Gap between international and Dutch students
Dutch and international students do not mix much. This is the outcome of a survey by Maastricht University. One of the grounds for this disparity is the fact that international students less often tend to join student societies.
Contrary to Dutch students, international students sooner join study societies rather than student societies. Furthermore, Dutch students more often work as well as study. Sixty per cent of Dutch students have part-time jobs, against forty-one per cent of their international counterparts.
The result: only one out of five Dutch respondents regularly hangs out with international students. Moreover, international students prefer spending time with fellow international students.
“Student societies are certainly open to international students, too,” says Anna Muyres, president of the Dutch National Board of Student Societies. “Ultimately though, the language of communication is Dutch, and student societies have Dutch traditions, such as their anthems. Students will have to embrace this.” What’s more, the students will have to be staying in the Netherlands for a while, since you ‘don’t become a member for only six months’.”
Muyres concedes that student societies do not often put a lot of effort in attracting international students. “During the introductory period, however, all students, including the international ones, have a chance to get acquainted with the various student societies. Members will surely be prepared to present themselves in English.”
The survey was conducted among 871 students from four universities of applied sciences – The Hague, Amsterdam, Zeeland and NHTV in Breda – plus Maastricht University. Not a very representative study, says Muyres: “Students from universities of applied sciences are a minority in student societies. And Maastricht is a very different story from Leiden, for instance.”
Overall, international students lead a less satisfying student life, according to the researchers. Their results, however, surpass those of their Dutch fellow students. This conclusion does not apply to non-Western students, for they are even less content than other international students but do not perform better.