Because Dutch is no longer a cost-effective degree programme, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) has decided to terminate it. Bad news, say Professor Lotte Jensen and Faculty of Arts Dean Margot van Mulken. But the situation in Amsterdam differs from that in Nijmegen. ‘We have chosen another solution.’

Now that increasingly more international students are coming to the Netherlands and more degree programmes than ever before are being offered in English, Dutch is among the studies threatened by budget cuts. In September it appeared that the number of students who chose to study Dutch in the Netherlands has decreased dramatically in the past few years. In the last academic year, there were only 222 students enrolled in a Dutch degree programme in the entire country. However, the number of students at Radboud University rose from 18 to 26.

And now VU Amsterdam has decided to terminate the programme because it is no longer cost-effective. This academic year only five students enrolled in the programme at VU Amsterdam. ‘It’s very sad that the programme has to end,’ says Dean of Arts Margot van Mulken. ‘I sympathise with my colleague dean, who basically had to carry out the plans of his predecessor.’

‘No one in the Netherlands is happy about this,’ Professor of Dutch Culture and Literary History Lotte Jensen agrees. ‘When a Dutch degree programme risks disappearing in its own country, alarm bells should start sounding. We have to keep small, high-quality degree programmes alive.’

Realism

Because registration for the Dutch degree programme at VU Amsterdam had been decreasing for a number of years, it was decided a few years ago to broaden its scope. ‘The idea was: twenty students aren’t enough, so we’re going to overhaul the programme,’ Jensen says. ‘But a broad Bachelor’s always results in a substantive loss.’

So when the Arts Faculty in Nijmegen was overhauled, another solution was chosen: retain disciplinary depth in combination with minors that better meet social needs. Dean Van Mulken still supports this strategy. ‘At the information sessions in November, potential students and their parents were enthusiastic about our plans. But I also advocate realism: with a relatively small number of students, registration can one day be disappointing. But even in that case, we have decided to retain the small degree programme given its social necessity. Radboud University is willing to finance this.’

‘Finally a moment of general indignation’

Although they are sorry to see Dutch disappear at VU Amsterdam, Jensen and Van Mulken are nevertheless happy that the spotlight is finally focusing on this degree programme. ‘It’s a bit late, but finally there’s a moment of general indignation,’ says Jensen. ‘The support on twitter for the Dutch faculty at VU Amsterdam is massive. If everyone is convinced of the national importance of the degree programme, then it’s time to act. We have to abandon thinking in terms of cost-effectiveness.’

Mulken also hopes for extra help for threatened degree programmes that are indispensable to secondary school education. ‘If the government believes that such a programme should be taught at every university no matter the cost, they should earmark money for this purpose,’ says the dean. ‘But I don’t really see why they would do that now since they also failed to do so in the past. Two years ago they said: no more extra funds would be allocated to the education budget at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).’

Delta Plan

The fact remains that Dutch has an image problem as a subject at secondary school. Too much emphasis on commercial writing and argumentation; it doesn’t sound very sexy. ‘Dutch must be made a more attractive subject at secondary school,’ says Jensen. ‘But there’s work for us. We have to invest in attracting secondary school students to our programme. With a diploma in Dutch you have the prospect of a good job. Scientists should expound more fully in the media on the social importance of Dutch: many current discussions are about our language, culture and identity. And here at the university we should talk about what makes this programme attractive. In a Dutch degree programme, you do research on your own language and history.’

‘We are going to create a Delta Plan for Dutch studies’

Jensen emphasises that efforts are underway to improve the image of the Dutch degree programme. ‘We’ve taken some good steps towards this at Radboud University. And a commission of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has been appointed to advise Minister Van Engelshoven on this problem. We are going to create a Delta Plan for Dutch studies. The tide has to turn.’