Parties in the First Chamber voice doubts over the legislative proposal. The suggestion that international students must meet a minimum language proficiency requirement in Dutch is considered nonsense by the VVD party. Photo Marte Hofsteenge Minister Van Engelshoven called her bill Language and Accessibility a “balancing act”. The bill stipulates that courses may only be offered in the English language if this has ‘added value’. Senators of ruling parties VVD, CDA and D66, and the opposition parties GroenLinks and PvdA, have submitted written questions, indicating their displeasure.
Paperwork
The VVD expects the proposal will lead to an administrative burden. How does one assess the added value of the use of the English language? Can the minister offer a few ‘concrete examples’ based on existing courses? And, would it not be better if educational institutions were to spend the money and time involved in such assessments on education?
The CDA also fears a ‘paper tiger’. Although the party supports the idea behind the bill, it must be applied ‘consistently and stringently’. Something in which the Christian Democrats do not put much confidence.
Language lessons
The law stems from increasing criticism on the internationalisation and Anglicisation of, in particular, scientific education. Critics want to know what all these international students are doing here. Will they stay in the Netherlands to put their talents to use? And, do students still learn Dutch at an academic level? This criticism inspired the bill to demand that English-spoken courses must also improve their students’ command of the Dutch language. But this too raises questions among the senators.
How will this be implemented, Groen Links asks. Will there be compulsory language lessons and exams? Is this extracurricular? If so, what are the consequences for students’ work pressure?
Attainment levels
The PvdA has an even more fundamental question: is the government going to intervene in the courses’ attainment levels? And if so, under what justification? And if not, how are programmes to respond?
The VVD calls the fact that international students are required to have a basic command of the Dutch language nonsense. ‘Why would a student following an English spoken course in the Netherlands have to speak Dutch?’, the party demands. ‘There are many people living and working in the Netherlands, in the international business sector in particular, who do not speak Dutch but are well integrated into our society.’
With a few weeks, the minister will answer the questions. However, the government has fallen, and this bill may well be declared ‘controversial’, which means it must be put on hold until a new government has been installed. If this happens, a delay of at least a year is likely.