Universities in the Netherlands have welcomed a change of direction from the Dutch government, walking back a flagship policy of its Internationalisation in Balance Act (WIB) that was intended to reduce English-taught degrees at Dutch universities.
“It is very good news for universities and for the Netherlands that the bill is being amended. The TAO would have been disastrous for our education system, the labour market, and the vitality of border and shrinking regions,” said Caspar van den Berg, president of the leading association of Dutch universities, UNL.
If implemented, the TAO would have required Dutch universities to demonstrate that teaching a degree in any language other than Dutch was not only a necessity but that it added value to the program.
Studyportals CEO, Edwin Van Rest, said the reversal was a “welcome and timely shift”, coming at a “critical moment” for universities as international demand for studying in the Netherlands has dropped significantly due to uncertainty surrounding previous government actions.
“The new direction signals renewed support for internationalisation and offers much-needed clarity for universities, many of which still have the capacity to welcome more international students,” he added.
The amendment was outlined by education minister Eppo Bruins in a July 3 letter to Parliament, highlighting the impact of voluntary self-regulatory measures taken by the university sector, including enrolment caps on some programs and the conversion of courses into Dutch.
Though any new degree programs will still be subject to the TAO, Bruins wrote he was “effectively relinquishing [his] ability to intervene in the current foreign-language program offerings”.
In accordance with TAO requirements, any new programs taught in a foreign language must relate to a sector with labour shortages, be taught in a region with a declining population, or be “inherently international” in nature.
The move has been welcomed for protecting institutional autonomy and preserving academic standards; it will ensure that existing programs are not simply assessed based on their language of instruction.
“The risk was that the TAO would intervene far too drastically in the provision of English-taught programs, to the detriment of education, research and the labour market,” explained UNL spokesperson Ruben Puylaert.
Since the measure was proposed in October 2024, Dutch universities have taken international student regulation into their own hands, halting active overseas recruitment and warning prospective students about housing shortages in the Netherlands.
The TAO would have been disastrous for our education system, the labour market, and the vitality of border and shrinking regions
Caspar van den Berg, UNL
Over the past two years, international student enrolment has been declining, with Puylaert expecting further reductions once UNL’s full package is implemented.
For the coming 2025/26 academic year, applications from Europe are 4.5% lower than last year and 11% down on 2023/24 levels, with total international student numbers 3% lower than last year, according to UNL.
“These figures show that universities are increasingly gaining control over the influx of international students,” said Van den Berg. “But we also see that the Netherlands’ image as an attractive place to work and study has suffered significant damage.”
While targeted reductions are needed in some areas, “a key element of our approach is to retain the flexibility to grow the number of international students in sectors where they are needed,” explained Puyalert, urging the government to develop a strategy to “foster, attract and retain talent”.
“This isn’t just about institutional needs; the Dutch economy and society stand to benefit,” added van Rest: “With an ageing population and persistent labour shortages in key sectors, international graduates, who already have high stay rates and make strong economic contributions, represent a vital source of talent.
“Re-engaging international students is not only in the interest of Dutch universities, but of the country as a whole,” he said.
The amended legislation – which also gives programs the option to introduce more targeted enrolment caps – is expected to be submitted to Parliament by the end of the year.
