‘There are limits to growth,’ said rector magnificus Karen Maex in her annual speech given on the 386th birthday of the UvA. Maex then asked the Dutch Minister of Education to control the inflow of international students.
Last year the UvA welcomed more international students than ever, and the inflow continues. That’s a good thing, says Maex. But it’s not a goal in itself. ‘[Our goal is] to provide a stimulating student experience as well as an international perspective.’
Dutch or English?
On the topic of bilingualism, Maex said that the UvA has to strive to reach ‘a balance’ between ‘Dutch courses with a touch of English’ and English courses. The UvA may have to offer courses in two languages whereas more of an, ‘international character might lead to a wider inflow’ for those that are less popular. Either way, the accessibility and quality of education must be guaranteed, she said. Maex also wants to take into account ‘the value of Dutch as an educational language’.
Maex argued for an international classroom, but one with limits. ‘Can you imagine a lecture hall in the future in which 80 per cent of students come from Germany or China? This is not what we have in mind when we talk about an international classroom.’ She said that the university should never market courses exclusively for international students, that there should always be Dutch students.
Max asked the Minister of Education for the ‘tools’ to control the inflow of international students. As it stands, applications from students from EU member states must be dealt with in the same way as those from Dutch students. ‘It would be advisable to add criterion that allows the university to be able to control the composition of the course in terms of diversity and international background,’ Maex said.