{"id":197921,"date":"2026-05-18T16:48:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=197921"},"modified":"2026-05-18T16:50:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:50:00","slug":"komen-er-harde-afspraken-over-internationals-dat-is-maar-de-vraag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/05\/18\/komen-er-harde-afspraken-over-internationals-dat-is-maar-de-vraag\/","title":{"rendered":"Will there be firm agreements on internationals? That remains to be seen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The cabinet wants to make agreements with universities of applied sciences and universities to limit the number of international bachelor’s students. But without the language test, the minister has few means of enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Less than a year ago, the Schoof cabinet was engaged<\/a> in a fierce battle against the influx of international students. Former education minister Eppo Bruins wanted fewer English-language programmes and also had to make substantial cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Dutch politics changes like the weather. Earlier this year, D66, VVD and CDA presented a coalition agreement that included plans to loosen the reins again. The coalition wants to reverse the cuts and is no longer particularly concerned about English-language programmes either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talent<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So will everything return to how it was before? No. The cabinet still wants to control the international influx. Not through rules or less funding, but through administrative agreements with educational institutions, education minister Rianne Letschert wrote<\/a> to the House of Representatives a few weeks ago. But how?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea is that higher education will receive 154 million euros for a \u2018talent strategy\u2019. This could be used to attract international students in fields where the Netherlands needs them. The cabinet gives no examples, but technical degree programmes come to mind. More internationals in one sector would mean fewer in another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-regulation watered down<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The idea of arranging this through administrative agreements did not come out of nowhere. Universities and universities of applied sciences strongly protested against the previous cabinet\u2019s plans. Strict rules for English-language education would create major uncertainty. If something really had to be done about the influx of international students, the educational institutions said, then let us handle it ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They proposed a form of \u2018self-regulation\u2019, in which they would make mutual agreements to control the influx. They believed it should be done in a nuanced and carefully considered way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Een lijst met artikelen<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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