While the previous government wanted to cut back on the number of international students, the new coalition is taking a different approach. Educational institutions are once again being given room to recruit talent from abroad. The government plans to allocate 154 million euros to its so-called “talent strategy.”

A significant portion of the funding is intended to attract international talent in sectors facing labor shortages in the Netherlands. However, it must remain balanced, “so that the benefits of internationalization are preserved without leading to undesirable effects on accessibility or capacity.”

Minister of Education Rianne Letschert wrote this in response to parliamentary questions from the PVV. She had previously outlined her direction in a policy letter.

Add value

Universities of applied sciences and research universities should be able “to assess for each program and region where international students add value and where limits are necessary,” for example through an intake restriction. More international students in one sector will therefore mean fewer in another.

“There is no contradiction between internationalization and Dutch interests,” Letschert emphasized. “It can contribute to the quality of education, strengthen the Netherlands’ international position, and support a strong economy.”

Pushed aside?

The PVV claims that Dutch students are being “pushed aside” by foreign students. According to Letschert, that is not true. Higher education in the Netherlands is generally highly accessible, she said. Even when programs apply an intake restriction, most students ultimately still gain admission. Only 5 percent of all higher education students are “unable to start the program of their first choice.”

Still, the government does want to maintain control over internationalization. Administrative agreements must be made “in the short term.” Universities had previously already promised to admit no more than 16,766 international bachelor’s students annually. The agreements will also cover “Dutch-language proficiency, improving retention rates, and housing.”

Cut off funding

It remains unclear how the minister intends to enforce the policy now that the national “language test” for English-taught bachelor’s programs has been scrapped. The only enforcement tool she still has is to cut off funding. In that case, institutions would receive government funding only up to a certain number of students, and no more.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.