A specially set-up working group has spent the last few months looking into language teaching at UM. Specifically, introducing Dutch into programmes. Students can currently follow a course at the Language Centre. The basic course, ‘Social Dutch’ (which teaches you enough to manage ‘socially’), is even free for first- and second-year Bachelor’s and Master’s students. The number of groups has expanded since last year, and there is also a greater focus on writing skills. But shouldn’t more be done? Shouldn’t Dutch language courses be a compulsory part of every English-language programme, to help students integrate, so that they remain after they graduate. That is certainly what politicians would prefer. Language is an important part of the Internationalisation in Balance Bill. It is as yet unclear what will happen to that bill now that the government has collapsed, but the political pressure was clear to Maastricht. The Language Centre has spoken to the faculty boards to explore the possibilities.
Elective course
For now, the result is a pilot. First for FPN, “because the students asked for it”, said Ilja Schreinemakers, director of the Language Centre, with the Faculty of Law to follow at a later date. The elective course, ‘Introduction to Dutch’, will be given as part of the third year of the English track of the Psychology Bachelor’s programme in 2026, and will be taught by teachers from the Language Centre. A pilot, because they are keen to know how many students would be truly interested, how they feel about the course, what their motivation is, as well as what effect it has. Schreinemakers: “We won’t know that last one until much later, as you’d have to continue to monitor someone after they’ve graduated. We would like to do that together with the ROA, the research centre for education and the labour market. A pilot is also an excellent way to ‘tweak’ the course where necessary: what does a particular faculty need, less jargon, or perhaps more, is it what people were expecting, et cetera."
Of course, the best moment to introduce students to this course would be in their first year, as they’re still new and starting their ‘integration’ into Maastricht. But that “was complicated”, said Schreinemakers. Firstly, because there simply is no law yet that compels universities to integrate language teaching into a curriculum. Secondly, because some faculties are still working out the credits. If you add a compulsory module for Dutch, then you have to assign a corresponding ECTS. Not to mention that such a course would take time away from the course-specific content. “This is a compromise, and we’re very happy with it.”
Hospitality
Steps are also being taken outside the university: the Language Centre, the city council, and the employers associations in the city have started an initiative to teach more international students Dutch. There are a lot of internationals working in hospitality and retail, but it isn’t enough. Employers are desperate for more employees, so they are offering young internationals the chance to learn Dutch (during working hours, fourteen weeks, for two hours). The expectation is that this will lower the threshold, said Schreinemakers. The council will invest along with UM (the courses will be taught by teachers from the Language Centre) by providing subsidies.