Following prior discussions on a new framework for international student enrollment in the Netherlands (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, April 2024), the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Eppo Bruins further outlined the government plans with regard to the Internationalisation in Balance bill in a parliamentary letter to the House of Representatives.  

The bill puts forward a set of restrictive measures “to safeguard the accessibility of higher education, improve proficiency in Dutch and retain international talent for the Dutch labour market”. The aim of the reform, as stated on the official government website, is to reduce the total number of incoming international students, in line with the intention to reduce expenditure on international students as of 2026.  

This letter has triggered various responses from high-level representatives, including the Limbourg regional governments, businesses, trade unions, and healthcare and educational institutions. The latter issued a letter advocating for the acknowledgement of regional differences and tailored solutions for various regions, particularly cross-border ones. This letter relied on documented evidence of the immediate negative consequences linked to the restrictions in international student recruitment for both Limburg's educational institutions and the region itself, namely a EUR 1 billion reduction in Limburg's economic output and a structural loss of 4,500 jobs in the region.  

On 11 December, the Dutch coalition parties reported to have reached an agreement with four opposition parties on the 2025 budget of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). According to the Dutch national rector’s conference, Universities of the Netherlands, the package will continue to include more than half a billion in cuts for higher education and science, with particularly severe cuts in scientific research. Target cuts for international students amount to EUR 168 million. However, cuts for international students in regions with population decline (Limburg, Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, and Zeeland) were reversed (EUR 125 million in mitigated cuts).