessible again
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of English-taught Bachelor’s programs in the Netherlands. While this has attracted international students, it has also raised concerns about the accessibility of higher education for Dutch-speaking students and the potential for the Dutch language to be marginalized in academia.
To address these concerns, UNL has announced that universities will offer Dutch-language variants of 35 existing English-taught Bachelor’s programs. Additionally, four Bachelor’s programs will transition fully to Dutch, and 27 programs will implement a numerus fixus (‘admission limit’) on their English-taught tracks. These measures aim to ensure that Dutch-speaking students have access to a wider range of study options and that the Dutch language remains an important part of higher education in the Netherlands.
Don’t panic, globetrotters! Internationalization here to stay
UNL emphasizes that these measures are not intended to diminish the value of internationalization in higher education. Internationalization is seen as essential for the advancement of science, the Dutch economy, and the future of students. It contributes to a stimulating learning environment, fosters connections with international scientific developments, and helps prepare students for the globalized job market.
UNL says it will continue to work with the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science together to develop and implement a sustainable approach to internationalization in higher education. This approach will be based on the principle of self-regulation by universities and will aim to balance the benefits of internationalization with the need to protect the Dutch language and ensure the accessibility of higher education for all students.
