Why is Radboud so white?
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Foto: Dick van Aalst
Radboud University is among the whitest universities of the country, a special diversity report from the University of Amsterdam shows. Researchers had access to a database that contains the ethnic backgrounds of all students in The Netherlands. Why is there so little diversity at Radboud University?
Only eight percent of all students at Radboud University is a non-Western allochtoon, according to the report Let’s do diversity. The Dutch word allochtoon loosely translates as ‘foreigner’, but it is not completely the same. In combination with ‘Non-Western’, it is defined as ‘someone who has at least one parent who is born in Latin America, Asia or Africa (with the exception of Indonesia and Japan)’. Nationwide, the percentage is 12 percent. Only the universities in Eindhoven, Groningen, Twente and Wageningen score lower than Nijmegen. International students are not included in this calculation.
The figures in the report are special, because ethnicity is not registered at Dutch universities. For this research, the researchers were allowed to access a (closed) database at DUO, the education executive agency in The Netherlands. That database is partially based on the Municipal Administration – which does have info about ethnicity.
‘The low percentage does not surprise me actually’, says Michael Savelkoul, who researches diversity at Radboud University. ‘It is a pity though. Ideally, the university reflects society – and thus is much more mixed. Several studies have shown that it is good for the mutual tolerance if people with different backgrounds meet.’
According to Savelkoul, the lack of diversity is explainable. He points out the other white universities (Groningen, Wageningen en Eindhoven): ‘You have to look at the region that the universities are in. Radboud University often receives students from Gelderland, Limburg and Brabant. A lot less allochtonen live there, compared to the rest of the country.’
Transition year
That is correct. In Amsterdam and Rotterdam, more than half of the 18-year-olds is a non-Western allochtoon. In Nijmegen, that’s only 17 percent – in the surrounding rural area, that percentage will undoubtedly be even lower.
Universities that want a more diverse campus, should invest in transition years, according to the report, because foreigners often take a detour towards university. The researchers also recommend to hire a ‘diversity officer’, who is committed to more diversity on campus.
John Smith wrote on 20 oktober 2016 at 17:24
This is insanity. Forced diversity demonstrates you’re still holding onto intolerance, virtue signaling to try and show everyone you aren’t a racist. Rather, you must try to see the big picture, not just white people, black, brown, or what have you. Look to understand people on the individual level, with wants and needs. Stop objectifying and fetishizing people of colour, as something you need to direct around and place around yo to feel better about yourself.
Why is Radboud so white? Because Nijmegen isn’t a major metropolitan area, simple as that.
Beau Cox wrote on 21 oktober 2016 at 12:02
Amen.
Also I’m a little tired of this categorization. ” A non-Western foreigner is defined as someone who has at least one parent who is born in Latin America, Asia or Africa (with the exception of Indonesia and Japan).”
This means that I, born and raised in the south of the Netherland, count as a “non-Western foreigner”, something I do not identify with AT ALL. Not because I want to be a Westerner so bad, b that but because it is how I feel. I am not someone with a different background than my very white German best friend, not more different than her other white friends.
Sure, it has come to my attention that in lecture halls, there aren’t many people of colour, but does that make me feel awkward? Actually, I don’t notice the difference unless someone points it out.
No, I’m a student, just like all the other students in the hall, wether different shades of “white” or coloured, wether with curly hair, straight, red brown ginger, whatever. Want tolerance? Equal opportunities for all? Stop putting people into categories based on skin colour or where one is from. Offer help for people from different cultural backgrounds/values/whatever so they can get it when needed, but stop forcing it on people.