Managing director Lilian Halsema expects the change to result in a notable increase of international students. “Especially in combination with active recruitment, we should be able to increase that group by ten to twenty percent”, she hopes. Halsema does realize that changing a language isn’t going to reverse the problem. “We’ll be presenting ourselves as an international program more explicitly. There will be more exchange programs, and we’ll approach our field of study from a more international point of view.”

Lecturers have been informed about the switch to English. Those who were already adapting the coursework for the Bachelor College have been advised to translate the material to English right away. Faculty who need help in light of the changed language have been asked to let the board know.

Commissioner of Education Floor Piron of Built Environment study association CHEOPS is excited about the decision made by the Departmental Board. “The program will tie in better with our professional lives.” Students of Built Environment mostly welcome the idea as well. Recently, 78 percent of a group of first-year students of Built Environment who filled out a survey said they’d have enrolled had the program been offered in English.

The reason for the drop in new Built Environment applications might be the crisis in construction, and the discouraging outlook on finding a job.