The Causes of Growth of English Education in the Netherlands

Abstract

danger that the minister's position might lead to the population of the Netherlands gradually acquiring a cultural elite which would no longer primarily use the language of the land? The minister attempted to calm the commotion by pointing out that he had no wish to introduce English as an official language or as the only official language in the universities of the Netherlands. He also believed that the use of a foreign language must not be allowed to lead to the loss of the national language. Subsequently, the topic of 'English in the Dutch universities' was subjected to extensive criticism in all the daily and weekly newspapers. Most commentators found it a ridiculous idea. After an enquiry into the question by an official committee, the Lower House decided to make use of the Dutch language a legal obligation in Dutch education. However, there remains the question of how far educational policy directs the extent to which education in the Netherlands becomes internationalised. It is