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Dutch Masters - A new meaning!
Carolus Linnaeus, the father of modern botany, completed his studies at the University of Harderwijk in 1735. Harderwijk was affordable and provided him with ample opportunity to try out his new methods.
Almost 300 years later, these factors are still crucial considerations when foreign minds choose to study at Dutch universities: a combination of cost efficiency and an environment that encourages innovation.
There are currently around half a million students in higher education in the Netherlands and almost 30,000 of these come from abroad. They can choose from around 800 English-language study programmes specifically aimed at international students. Two-thirds of these programmes are at the master's degree level (see www.studyin.nl). However, the number of foreign PhD students is also on the increase. In fact, at the technology-oriented University of Twente, foreign students are actually in the majority. Yet large groups of foreign research students can be found at other universities too, particularly in the economics and science faculties.
The reason for this lies in the mandate that the people of the Netherlands have given to the higher education system. With a population of just over 16 million people, the Netherlands is a relatively prosperous country with a high per capita income. Although the country is naturally endowed with large reserves of natural gas, the welfare of the country is actually built on the export of sophisticated products and services. Particularly thanks to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and the Port of Rotterdam, the country is also one of the key entry points to mainland Europe for the rest of the world. It's no surprise then that smart logistics ranks alongside specialities such as civil and hydraulic engineering and advanced farming methods for which the Dutch have won international renown. Also worth mentioning is the European space programme, which relies on world-class remote sensing technology developed in this small country on the northwest coast of Europe.
Furthermore, the Netherlands is also home to some well-known multinationals who rely on research and development for their success. Philips is perhaps the most famous example, but Anglo-Dutch concerns such as Unilever and Shell are also leaders in the field.
All of this provides the country with a very comfortable level of prosperity, which in turn provides ample opportunity for culture and the arts. Because of this, the Netherlands has an important role to play. For example, the National Ballet and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra enjoy world fame. However, the country has also developed its position as a leading exporter of popular culture. You have to wonder whether a country should be proud of an export such as Big Brother, but it is a Dutch invention.
This gives rise to an interesting synthesis where higher education in the Netherlands benefits from this environment. On the other hand, however, the Netherlands needs a highly educated population and, hence, an internationally competitive education system so as to maintain and improve the current level of prosperity.
And this won't happen without a cosmopolitan atmosphere in higher education. Isolation means decay in the world of science and technology. It also provides us with one very important reason why as many universities as possible should offer English-language degree programmes for an international audience. Conversely, it is also the reason why international students so often choose to follow a master's programme in the Netherlands. To complete a master's successfully requires not only a thorough knowledge of the chosen field, but also creativity. It is the start of a process of pushing the existing boundaries that ultimately leads to a PhD.
Coming up with new ideas, creating a new vision that stands up to scientific scrutiny and developing as an independent professional with an academic approach to problem-solving are the core goals of higher education in the Netherlands. And this is why workgroup seminars, where students investigate the current subject under the guidance of a tutor rather than under his direction, form such an important part of the curriculum in all degree programmes. Familiarity with practical aspects of the subject is gained during a work placement or internship. A major step on the way to any master's degree is the master's thesis, which is a detailed account of the research which a student has conducted in a subject of his own choosing.
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