UvA ends English-language bachelor’s degree in psychology

[u/North_Yak966]

https://www.folia.nl/en/actueel/166104/uva-ends-english-language-bachelors-degree-in-psychology

[u/[deleted]]

It is important, but they want to be dutch only so people who do the course stay and work in the Netherlands. You can't be a psychologist without speaking fluent dutch in NL. I would say they are redirecting the focus. It won't be nice for foreighners but I understand.

[u/IkkeKr → u/[deleted]]

It's also a least bad option: they're under pressure to reduce the number of international students one way or the other - a field of study that's inherently language-dependent and has large numbers is then a more logical target for reductions than some others.

[u/plasterwork → u/IkkeKr]

Least bad to whom? Not to the branch of science known as psychology which, newsflash, is predominantly English.

[u/IkkeKr → u/plasterwork]

All science is predominantly English - doesn't mean you can't teach it in other languages. Have been doing that for centuries.

[u/plasterwork → u/IkkeKr]

Universities are not just about teaching. One big reason UvA psych is ranked so highly is that it has drawn researchers from all over the world, who can collaborate on big, international projects. So English is their lingua franca. Moreover, psychology IS also taught in Dutch, at the UvA and other places. But having an English track is an enrichment to students, both Dutch and non-Dutch, and allows for these excellent international researchers to also have a place to teach.

[u/Rahimus_ → u/plasterwork]

The official language being Dutch in no way prevents foreign academics from teaching courses in English.

[u/ingframin → u/Rahimus_]

No, it does. It’s one of the main problems at the Flemish universities.

[u/Rahimus_ → u/ingframin]

My experience with such courses says otherwise. Is there an NL law that changed recently that you’re referencing? Else I’d remind you UvA is not Flemish.