Asva considers suing UvA over internationalization
Student union Asva plans to sue the UvA. The bone of contention is a new English-language track in the human geography and planning program. “We want to send a signal to the UvA.” Does the student union have a point?
Student union Asva and Beter Onderwijs Nederland (BON) want to send the UvA a subpoena because of an announced English-language track for the bachelor of social geography and planning. This reports ScienceGuide.
This should begin in September 2023, in addition to the already existing bilingual track. “We want to send a signal to the UvA,” says Asva board member Bor van Zeeland, who calls this policy “irresponsible.”
What exactly is going on? Van Zeeland fears a large influx of international students. He points to the increasing student population within the political science program at the UvA since an English-language track was added. The number of students has at least tripled, according to Van Zeeland. Something similar may now happen with social geography and planning, he fears.
According to the UvA, however, the growth in human geography and planning will not be that bad, he says, “but that doesn't square with the situation of other programs within the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences. When a program becomes English, it is usually accompanied by large growth.”
Sitting on the floor during lectures
Just last summer, UvA Board President Geert ten Dam sounded the alarm: according to her, the UvA was heading for about 55,000 students. “We find it strange that the UvA then continues to pursue policies that clearly involve growth,” Van Zeeland said. “Students become victims of this. For example, they cannot find a room or have to sit on the floor during lectures.”
He also mentions Article 72 of the Higher Education Act, which states that education and exams must be conducted in Dutch. An English-language track would clearly be non-compliant with that provision. But item c of the same article could throw a spanner in the works for the Asva; after all, it gives higher education institutions room to deviate from the article “if the specific nature, organization, or quality of the education or the origin of the students so requires.”
“It probably depends on whether the condition under c is met,” confirms associate professor of constitutional and administrative law Taco Groenewegen. Specifically, “does the nature or quality of the education make it necessary to offer the program in English,” he says.
English-speaking staff
According to Jochem de Vries and Hebe Verrest, both associate professors in the human geography and planning program, the increase in international students would benefit the quality of their education, they told Folia earlier. It would also benefit Dutch students, who, according to Verrest, often go on to do an English-language master's and then end up in an international work environment. “This way, they will have already been introduced to such an environment during their undergraduate studies.”
Finally, De Vries pointed to the academic staff, who use English as their language of instruction. According to him, this should be reflected in teaching. “Besides, we are one of the last social sciences at the UvA that does not yet offer a bachelor's degree in English.”
When and if the UvA can actually expect a subpoena from the Asva is still unclear. No deadline has been agreed upon, and it is mainly about sending a message, Van Zeeland explains. “If the UvA gets the message, we will consult with both the university and our supporters.”
