While there may be some difficulties caused by broken English and accommodation, the arrival of so many foreign students in the Netherlands is generally a good thing, believes director Weima of the internationalization organization Nuffic.

There are now 112,000 foreign students at universities of applied sciences and universities. Specially for them, today sees the start of the Week of the International Student. Career events are being held in various cities, and on Wednesday, November 15 the Holland Alumni Network will be launched in Utrecht. This is for foreign students keen to stay on in the Netherlands.

“There are some 45 networks worldwide that stay in touch with alumni who return to their own country,” says Weima, “but there has never been anything similar for alumni who wish to stay here.”

More and more foreign students are coming to the Netherlands. The more, the better?
“It's not that cut and dried. You need to consider all the various aspects. Internationalization isn't an aim in itself, but a means to improving the quality of education. We want to prepare students for an international future. You could even say that foreign students contribute to peaceful international relations.”

How do we know that they are good for the quality of education?
“I was just in Maastricht, where half the students come from abroad. The student population there is highly diverse. They say that it works well, and that they learn a great deal from each other's cultures. Elsewhere too, you see that students value their educational institution having an international character.”

Critics point to the problems with accommodation in the major cities: there is already a housing crisis.
“We are not lobbyists claiming that everything international is good. Good accommodation is important, for Dutch students too. People are working hard on this. The general public might not always see it, but it is happening. We have a mobstacle team (for mobility obstacles - ed.) and a network called The Red Carpet that is working hard to guide foreign students through the steps to getting registered and other procedures.”

And are the English language skills of lecturers good enough to cope with education becoming so international?
“Similarly, English isn't an aim in itself either. We need to find a balance. Perhaps we can't teach all our Bachelor's students in English all the time. They should be given the chance to get used to this demand on them. Take the UvA for example, it has decided to adopt the principle of bilingualism: it offers degree programs in both English and Dutch.

And perhaps lecturers should receive better training. Earlier today I attended a meeting of bilingual high schools. These teach children in the junior grades in English for half of the time. The teachers receive intensive training; I've not heard any complaints about broken English there.”

Nuffic is also keen to emphasize the economic benefits. Are these so important?
“International students are good for the economy, but also for education. You won't hear me talking only about the economic aspect. But it is a message we convey because it is often thought that these students only cost money. And that is not the case. Over the longer term, foreign students bring in 1.57 billion euros.

A British study shows that even while they are still studying, these students spend a considerable amount of money. They pay their rent, do their grocery shopping here, their parents may come over to visit… And after they return to their own countries they maintain a lifelong connection with the Netherlands. That is very valuable, as we are always being told by embassies.”