Haris Toogo, Illike Kumsova, Nouman Khan
Amid the widespread debate and concerns regarding the escalating influx of international students into the Netherlands, the country’s November elections have brought to the forefront a contentious issue in political discourse. Prominent politician and outgoing education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf has put forward a bill recently that includes various tools for Dutch institutions to restrict the students’ inflow. “The current numbers will lead to overcrowded lecture halls and excessive workloads for lecturers,” Dijkgraaf said.
Pieter Omtzigt, a Member of the House of Representatives, has recently launched his new party New Social Contract (NSC) with a manifesto stating that fewer international students should be admitted every year. According to the data in 2006, there were 31,500 international students enrolled in the Netherlands, whereas by 2022, this figure had more than tripled to 122,300. The party supports the proposal for ‘affordable living on campus’ because they are concerned about the availability of student housing.
The Dutch education minister Dijkgraaf has plans to reduce the number of English-taught courses for foreign students. He aims to limit the recruitment process, explaining that internationalization leads to overburdening the teaching staff, reduced access to study programs and preventing pressure on universities. Additionally, he stated that further courses offered in Dutch would motivate international students to pick up the language and stay.
The aim is to strategically regulate the influx of students for the overall advancement of Dutch society. Alongside this goal, the education ministry is also promoting the use of the Dutch language. This initiative is poised to substantially benefit international students who opt to remain in the Netherlands for employment post-graduation.
Denmark experienced a similar shift in their attitude towards international students, reflecting a notable policy adjustment within their higher education system. The Danish Ministry of Higher Education previously enforced a policy in 2021 aimed at reducing the number of English taught courses to attempt to control the increasing the SU (State Education Grant & Loan Scheme) expense for EU (European Union) students. However, there has been a recent reversal in Denmark's stance. Education Minister Christina Egelund urged the reversal of this policy in October 2023 after employers expressed concerns about the increasing scarcity of a well-educated workforce.
“We should be grateful when a young person from abroad looks Denmark’s way. Our need is great, and the competition for qualified young people and labor is fierce,” Christina Egelund told the Copenhagen Post.
An independent non-profit Think Tank DEA has been examining the financial impact of foreign students in Denmark over 16 years. The results showed a net contribution of 165.5 million Danish Krone or USD 23.8 million. The conclusion that international students who earned long-term degrees were the most advantageous to the Danish economy financially was significant. The report also shows that 40 percent of international students who finished their degrees in Denmark between 1996 and 2000 chose to remain in the country after graduation, thereby boosting the country's economy.
Tobias Høygaard Lindeberg, deputy director of DEA, stated to The Pie News that "there is room for a concerted national effort to both attract and retain top-tier students, especially given the intensifying global competition for international students."