Universities of applied sciences make binding commitments to limit and balance the intake of international students

Minister Dijkgraaf (OCW) had asked the sector to draw up a proposal. Maurice Limmen, President of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences: “The number of international students at universities of applied sciences is limited and balanced; we are now taking measures to maintain this balance in the future. This will enable us to strengthen the benefits of internationalisation and limit the disadvantages. With this proposal, universities of applied sciences want to manage the number of international students and have a targeted intake. This is how universities of applied sciences will take their responsibility.” 

Universities of applied sciences see great added value in a balanced intake of international students. In a number of sectors and in many regions, there is a specific need for talent for example to compensate for labour market shortages. In this way, international students can benefit the Dutch economy and society. Universities of applied sciences want foreign graduates to make an even greater contribution to the labour market by taking language courses and increasing the chances of staying.

Most of the professions taught at applied universities use Dutch, such as nurses and teachers, and therefore the study programmes for these sectors are and will remain in Dutch. This is why the language of instruction of the vast majority of applied university study programmes is Dutch (93%), with 80% of the study programmes only being available in Dutch.  Only study programmes for sectors that by definition work in an international context, such as hotel schools and the aviation sector, are usually given in another language. 

In the proposal for self-regulation, the universities of applied sciences have agreed to a large number of measures to lessen the negative effects of internationalisation, by means of binding commitments. Universities of applied sciences, for example, aim to focus on having a maximum limit to the number of students that enrol in economy-related study programmes taught in another language, which will be equal to the average intake over the past three years. In view of this, applied universities are asking the government to make an intake restriction instrument available for these programmes, so that they can also use this instrument if the intake of first-year students is too high.

Universities of applied sciences are also actively working with municipalities and student housing providers to find solutions to housing problems associated with the influx of international students. In addition, efforts will be made to improve the command of the Dutch language by offering Dutch language lessons to both Dutch and international students and international staff. The full overview of proposed measures can be found in the letter to Minister Dijkgraaf (OCW). 

The proposal for self-regulation by the universities of applied sciences is closely related to the proposed Balanced Internationalisation Bill (WIB) that the government is currently working on. The purpose of this bill is to develop tools to strengthen the benefits of internationalisation and limit the disadvantages. Universities of applied sciences understand that an excessive intake of international students leads to concerns in society, for example about the pressure on student housing. However, unbridled growth in the number of international students is not an issue at universities of applied sciences: the proportion of international students in bachelor’s degree programmes has been stable for years, at around 8 to 9% of the total number of students. The proportion of Dutch bachelor’s degree students at universities of applied sciences is therefore above 90%.