{"id":179531,"date":"2025-05-27T16:48:05","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T14:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=179531"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:50","slug":"language-assessment-scrapped-for-existing-english-taught-bachelors-programmes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/05\/27\/language-assessment-scrapped-for-existing-english-taught-bachelors-programmes\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Language assessment’ scrapped for existing English-taught bachelor’s programmes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Universities and universities of applied sciences are allowed to decide for themselves which bachelor’s programmes will remain in English and which will switch to Dutch. This has been decided by a majority in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFemke Legu\u00e9<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The government was planning to subject all English-taught bachelor\u2019s programmes at universities and universities of applied sciences to an assessment: do they have good reasons for offering this programme in English, or would it be better in Dutch?<\/p>\n

For a long time, the four governing parties \u2013 PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB \u2013 supported this plan. They aim to reduce the number of foreign students coming to the Netherlands, and \u2018less English-taught education\u2019 is an easy way to achieve this.<\/p>\n

Pivot<\/h2>

However, the plans created uncertainty for universities and universities of applied sciences, on top of governmental budget cuts and a decline in the number of students. Various companies and local governments in shrinking regions also expressed concerns about the plans.<\/p>\n

Last week, NSC pivoted its position, and the VVD has since followed suit. They are co-signatories<\/a> of a CDA motion that scraps the announced \u2018assessment of foreign language education\u2019 for existing bachelor\u2019s programmes and is set to receive a majority this afternoon.<\/p>\n

One reason: the influx of foreign bachelor students is already declining<\/a>. Furthermore, universities have submitted a proposal<\/a> to manage internationalisation themselves, which has garnered considerable appreciation in the political arena. In the proposal, the English track of Psychology in Rotterdam was sacrificed, and the English versions of Business Administration (IBA) and Economics (IBEB) will have a smaller intake of students.<\/p>\n

168 million<\/h2>

Therefore, the signatories are requesting the government to amend the legislative proposal \u2018Internationalisation in Balance\u2019. Instead of a language assessment, the Minister of Education should reach a \u2018binding administrative agreement\u2019 with the educational institutions.<\/p>\n

Initially, PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB aimed to save 293 million euros per year on foreign students. After a compromise with the Christian opposition and JA21, this was reduced to 168 million euros per year. This budget cut seems to have already been achieved<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For new bachelor\u2019s programmes, however, the language of instruction remains a point of discussion: a committee reviewing the \u2018efficiency\u2019 of higher education will now also assess the necessity and utility of \u2018foreign language\u2019 education before a new programme can be launched.<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t