Minister: International university recruitment agencies undesirable
It is 'undesirable' for universities to cooperate with international agencies that recruit students for them. Minister Van Engelshoven answers this to questions from the SP, which were asked in response to publications in the Education Magazine and on the website of the AOb.
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British and Australian recruitment agencies are quietly settling on Dutch campuses, it reported Education magazine recently in the article 'The hunt for the international student'. The agencies recruit foreign students who do not meet the admission requirements, and therefore first follow a very expensive preparatory year - amounts of eighteen thousand euros are no exception - which is offered by the agency itself.
That affects the reputation of the higher education, say those involved website of the AOb. 'They recruit Chinese or Russian students for Dutch universities, while the secondary school diploma in those countries is at HAVO level.' At the moment, the preparatory year providers are recruiting students for five universities and three universities of applied sciences.
The minister finds it undesirable that universities pay recruitment agencies to attract international students, while a high percentage of international students already study at Dutch universities. 'That is also difficult to reconcile with the internationalization agenda of the VSNU and the VH, which asks for more instruments to control the influx', the minister writes. answer to questions from Frank Futselaar of the SP.
Universities have the freedom to spend their resources sober and efficiently
The minister also questions the amounts that education pays to the recruitment agencies. 'Universities have the scope to spend their resources frugally and efficiently.' She emphasizes that universities themselves remain responsible at all times for the admission of students - even if they have been recruited by a recruitment agency.
The minister sees no reason to intervene at this time. 'I think academic freedom and the autonomy of institutions are a great asset. And as I outline in my vision letter 'Internationalisation in balance', international students can make a valuable contribution to Dutch higher education - provided this is done in the right way.”
