North Sea Neighbours: key insights on international collaboration between the UK and the Netherlands

“I think I can speak on behalf of the whole NL HE field if I say that we are sad to see the UK leave the EU. The UK is seen as a neighbour and part of Europe, despite the North Sea.”

Representative from Dutch HE institution, December 2020

From December 2020 to January 2021, as the UK concluded its exit from the European Union, the British Council Netherlands conducted a series of structured interviews with Dutch Higher Education institutions (HEIs). This exercise aimed to understand the internationalisation priorities of the Dutch HE sector, to discuss priorities for future collaboration with the UK HE sector, and to ensure relevant support for sector partnership strategies with the UK from the British Council Netherlands.

Key findings from this research can be divided into the following three themes:

1. Top priorities for internationalisation in the Netherlands:

• Future-proofing education: universities have always considered emerging issues that relate to their teaching methods and content delivery, but Covid-19 accelerated this.
• Making internationalisation accessible for all students: HEIs need to ensure that their curriculum includes international perspectives, with internationalisation as a target in itself and embedded in the whole strategy. Support needs to be provided to teachers to realise internationalisation. Intercultural and international competencies need to be integrated in all programmes, keeping inclusion and diversity in the classroom in mind.
• Language and Accessibility Act (English as Medium of Instruction): offering courses in English has become a topic for political debate to which the Dutch government has proposed legislation (Language and Accessibility Act). HEIs will need to provide clear and convincing reasoning for offering certain study programmes in English. Dutch HEIs feel that this closes the door for their international offers but understand issues around quality assurance and equal access to universities for home students.

2. NL-UK partnerships

• Vast majority of Dutch HEIs have a partnership with a UK institution. Out of the 13 interviewees, 12 work together with UK HEIs whether that is as part of a European/global network, a mobility/exchange contract, or an intensive institutional partnership.
• Wish to deepen collaboration with UK partners and jointly develop curriculum.
• Interested in knowledge exchange and insights in areas of common interest. There is an opportunity to learn from the UK since there are various topics where knowledge can be shared, such as alumni engagements, justification for decisions made, and creating impact.

3. Risks and opportunities related to Brexit:

• Risks related to mobility (Erasmus+) and research (Horizon), with a hope for a UK alternative if participation is no longer possible.
• Uncertainties about internships in the UK, with NL HEIs already looking for other European alternatives due to a lack of information from the UK.
• Cooperation with UK HEIs will continue but will be less attractive because of administrative hurdles.
• Opportunity to attract talent from the UK to the Netherlands.

Opportunities to connect NL & UK

There is a real willingness from the Dutch HE sector to continue working with the UK HE sector. This includes expanding (institutional) partnerships as well as knowledge exchange in areas of common interest (i.e., internationalisation at home, decolonising the curriculum, etc).

The British Council Netherlands team invites all UK HEIs interested in learning more about the Dutch HE sector, or who are keen on collaborating with Dutch HEIs, to attend the following webinar:

Title: An update from the Dutch HE sector – opportunities and challenges for UK institutions

Date & time: Tuesday 25 January 2022, 14:00 – 15:00 hrs (UK time)

Register: please fill in this form 

Background

The research was conducted with higher education partner organisations in the Netherlands, namely the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (VH) and Nuffic.

13 in-depth interviews were held with 9 universities and 4 universities of applied sciences in November - December 2020. The interviews were held whilst Brexit negotiations were taking place. At the time, there was still uncertainty about the UK’s participation in Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. In addition, an online questionnaire was sent to all Dutch HEIs in February 2021. By this time, the UK’s participation in Horizon was confirmed, as well as the UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus+, and the Turing scheme was announced.16 responses were received in total (from 2 universities and 14 universities of applied sciences), which inform the content of the report but do not allow for quantitative conclusions.