The Netherlands to soon cut down English courses at universities to limit international students

The Dutch government is advancing a proposal aimed at reducing the use of English in higher education institutions, seeking to address the rising number of international students in the Netherlands. In a letter to parliament on Tuesday, Education Minister Eppo Bruins emphasized the need to reinstate the Dutch language as the primary medium of instruction, Bloomberg reported.

“I want to make the Dutch language the standard again,” Bruins stated, highlighting the significant increase in international student enrollment over recent years. He also pointed to challenges posed by a shortage of student housing and overcrowded lecture halls.

The proposed legislation seeks to limit the proportion of bachelor's degree programs offered in English to one-third of all courses. This initiative follows a similar effort by the previous administration, which raised concerns about a potential decline in international talent, particularly in the technology sector.

According to the Dutch statistics agency, nearly 123,000 foreign students were enrolled in higher education programs in the Netherlands last year, representing 15% of the total university student population. The majority of these students, over 75%, hailed from other European nations.

While acknowledging the importance of educational migration for the economy, Bruins stressed the need to ensure that the scale of this influx remains manageable for the country. 

The current cabinet, which took office in July, is committed to implementing the Netherlands' most stringent anti-migration policies to date.