These weeks we are commemorating the 80th anniversary of Limburg’s liberation from German occupation. Now is an important time to reflect on what the liberation of Europe has brought us. To me, the answer is clear. I come from a time when physical borders existed between countries and there was no single currency across Europe. A time when studying abroad was practically impossible. Dutch universities were filled with Dutch students. But it was also a time when European governments began to realise that closer cooperation would make Europe stronger and more prosperous. A time when the endless rivalry between France and Germany, which had caused so much suffering in Europe, came to an end. A time of peace.
Border controls
A happy ending? If only. The spirit of the 1960s and 1970s is long gone. The belief that Europe’s future lies in closer cooperation no longer prevails in many countries. We’re seeing the signs at different levels. Politicians insisting that cooperation is fine as long as their own country benefits, without caring what happens to other countries. Politicians who believe sending money to Brussels is by definition a waste; politicians who are afraid to defend European cooperation in public. And to top it all off, in this important year of remembrance, Germany is reintroducing border controls, the Dutch government is considering doing the same, and European students are being turned away from universities in the Netherlands.
40 year
This month also marks exactly 40 years since the Faculty of Economics of what was then the State University of Limburg welcomed its first group of one hundred students. All of them were Dutch. Maastricht wanted to do things differently with its Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach, giving students ample opportunity to approach problems from different angles and come up with solutions to discuss together. Different perspectives are needed to gain new insights and find new solutions. This has always been a major strength of the educational system in Maastricht. When the European Commission launched its first student exchange programmes in the late 1980s, Maastricht was quick to participate. As the “balcony of Europe”, Maastricht couldn’t very well lag behind in embracing international students. These students immediately proved to be an enriching addition to the university, offering new perspectives and teaching Dutch students to think more inclusively and internationally. Nowadays, exchange students coming to Maastricht are joined by students coming here to complete entire degree programmes. After all, today’s students are increasingly European citizens living in a Europe without borders, used to moving freely across the continent. This is a precious thing that must be cherished. Free movement of persons includes the freedom to choose the country where you want to pursue your education.
Disrespectful
Given all this, I find it incomprehensible that educating international students is touted as an income stream. Even in Maastricht, of all places. I think this framing is disrespectful towards our international academic community. Unlike in many native English-speaking countries, international students are not seen as cash cows in many European countries, but rather as a feature of a new and more cooperative Europe. This is why a European university, as recently advocated by my colleague Glatz, is an excellent idea and would be a great fit for South Limburg and the Euregion.
Tom van Veen, emeritus professor of Economics at Maastricht University and Nyenrode Business Universiteit