Local leaders, educational institutions, businesses, and other organisations from Limburg have penned an open letter to Eppo Bruins, the Netherlands’ minister of education, culture, and science, highlighting the province’s dependence on international students. 

“Limburg has a strong international orientation due to its location on the border with Belgium and Germany. For our educational institutions, this means that approximately 70% of their target market lies within a radius of 100 to 150 kilometres across the border,” said the letter, dated November 19. 

With the country expected to cut the international student budget by €300 million, as outlined in a letter sent by Bruins to the House of Representatives on October 15, the stakeholders have urged for more attention on Limburg’s educational landscape. 

“Ahead of the discussion of the OCW-budget, we request attention for tailored agreements regarding the educational landscape of Limburg, as the proposed policy impacts the foundation of our region’s prosperity, liveability, and economic development,” read the letter. 

“This situation forces knowledge institutions to halt investments in innovative initiatives in Limburg, severely undermining the region’s and the Netherlands’ innovative capacity and competitiveness.

“When we consider ‘Every Region Counts’, the national initiative aimed at improving quality of life, housing, and work in the Netherlands, we observe that the proposed measures do not apply positively to Limburg,” highlights the letter. 

Moreover, the letter referred to research conducted by Panteia, a data-driven research and consulting organisation, which indicates that restricting international students could, within one government term, reduce Limburg’s economic output by €1bn and cost the region 4,500 jobs.

Elianne Demollin-Schneiders, deputy of the province of Limburg and a signatory of the letter, stated: “The province views the influx of students from both the Netherlands and abroad as vital to the socio-economic vitality of Limburg.”

“The Limburg region has an ageing population, which means that without students from outside, there will be a sharp decline in students, which will lead to a devastation: the disappearances of courses from the region and thus a significant shrinkage of educational institutions,” said Scheniders. 

The open letter followed a March appeal from higher education institutions, regional government, and business leaders in Limburg to Bruins and the House of Representatives.

Like many other destinations, the Netherlands faces a housing shortage, prompting policymakers to consider reducing student inflows.

But stakeholders from Limburg, who have highlighted internationalisation as a “solution” rather than a problem, stated in the letter that a “serious shortage of housing and student accommodation, and overcrowded lecture halls, do not occur in Limburg”, unlike other cities in the Netherlands.

“In fact, due to demographic shrinkage, municipalities in the region would welcome more students within their boundaries… Only 24% of Limburg’s border is with the rest of the Netherlands, while 76% is with other countries. This means that we must look beyond borders to increase the quality of life in the region,” read the letter. 

It went on to say that collaboration among educational institutions, businesses, and governments in the EU has made Limburg “one of the most innovative regions in Europe.”

Without students from outside, there will be a sharp decline in students, which will lead to a devastation
_{^{Elianne Demollin-Schneiders, Limburg Province}}

Universities have cautioned against recent policies by the Netherlands’ government aimed at restricting international students. 

According to Caspar van den Berg, Universities of the Netherlands president, the Balanced Internationalisation Bill has led to institutions expressing “serious concern”, with worries that it will jeopardise the Netherlands’ position as a leading knowledge economy and severely impact university finances.

Under the new Bill, the Dutch government plans to cut the number of English-language bachelor’s programs at universities to reduce the influx of international students.

The international student population in the Netherlands grew at its slowest rate in nearly a decade during the 2023/24 academic year. 

Signaling that recent efforts to curb internationalisation and reduce student numbers are having an effect.