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Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 21-04-2023 | 16:56

The number of students from abroad has risen sharply in recent years. In the last academic year, there were 115,000 international students in the Netherlands, 3.5 times as many as in 2005-2006. At universities, 40 percent of new students came from abroad (2015: 28 percent). In some places, this rise is leading to problems with accommodation, a higher workload for staff and reduced access to some educational programmes.

Robbert Dijkgraaf: “The Netherlands is not an island. On the contrary, we are one of the most internationally connected countries in the world. It is therefore a good thing that Dutch students can study abroad and that international students can study here in the Netherlands. It is good for the students themselves, but also good for our society and knowledge economy. There are high-growth technology sectors that are desperate for new international talent. But it should also be possible to manage the number of students arriving here, where necessary. Left unchecked, the current numbers will lead to overcrowded lecture halls, excessive workloads for lecturers, a lack of student accommodation, and reduced access to study programmes. Using this targeted, long-term approach, I want to prevent the quality of education in our colleges and universities from coming under so much pressure that our leading international position is undermined. My aim is to strengthen that position. We need a brake as well as an accelerator – and, above all, we need a steering wheel.”

Differentiation for strategic growth sectors and regional differences

In his letter, the Minister proposes a series of instruments to improve the way in which the influx of international students is managed. This involves a combination of legislation and agreements with the institutions concerned.
The minister expressly intends to leave room for differentiation when it comes to study programmes that educate students to work in strategic growth sectors such as ICT and engineering, and for those sectors of the labour market that are experiencing shortages.

He also emphasizes that when developing these instruments, differences within the higher education system should be taken into account. Different regions of the country have specific needs, for instance. Universities and colleges located close to the borders with Germany and Belgium will occupy a different position when it comes to internationalization, of course.

Managing the system for the good of society as a whole

The package of measures firstly includes a form of central management. This will make it possible to look at the whole education system consistently and from the perspective of society as a whole. As such, it will be easier to address strategic issues pertaining to internationalization at the system level, such as: what can society and the education system cope with? How do we ensure that adverse developments around internationalization are identified in a timely manner? How is the demand for talent changing and developing? And how does that fit into the Netherlands’ growth strategy?

This new approach will provide universities and colleges with instruments that they can use to manage flows of international students better. The Minister wishes to make sure that options for intervention are in place if the system is at risk. The precise details of the new approach will be determined in greater detail in the near future.

Limits on the capacity of study programmes

Other steps involve limiting the number of students enrolled for certain study programmes when the maximum capacity has been reached. At present, such a limit is only possible for an entire study programme. The more targeted use of this instrument – such as applying it only to a certain track (e.g. one taught in a foreign language) – will improve access for Dutch-speaking students.

In addition, in the event that a restricted access study programme is almost full, the Minister wishes to be able to limit the number of students coming from outside Europe (EEA). This means that both Dutch and European students will still be able to access those programmes. This ‘emergency capacity limit’ should help to cope with any large and unexpected rise in the number of students from outside Europe.

Promoting Dutch language skills

Mr Dijkgraaf also wants universities and colleges to promote Dutch language skills among all students, including those from other countries. A better command of Dutch will improve their chances on the labour market, and also improve the chance that students from abroad will want to (and will be able to) stay in the Netherlands after completing their studies.

The Minister will elaborate on these language measures in a new bill. The principle is that education is provided in Dutch: this remains unchanged. Dutch is and will remain the primary language, with acceptable exceptions to this being defined better. This will make it possible to oversee those exceptions. Given the urgent need for action, the Minister will begin drafting the new bill immediately, and it could come into effect in September 2024 at the earliest. The plan would then be to withdraw the Language and Accessibility Bill (WTT), which was postponed last year. The Minister will discuss the letter with the House of Representatives before the summer.

Better information regarding accommodation

Finally, the Minister wishes to make further administrative agreements with universities and colleges before next summer – agreements that could help improve the management of the number of international students coming to the Netherlands. This includes implementing agreements on targeted recruitment: for example, institutions should only actively recruit abroad for programmes that focus on (shortages in) the regional labour market. An appeal for restraint in recruitment practices was already issued in December. The Minister also wishes more international students to be actively steered towards the Dutch labour market, institutions to adopt Dutch as the primary administrative language (with a policy of bilingualism if necessary) and for students to be provided with better information regarding accommodation.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 21-04-2022 | 15:56

Besides in the reception facilities arranged by the government, thousands of people are staying with friends, family or private hosts, or in hotels.

The Netherlands stands ready to assist refugees from Ukraine in the Netherlands. To this end the Ministerial Crisis Management Committee (MCCb) made the following decisions today.

Education

Municipalities will receive funding to arrange transport for school-aged Ukrainian children who do not live near a school. Schools with experience of teaching Ukrainian pupils will receive extra funding to assist other schools. The government is also drafting a bill that will make it easier for school boards and municipalities to set up temporary educational facilities, including in regions where this is more difficult to organise. Temporary schools are needed when the regular schools in a region are no longer able to take in new pupils.

Organising access to healthcare

Refugees from Ukraine have a different status from other refugees. This also means they cannot access healthcare under the medical care scheme for asylum seekers (RMA), nor can they take out Dutch health insurance (unless they get a job in the Netherlands). The State Secretary for Justice and Security has therefore been tasked with organising access to medical care and long-term care for Ukrainian refugees. This is similar to his responsibility for regular asylum seekers.

The Ministry of Justice and Security, supported by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, is working with health insurers to draw up an implementation agreement, similar to the contract that covers asylum seekers. In principle, it will be modelled as much as possible on the existing systems, contracts and cover from the RMA. In the interim, care providers can apply to the grant scheme for essential medical care for uninsured persons (SOV). Reducing the administrative burden for care providers is being tackled with priority, and the government has already taken the first steps to this end.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 09-07-2021 | 14:00

Items voluntarily returned by owner

In its request for the items’ return, the Peruvian government noted that the objects came from archaeological locations or excavations not authorised by the Peruvian authorities. After the Inspectorate was notified about several objects being offered to an auction house, it began an investigation which revealed that the objects had been acquired in the 1970s by the father of the current owner. Following Peru’s request and the Inspectorate’s investigation, the owner voluntarily handed over the objects so that they can once again be part of the country’s cultural heritage collection. During the handover ceremony, the Peruvian authorities expressed their appreciation for the return of these cultural objects, which will be publicly exhibited once they are back in Peru.

Pottery and textiles

The collection of objects being returned to Peru contains a diverse range of cultural objects. The 28 objects come from various pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Chimú, Chancay, Moche, Wari and Vicús, and date from between 200 BCE to 1,500 CE. The collection consists mainly of pottery pieces, including decorative jugs and figurines in the form of humans and animals. A number of colourful decorative textile fragments were also returned, as well as a collection of seeds.

Peruvian cultural heritage

Peru has an extraordinarily rich cultural heritage. One famous example is Machu Picchu, an Incan city that was never discovered by the Spanish, and has thus been preserved in its original state. Machu Picchu is now the largest tourist and archaeological attraction in Peru. The ruins are situated on a 2,500 metre-high mountain ridge, above the valley of a sacred river. Many cultural objects from this and other pre-Columbian cultures were plundered and illegally exported for sale. To protect this valuable heritage the International Council of Museums drew up a list of cultural heritage from Peru that may not be traded.

1970 UNESCO Convention

The return of this collection to Peru was carried out in the spirit of the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. The Netherlands has been a party to this convention since 17 October 2009. Under its provisions the State Parties must offer each other assistance when illegally exported cultural property is discovered, and must take appropriate steps to return such cultural property. In this case the Inspectorate investigated the origin of the items concerned and supervised the subsequent voluntary return process.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 25-06-2021 | 17:43

This policy enables the return of items of cultural value to the original owners or their heirs, specifically those looted, stolen, confiscated, sold under duress or otherwise expropriated involuntarily prior to and during the Second World War.

“We must continue our efforts to return items lost involuntarily or acquired illegally around the time of the Second World War to the right people,” says Van Engelshoven. “We will achieve this through systematic research and better communication. And when we really don’t know who the owner is, I am happy to say that we will then look at how we can return art looted from Jewish owners to the Jewish community. This is an important step forward in our thinking around restitution policy.”

Systematic provenance research

Systematic provenance research is to be resumed. This means that the provenance of all works still in the so-called Netherlands Art Property Collection (NK Collection) of cultural items returned to the Dutch state after the war will be re-examined. This effort will determine whether there are any new clues as to their provenance or original ownership. The aim is to return the items to the original owners or their heirs. As custodian of the NK Collection, the Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE) will carry out this research and will also actively approach possible rightful owners. In so doing, it will build upon the extensive provenance research previously undertaken by the Origins Unknown Agency. The RCE’s work is intended to complement the research that is already conducted by the Expertise Centre for the Restitution of Items of Cultural Value and the Second World War at the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Better communication

With a new helpdesk and better access to all available information, Van Engelshoven also wants to make it easier to submit an application for restitution. Good and active communication about the policy and works which may have been looted will contribute towards this goal. As of 2022, the RCE will therefore be expanding its heritage helpdesk function to include information and advice on restitution. As well as people with questions about restitution applications, collection managers seeking advice about the relevant procedures will be able to contact the helpdesk.

In addition, access to the available information about possible looted art is being centralized. From now on, full details of the NK Collection can be found on the National Collection website at wo2.collectienederland.nl. This portal is to be further expanded and improved over the coming years.

Transfer of heirless art

If the original owners or heirs cannot be found, items of cultural value looted from Jewish owners and now in the possession of the State will be returned to the Jewish community. This is another basic principle of the strengthened restitution policy. The key requirement is that provenance research must first be carried out in order to determine whether an item belongs to anyone. But if the original owner or their heirs cannot be found, then arrangements will be made in consultation with the Jewish community to transfer this heirless art to a Jewish heritage institution. By taking this step, the minister is acting in accordance with the spirit and the substance of the 1998 Washington Principles, Article 9 of which states that a “just and fair” solution should be found for heirless art.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 09-06-2021 | 11:00

The funerary vase was purchased by the museum in 1988 as an addition to the national collection. The Italian authorities recently submitted a request for its return, having established that the vase was illegally excavated in Italy and was unlawfully removed from the country.

Scylla askos

The funerary vase, known as a Scylla askos, is made of earthenware. It originates from Canosa, Southern Italy, and dates to around 400-300 BC. The vase depicts the nymph Scylla and is decorated with dogs, a woman and child, Amazons, and the head of a duck. These types of vases were used in funeral rituals and then placed with the deceased in the grave.

Voluntary return

The State of the Netherlands is voluntarily handing the vase over to the Italian authorities, in response to their request that it be returned. The Italian authorities have convincingly demonstrated that the item left Italy unlawfully. The return of the vase to Italy is in the spirit of the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums, which states that museums should engage in dialogue on matters related to return and restitution. The procedure for disposal from the Dutch national collection laid down in the Heritage Act (Erfgoedwet) has been followed. The return is also in line with European and international legislation, such as the Directive on returning cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of another EU country.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 06-05-2021 | 14:30

The foundation cones, a clay tablet and two rare figurines are all Mesopotamian. An investigation by the Information and Heritage Inspectorate and an expert from the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities confirmed that the objects came from Iraq. The Iraqi government contributed to this investigation and requested the Dutch government to return the objects. The private collector who gave up the items was not aware of their exact origin, and now wants to see them given back to Iraq. All the objects are protected under Iraqi cultural heritage legislation, and all are listed on the International Council of Museums’ red lists. These lists give examples of objects that are vulnerable to theft, plundering and illegal export from their countries of origin.

Foundation cones and Halaf figurine

Foundation cones are large clay cones that were placed in the walls of buildings or buried in the foundations of temples. They were inscribed with texts in cuneiform script, one of the world’s earliest writing systems. This means that they are of cultural and historical significance. The same can be said for the clay tablet. The two figurines are considerably older, and also rarer. One of them is a Halaf figurine representing the mother goddess, a symbol of fertility, and was used in sacrifice rituals. The other is a figurine of a ram and was used as an amulet or a stamp or seal.

Mesopotamian culture

Mesopotamia was the cradle of modern civilisation. This is what makes Iraq’s cultural heritage so important for the entire world. Civilisation in the region dates back to 6000 BC and produced a wide range of cultural expressions. Remnants of this rich culture have found their way to every part of the world. This is partly due to the conflicts that have ravaged Iraq and the wider region since 1990. During these wars, museums, libraries and excavations have been plundered or destroyed. Many objects of cultural heritage have been smuggled out of the country and, through various routes, have found their way onto the black market.

Ban on trade in Iraqi heritage

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a system of sanctions to protect Iraq’s cultural heritage, and these have been implemented in European law. They prohibit trade in objects of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific and religious importance that Iraq has designated as protected. 

The Information and Heritage Inspectorate is one of the agencies that is monitoring compliance with the national sanction measures and works closely with the customs authorities, the police, the Public Prosecution Service, experts and international organisations. More information about the protection of cultural heritage can be found on the Inspectorate’s website. The Minister of Foreign Affairs adopts the sanction measures in consultation with other ministers and coordinates implementation of these measures. The return of these seven objects is taking place under the Iraq Sanctions Order 2004 II.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 29-01-2021 | 15:07

The Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Ingrid van Engelshoven:

“The colonial past is a subject that still personally affects many people every day. This is why we must treat colonial collections with great sensitivity. I believe it important that colonial collections should be accessible and that they tell their stories from a variety of perspectives. This could mean a painful confrontation with the injustices in our past, the effects of which are in some cases still felt every day. There is no place in the Dutch State Collection for cultural heritage objects that were acquired through theft. If a country wants them back, we will give them back.”

Independent assessment committee

To ensure that colonial heritage objects are treated with care and sensitivity, it is essential that requests for their return are assessed independently, expertly and transparently. An independent assessment committee will therefore be appointed to advise on the matter. The committee will assess whether investigations into provenance provide sufficient evidence to establish if the objects in question were acquired through involuntary loss of possession.

Policy on returning objects

This policy concerns requests for the return of cultural heritage objects that are in the possession of the State; such requests must come from a nation state. Such objects in the possession of the State that are to be returned will be transferred to the relevant nation state.

Three categories of cultural heritage objects are eligible for return to their country of origin. If it can be established that an object was indeed stolen from a former Dutch colony, it will be returned unconditionally. Cultural heritage objects that were stolen from a former colony of another country, or which are of particular cultural, historic or religious significance to a country, may also be eligible for return. In such cases, the assessment committee will weigh the interests of the various parties. This will include such aspects as the cultural significance of the objects to the country of origin, the relevant communities in the countries of origin and in the Netherlands, the significance for the Dutch collection, the conditions in which the items are to be stored, and public accessibility to the objects.

Collaborating with countries of origin

Any action aimed at redressing these injustices can only be taken in partnership and dialogue with the former colonies. The government is exploring further opportunities for exchanging knowledge and joint research into colonial collections with Indonesia, Suriname and the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. During these discussions, the Netherlands will be committed to ensuring accessibility to the objects, and that they are managed in a sustainable manner. Dutch museums and the public at large also stand to benefit from the sharing of history and knowledge about the collections and colonial history.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 30-11-2020 | 08:23

The Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker and the Minister of Emancipation Ingrid van Engelshoven have spoken to the Transgender Collective today and offered apologies on behalf of the State of the Netherlands. Dekker commented:

‘Transgender people were faced with a difficult, almost impossible choice under the old law. It was only possible to change the gender designation after a physical transition and completely abandoning the wish to have children. Such a violation of physical integrity is no longer conceivable in this day and age. It is important to recognise the suffering of transgender people and to offer acknowledgement, compensation and apologies.’

Van Engelshoven added:

‘The poignant personal stories illustrate that this legislation has had an enormous impact on transgender people. For many, the law proved to be a symbol of social rejection and dreams were extinguished as a result of the irreversible sterilisation procedure, which has inflicted considerable suffering. The government therefore considers acknowledging their suffering, offering apologies and financial compensation appropriate.’

In the government’s view, the Transgender Act should be deemed unlawful from the end of 2008, based partly on the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights. Although the time limit for compensation claims has expired in principle, the government firmly believes that acknowledgement of suffering and apologies are appropriate, combined with a voluntary financial compensation. This acknowledgement and the apologies relate to the entire period in which the old Transgender Act was in force. Transgender people who underwent a physical transition between 1 July 1985 and 1 July 2014, resulting in changing the gender registration on their birth certificate, are eligible for compensation. The compensation amounts to €5,000 per person. The scheme will be published before the summer of 2021.

Ministers Van Engelshoven and Dekker will continue the discussions with the Transgender Collective and other parties so that acknowledgement and the apologies will contribute to wider social acknowledgement, greater awareness of the events and to offer the opportunity for meetings.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 24-03-2020 | 11:12

‘We’re aware of the enormous demands being placed on teachers right now,’ Mr Slob said. ‘And pupils want to be able to prepare well for their exams. This is a far-reaching decision but it provides clarity. I want to give all pupils the chance to leave school with a proper qualification despite this crisis, so that they can start their further education without delay in the autumn.’

School exams

The national exams for the 2019/2020 school year have been cancelled. Pupils can obtain their school-leaving certificates based on their results in the school exams. This decision gives schools more time to organise the last round of school exams with due consideration for quality and safety. Schools are urged to hold the exams online where possible. They may adapt their assessment and graduation schedules (Programma van Toetsing en Afsluiting) to make this possible. The government is consulting with higher education and secondary vocational education on how first-year students starting in September can be as ready as possible for their further education, given the current situation.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 10-12-2021 | 15:45

Caretaker Minister for Infrastructure & Water Management, Barbara Visser, says: “There are about 25.000 seafarers on Dutch ships, and a fleet of 2.200 ships is managed from the Netherlands. The maritime sector contributes to 3% of our economy. 90% of all goods worldwide are transported by sea, including most of the products we buy in our shops. In a global sector like the maritime sector, a level playing field is important – and international agreements have to be made to secure that. I also think of our ambitions for zero-emission shipping and safe transport. It’s also about a safe working environment, with the IMO’s call for access to vaccines for seafarers as a recent example. The Netherlands has made an effort to ensure seafarers could get a Covid-19 vaccine in Dutch ports – regardless of their nationality. I am proud that we can contribute to safe, secure and sustainable shipping.”

Dutch priorities

The Netherlands is part of the group of countries that aims for more ambitions for a greener maritime sector, to become climate neutral in 2050. Within this group, the Netherlands works to promote the interests of the Dutch maritime sector.

Furthermore, the Netherlands wants to work on the safe transport of containers and the development of safe autonomous vessels. The Netherlands also wants to support renewed training standards for seafarers and to pay more attention to the smaller member states (like islands).

An important contribution to this successful re-election has been the level of knowledge present within our maritime cluster of the Netherlands and the Caribbean countries and public bodies. Additionally, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has been actively contributing to the IMO working groups dealing with safety, climate and environmental issues. The seat in the Council will be filled by representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

The International Maritime Organisation, founded in 1948, is a UN agency responsible for the international regulations in maritime shipping. On 10 December, the Assembly – consisting of all member states – elected a new Council. Next to the Netherlands, 39 other countries sit on the Council.

The Council meets twice a year and acts as a daily board governing the International Maritime Organisation. In addition to the Assembly of all member states, the IMO compromises five committees active in maritime safety and security, the environment, facilitation, legislation, and technical cooperation to support member states with insufficient knowledge and means.