The Dutch government is advancing a proposal to reduce the use of English in universities, aiming to curb the rising number of international students. In a letter to parliament on Tuesday, Education Minister Eppo Bruins expressed his intent to re-establish Dutch as the primary language in higher education.
“I want to make Dutch the standard in higher vocational education and universities. Both international and Dutch students need to invest in Dutch language proficiency. This will allow international students to contribute to our labour market for longer,” Bruins wrote in a post on X.
“When we only used Dutch in higher education, we were still leading globally. International talent will continue to come to the Netherlands, even with stricter language requirements,” he added during an interview with NPO Radio 1.
Mr Bruins emphasised his aim to prioritise the Dutch language, citing a shortage of student housing, overcrowded lecture halls, and the pressure on the Dutch language due to the growing number of foreign students.
“The Netherlands is proudly an international knowledge hub, and we must remain so for our future. However, the increase in international students has led to housing shortages, full lecture halls, and diminished use of Dutch. This calls for action. I want to make Dutch the norm again, improving language skills and ensuring that international students contribute to our economy and society after graduation,” he said.
The proposed legislation seeks to limit the number of bachelor’s programmes taught in English to a maximum of one-third of all courses. This builds on a previous initiative from the former Dutch government, which raised concerns about the potential impact on international talent, especially in the technology sector.
According to the Dutch statistics agency, nearly 123,000 foreign students were enrolled in higher education last year, representing 15% of the university population. Over three-quarters of them were from other European countries.
While recognising the economic benefits of educational migration, Mr Bruins stressed that the scale must align with the country’s capacity.
“The size of this migration needs to be in proportion to what the Netherlands can sustain,” he said. This shift is part of the new cabinet’s agenda, which came into power in July and is pursuing the country’s strictest anti-migration policies to date.
Under the proposal, no more than one-third of bachelor’s courses would be taught in languages other than Dutch. A special committee would be responsible for approving programmes conducted entirely in English.
Currently, one in three bachelor’s programmes is offered in a mix of Dutch and English. The government also plans to make Dutch the standard language for university and college management boards.
Despite the restrictive measures, Mr Bruins acknowledged that attracting international students remains essential to fill labour shortages, particularly in shortage sectors and border regions. He added that improving Dutch language skills among international students would enhance their chances of staying and contributing to the workforce after graduation.
“Research shows that language barriers in the workplace and society are significant obstacles for international students. By increasing language proficiency, we can raise the current 25% retention rate of international students after five years,” Mr Bruins noted, referencing a study by Nuffic.