The threat of the triple blow – Dutch higher education under stress

Dutch universities face a triple blow of budget cuts, a reduction of international students connected to a switch to Dutch for some BA degrees, and a vision of the education minister for higher education which seeks to steer universities centrally in service of labour market needs. This triple blow is unfolding against a climate of politicisation of the position of universities in Dutch society. This State of the Profession piece in Politics of the Low Countries will provide the context and explain the details of the three components making up a serious threat to the future of research and education at Dutch universities. It will conclude with a reflection on the potential effects on scholars of politics.