Industrial Engineering has grown significantly in recent years, says dean Geert-Jan van Houtum. “In September 2023, we welcomed 225 new students, and this year that number will be around 380.” With the current budget and staff size, the department cannot accommodate further growth, he says. “So there is really no other option than to introduce an intake restriction.”

According to Van Houtum, the growing popularity of Industrial Engineering is probably due to the strong employment prospects and the fact that the program has a strong international reputation.

The growth is mainly driven by international students. That is why the department – like Chemical Engineering & Chemistry – is opting for a system with a Dutch-language and an English-language track. The program is currently taught entirely in English.

Only the English-language track will have a cap. The Dutch-language track will not be taught entirely in Dutch, but it will have to meet certain requirements, such as offering exams in Dutch. “We can meet the requirements, although it will require some additional effort,” says Van Houtum.

A healthy mix

According to Van Houtum, the university is choosing this approach, which partially departs from English as the language of instruction, because it is the only way under current legislation to maintain a healthy mix of Dutch- and English-speaking students. “Think of a 50-50 mix.”

“Without a Dutch-language track, we could end up in a situation where the proportion of Dutch students declines, and we consider that undesirable,” says the dean. It would also be bad for Brainport, he argues, because Dutch students are more likely than international students to stay and work in the region after graduating.

Enough graduates

There is a strong demand for Industrial Engineering graduates in Brainport. If student numbers are restricted, will the region miss out on an important group of graduates? According to the dean, that will not be the case, because the bachelor’s program has already grown so much that the master’s program will also see substantial growth.

“This means that in the coming years, Brainport can expect more master’s graduates than it does now. With an intake restriction, we are limiting enrollment in the bachelor’s program, but we will remain well above the level of three years ago.”

Intake restrictions

The university already has three programs with an intake restriction: Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, and Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences. Chemical Engineering & Chemistry will be added in 2027, followed by Industrial Engineering the year after. Electrical Engineering may also get an intake restriction at that point, although that department will first implement alternative measures in an attempt to avoid a cap.