Internationalisation debate

In the autumn of 2022, the debate on the internationalisation of higher education unfolded in the Dutch parliament. The debate focused on a number of bottlenecks in higher education, including limited availability of student accommodation in some cities, work pressure and lack of space at universities and universities of applied sciences. These themes were closely linked in the debate to the increased intake of international students in Dutch higher education. Dissatisfaction was also expressed about the increased number of courses offered in English. The parliament asked the minister to indicate how the perceived problems could be reduced, and how the Dutch language can be given a more prominent place in higher education.

We do not yet know what exactly will change. As mentioned, ways are being sought to minimise the negative effects of international intake, better regulate the intake of international students, and pay more attention to the Dutch language in higher education.

In the debate with the Dutch Parliament on 15 June 2023, Minister Dijkgraaf indicated that in bachelor's programmes taught in Dutch, a maximum of one-third of the education may soon be taught in English. The number of (new) bachelor's programmes that have English as their language of instruction should also be limited by imposing stricter requirements on when this is and is not allowed. At the moment, it is not yet clear what those requirements will look like.

We do expect a strict standard. There was quite some understanding in Parliament for possible exceptions, for instance for universities in border regions, programmes that educate for jobs in sectors with high employment and specific programmes such as university colleges. However, there is also a desire to limit the number of exceptions.

In the various news releases, which you may find in the updates below, we have set out our viewpoints at various moments during the process. To guide us, we have formulated the building blocks by which we want to further shape our internationalisation policy. These are concept building blocks that are meant to give some clarity to the faculties and open a dialogue about how we want to approach this issue at UT.

In the coming months, the Dutch government's plans will increasingly take shape. We are awaiting a draft bill to be presented to the Dutch parliament, and education institutes will be in debate with the Minister to come up with a workable and effective solution to the challenges outlined. 

Our expectation is that any proposed changes will not affect education until the 2026-2027 academic year at the earliest, as there needs to be sufficient time to work out further and implement the decisions. In any case, there will be no changes for the upcoming academic year 2025-2026.

Yes, at UT, we will continue to warmly welcome international students and staff, as we have always done. We do so because we believe internationalisation contributes to a diverse and talented academic community and from the added value that international talents bring to regional and national labour market needs. In fact, in some areas, we simply cannot meet the labour market demand without having international students.

The admission requirements for our programmes have not changed. You can find the requirements for our bachelor and master programmes on our website.

If you start an English-language programme in September 2024, you do not necessarily have to learn Dutch. However, there are many extracurricular opportunities to take Dutch classes at UT, and we strongly recommend you do so. By doing so, you will become familiar with the Dutch language and culture, and it will be easier for you to connect with the locals. Also, if you plan to work in the Dutch labour market after your studies, Dutch language skills will give you better opportunities.

We do not expect that an existing programme currently offered in English will abruptly need to change the language of instruction during a student's studies. Should you face a change within your study programme due to study delay, we will ensure that you can still successfully complete your studies in the right way.

The minister has indicated that he will take a critical look at the regulations on the basis of which universities and universities of applied sciences determine whether a study programme should be taught in Dutch or in English.

This may mean that all UT programmes will have to re-argue which language is most appropriate. In some cases, this could mean that a programme will, in the future, be taught (partly) in Dutch, or that a programme will have both a Dutch- and an English-language track.

Currently, we expect teaching staff to speak the most prevalent international academic language, English, at least at the C1 level when teaching at UT. At this moment, it is not realistic to expect English-speaking (international) teaching staff to be able to teach in Dutch at a comparable level.

In his letter, the minister indicates that a "tightened accreditation framework will introduce a standard for proficiency in Dutch for English-speaking teaching staff. This requirement will have to apply to teaching staff in permanent employment and attain the necessary level within five years".

At the moment, it is not clear to us what exactly this means and what consequences it may have. We will have to wait for further elaboration on this, but we will certainly also enter into discussions with the minister on this theme.

No. At the University of Twente, we value the contributions of our international community. They are an integral part of our university. No one will have to leave because of limited knowledge of the Dutch language. However, we are happy to help you on your way to a good command of Dutch, as it helps in everyday life both within and outside the university.

Currently, English is the official working language of the University of Twente. We introduced this in 2020 so that everyone can have a say and participate in deciding on important issues that affect us all. In practice, a lot of information is available in both English and Dutch. We do this because we know that Dutch employees appreciate it when information is also available in Dutch.

We are currently evaluating our working language policy to see whether it is desirable and feasible to adopt a bilingual working language policy, with both Dutch and English as primary languages. A final decision is expected in the course of 2024.

The University of Twente already offers a number of courses that can help you learn Dutch. You can find the range of courses on offer on the UT Language Centre website.

We communicate our viewpoints directly to the ministry, policymakers, and politicians in parliament, but also in cooperation with other universities united in Universiteiten van Nederland. We chart out the consequences of possible decisions and help devise solutions that adequately address the issues that have been raised.

We are also engaging closely with regional partners from education, business, and government. At the end of 2022, we sent a letter to Minister Dijkgraaf together with these stakeholders, emphasising the importance of securing international intake at higher education institutions in the future.

We have brought together a team of experts from various fields to monitor any measures that may come our way. In consultation with various stakeholders within faculties and departments, they are analysing what these measures might mean and preparing scenarios for how we can deal with them adequately.

A guiding principle for the University of Twente is that the management of the programmes decides which language best suits the programme, and will take into account the opinions of their close stakeholders. Although this is an important principle that we would like to stick to, legal possibilities may play a role in the final decisions.

We fully understand that the current situation brings uncertainty. As it is not yet clear exactly what measures will be taken in the future, this uncertainty will, unfortunately, remain for some time. Don't get stuck with your feelings; talk about them with others. This can be done, for instance, with your colleagues or fellow students, but you can also speak to your manager or study advisor. They may not have a ready-made solution in all cases. Still, they can offer a sympathetic ear and ensure that your concerns are taken into account in our further approach to this issue.

If you do have specific questions about the topic, you may contact the Working Group on Internationalisation via email: internationalisation@utwente.nl. 

Former minister Dijkgraaf has asked us to be cautious about actively recruiting international students. However, there is room to continue recruiting to a limited extent, for example, for studies that educate for professions in IT and engineering. There is a great need for skilled staff in these sectors, and we as a university feel a responsibility to do our part in solving labour market shortages.

We are also open to facilitating study seekers orientating to study at UT, because we feel it is very important for everyone to make a well-considered decision about the study they will pursue. After all, it is an essential step in your personal future.

Research universities have agreed not to offer a preparatory year in the future for international students who do not meet the starting qualifications for a bachelor's programme. The University of Twente has an agreement with Navitas for an international foundation year within Twente Pathway College until August 2026. This means that students in the academic year 2025-2026 can still use Twente Pathway College to obtain the starting qualifications for a bachelor's degree at UT.