Netherlands and internationalization

The Netherlands has experienced international student enrollment increases and some institutions were considering the possibility of opening branch campuses. These and other steps toward greater internationalization first raised debate among media, educators, and politicians about perceived commodification of higher education. In one example so much concern was raised that the university declined to proceed with a plan to open a branch in China; the rationale and the dynamics of the controversy were further explained in a follow-up article. The bottom line is that institutions need to think carefully about the purposes of internationalization and then move forward in conversations with the quality of learning for all as a central focus and building consensus along the way among various stakeholders.