‘Dutch government should not decide language of instruction’

Universities should determine what language they teach in, says Education Council

University deans should oversee the language of instruction in Dutch higher education, not the government, according to advice from the country’s Education Council (Onderwijsraad).

The advisory group issued the guidance on 6 February in response to the government’s Internationalisation in Balance bill, which would place stricter rules on bachelor’s degrees offered in languages other than Dutch. The law is needed, the ministry of education says, because the Netherlands needs to curb the number of international students to preserve the quality and accessibility of a university education.