At all Dutch universities, the number of first-year students has fallen by three and a half percent compared to last year. VU is no exception: bachelor’s enrolments dropped more sharply than the national average, while master’s enrolments increased slightly. As a result, VU now has around 30,500 students – roughly a thousand fewer than last year.
A total of 332,000 students are currently enrolled at Dutch universities – over 6,000 fewer than last year. Projections by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science show that this figure will only decline further in the years ahead.
Less internationals
The number of international undergraduate students has been declining for three consecutive years, mainly due to a lack of interest among students from other European countries. Last year, enrolments from these countries were down by nine percent, compared to almost five percent this year.
At VU, the number of international bachelor’s students has fallen by fifteen percent, while international master’s enrolments dropped by four percent. Overall, this amounts to a nine percent decline in international student intake. Executive Board president Margrethe Jonkman is concerned about this development: “International students are an enrichment to our education. They not only bring a different perspective on global developments, but they also learn to collaborate in an increasingly international environment and build a global network for the future.”
Explanations for the decline include the suspension of international recruitment activities in line with national agreements, the ongoing housing shortage – which prospective international students are actively informed about – and the discouraging policies for international students introduced by the previous government.
Demographical changes
The number of Dutch students also declined this year, with new enrolments falling by approximately 3.5 percent. That decrease is mainly due to demographic changes, resulting in fewer secondary school students taking the vwo final exams. Last year, lower pass rates added to the decline.
A total of 332,000 students are currently enrolled at Dutch universities – over 6,000 fewer than last year. Projections by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science show that this figure will only decline further in the years ahead.
Caspar van den Berg, president of university association UNL, is concerned about the dwindling enrolment figures: “It is imperative that the next government present a clear strategy on how we can continue to attract, train and retain talent.” This talent cannot be sourced solely from the Netherlands, he says: “We simply don’t have enough young people to meet the demand.”
The decline in student numbers, combined with the outgoing government’s budget cuts, are putting further pressure on universities. UNL anticipates that more degree programmes will be discontinued, and that research projects will be suspended. Van den Berg argues that “more stable funding for universities” is necessary to reduce their dependence on student numbers.
Stable funding
VU supports the call by Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) for the new government to ensure more stable funding for universities. Jonkman says: “To continue providing high-quality research and education in the future, we need to take a different approach to how higher education is funded.”