The Dutch government recently announced a partial withdrawal of its policy of restricting English-language degrees, marking a significant shift in its approach to internationalizing higher education . Specifically, the country will scrap the Test of Foreign Language Education (TAO), a test that requires schools to demonstrate the need to teach in a foreign language.
This move has been welcomed by higher education experts. Mr. Caspar van den Berg - President of the Association of Dutch Universities (UNL), assessed TAO as a "serious threat" to education and the international labor market. Representatives of universities said that flexibility in the language of instruction is essential to maintain academic quality and attract international students.
According to Dutch Education Minister Eppo Bruins, the decision was made in the context of schools reducing international student enrollment as they had to switch some training programs to Dutch. This decision helps to restore the spirit of internationalization in education in this country. However, the study programs must still comply with TAO.
The policy change comes amid a significant drop in international student applications. The Dutch University Association said applications from Europe fell 4.5% and the total number of international students fell 3% compared to the previous year. Education leaders warn that without a clear talent attraction strategy, the Netherlands will miss out on the economic opportunities that come from international students.
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/ha-lan-thay-doi-chinh-sach-day-ngoai-ngu-post741244.html
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