international students

The Dutch Senate has aired reservations about legislation proposed to give the Dutch government a better grip on the number of international students coming to the Netherlands – the senate fears it might damage the country's reputation abroad. In any case, the question about accessibility should lie with institutions of higher education, not legislators, it was said in a recent debate about the Language and Accessibility Bill.

In a year dominated by the pandemic, it comes as no surprise that students at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences now believe health and wellbeing should be one of the world's top sustainable development goals. Almost 120 undergraduates were surveyed on the topic as part of Wittenborg's final Project Week of the calendar year.

A few days ago, the majority of parties in the Dutch House of Representatives voted in favour of a motion asking the government to scrap the condition that students obtain a minimum number of European Credits during their first year or risk being kicked out of their programme. Should it be passed, will international students also be exempted from this condition which is currently attached to their study visa?

Students who study abroad have a better chance of finding a job. This is according to Dutch recruitment expert Olfertjan Niemeijer, who recently delivered a seminar to bachelor's students at Wittenborg Amsterdam. Niemeijer has almost 30 years of experience in the recruitment business and is the founder of Independent Recruiters.

While student numbers have taken a dive worldwide, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences saw a promising uptick in its second intake for the academic year with more new students attending Introduction Week activities this week than in September. Wittenborg has six entry dates per year.

Despite the downturn in the European economy due to COVID-19, the majority of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences' latest international graduates still plan to have a go at finding a job in the Netherlands in the coming year. The rest will either continue their studies here or try to start a business, while a small number will return to their respective home countries.

International students' interest to study in the Netherlands is still huge – and preferably they would like to come to the country at the start of the new academic year in September, a survey by the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, Nuffic, has shown.