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The position of language studies at Dutch universities is very worrying. Two universities are in the process of abolishing French and German as independent subjects. Other languages, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean, are also on the verge of disappearing as main subjects. In order to maintain and secure necessary expertise for the Netherlands, the Academy advises against taking irreversible decisions on language studies until national agreements have been reached on how best to preserve and develop independent language courses and programmes. Similar agreements can already be found for French and German studies in the Social Sciences and Humanities Sector Plan. The Academy favours concluding national agreements for other study programmes as well.
Language skills crucial for the Netherlands
The Netherlands is a small country that owes its prosperity in part to its knowledge of languages and cultures. Language learning is therefore crucial to its social and economic development. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science's labour market trend report identifies Dutch, French and German as subjects in which there is a 'permanent shortage’ of teachers. Sound academic research and instruction in languages and cultures are required to safeguard Dutch trade interests, support the Netherlands’ international relations, protect the position of the Dutch language and culture in the face of large language models (LLMs), and support the Dutch population’s understanding of other languages and cultures.
Undesirable effects of the funding system
Universities are funded based on student numbers. As a result, they are rewarded not so much for offering courses that help to preserve and secure knowledge vital to the Netherlands but rather for offering courses that are popular with students. The funding system also encourages unnecessary competition between universities, whereas what is really needed is for them to cooperate on delivering study programmes. After all, the focus should be on knowledge that is important for the Netherlands as a whole.
What the Academy advises
The Academy advises against taking decisions to cancel or merge language studies for the time being. Dutch universities should first arrive at national agreements on how best to preserve and develop the necessary language courses and study programmes, similar to those set out in the Social Sciences and Humanities Sector Plan. The Academy recommends adopting a transparent decision-making procedure and, as far as possible, considering an alternative funding system for such programmes. It calls on the Minister of Education, Culture and Science to support the universities in these efforts where necessary, in view of his responsibility for the entire system of education.