Amended internationalisation law goes to the Council of State

For years, politicians have been debating how to reduce the influx of international students into Dutch higher education, especially at research universities. Several ministers have submitted bills to this end, but so far, none have made it to the finish line.

The outgoing Education Minister Gouke Moes is making a new attempt to take the Internationalisation in Balance Bill (WIB), submitted by the former minister Robbert Dijkgraaf, a step further. He is sending the proposal to the Council of State for advice.

Moes is the successor to Dijkgraaf's successor, Eppo Bruins. Despite the fall of the cabinet, the House of Representatives has allowed Moes to continue working on it.

Relaxation
Last year, Eppo Bruins had to promise the House of Representatives that he would relax the language test announced in the bill. This test would determine whether a degree programme "needs" to be taught in English. Those who didn't pass the test would have to switch to Dutch.

Now, the test will not apply to existing programmes. Only new programmes will have to prove to an “effectiveness” committee that a programme in a language other than Dutch is necessary. 

Third time
This is the third time that such a bill has been submitted to the Council of State. In 2019, the Council found that Ingrid van Engelshoven's first plan was unclear about which problem it wanted to solve. The Council found Dijkgraaf's second proposal too strict in some respects, especially for existing programmes.

Last year, the House of Representatives demanded a relaxation of the language test. They did so for various reasons. The growth in the number of international students was not as high as expected; additionally, educational institutions and the business community were concerned about the proposed policy and shortages in the labour market.

Budget cuts
Research universities had previously promised Dijkgraaf that they would no longer actively recruit international students. As a result, the budget cuts imposed by the Schoof cabinet, aimed at reducing the influx of international students, were effectively removed.

The Council of State usually takes about two months to reach a decision, after which the bill will go to the House of Representatives.