Netherlands proposing curbs on English-language courses in universities: Report
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The government of the Netherlands is proposing curbs on English language courses in universities. According to a report by The Guardian on Tuesday (June 20), as the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU), Dutch universities started offering more courses in the English language. However, the government has proposed a cap on the number of students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in some subjects and is forcing universities to offerat least two-thirds of the content ofstandard bachelor’s degrees in Dutch.
The report said that international students might be required to learn basic Dutch to increase their chances of staying in the country. Netherlands' Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said there can be room in the curriculum for any other language, but the proposal is that it should not be more than a third.
"That means that most of your education is in Dutch, but if you want to give a few specialist subjects in English, that is allowed," Education Minister Dijkgraaf added, The Guardian reported.
Dijkgraaf further said that exceptions are possible, but will require special permission. In April, he sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Rutte, saying that Dutch should be strengthened at universities.
'Dutch by default'
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Djikgraaf said that the current law says "Dutch by default", and there is a huge hole in the net and everyone swims through it. The education minister's bill would come into force in September next year.
The bill has had mixed reactions.
Democrats 66 party MP Jeanet van der Laan said that high-level Dutch skills needed to be preserved but voiced concerns about the bill, The Guardian further reported.
“Conservative parties are proposing to force all international students to follow part of the curriculum in Dutch,” der Laan said, adding this high threshold would make international students think twice before registering in the Netherlands.
"So we will miss out on talent we want," she added.
The Universities of the Netherlands Association, meanwhile, said that local students should improve their Dutch and international students should learn it.
“There are still possibilities for English-language education,” association spokesperson Ruben Puylaert said, adding the association believed that this national control interferes with the autonomy of universities.
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