UM is doing a sterling job attracting young talent to the region. While politically sensitive, international students are overwhelmingly positive in economic terms. According to the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education (Nuffic), the inflow of international students in 2021-22 will generate around €1.5 billion for the Dutch treasury.  

Higher education funding is partly linked to student numbers, so the viability of UM as an employer depends on them. “Losing the international students would have a devastating impact on the liveability of the region,” says Hooijen. The increased revenue from students’ spending sustains a variety of gastronomy and entertainment venues, their presence makes Maastricht more attractive to highly skilled migrants, and they provide additional low-wage labour during their studies.

However, many still see Maastricht as a place to study and nothing more. While around a quarter of UM’s international students still live in the Netherlands five years after graduation, they mostly work in the Randstad and Eindhoven. “A 2017 ROA study shows that a fifth of all UM alumni work in the Meuse–Rhine Euroregion (EMR) five years after graduation,” says migration researcher Julia Reinold. “An earlier study showed that half of the international graduates returned to the country where they lived prior to studying at UM.”

“That way you miss out on highly qualified labour and the impact they have on innovation systems through bringing new ideas and different perspectives.” Reinold interviews small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Limburg and other parts of the Netherlands to understand labour market demands. “Qualifications and skills being equal, companies basically prefer local people – because of the language, but also for cultural reasons. If that doesn’t work, and often it doesn’t, then they look across the border, primarily the Flemish part, again because of the language but also because people might not have to move or move far in any case.”

Another resource the region could lean into more are its people. “Making people feel welcome is really important,” Reinold explains. “That means not just events for internationals but ways of connecting them to the local population, of bringing together people of all age groups.” She suggests that offering easy access to Dutch courses might also make a difference. “Familiarity with the language was also a factor, probably because of the impact on your social life.”

Having a well-integrated and happy international community makes it a lot easier to attract other internationals – and we’re not just talking about graduates, Reinold explains. “To be highly qualified doesn’t necessarily mean you have a university degree.” She also warns that skilled migrants aren’t a homogenous group and that different municipalities face different situations, so there are no one-size-fits-all solutions.

“Internationalisation and European integration has the potential to enhance economic development,” Hooijen says. “Our thriving medical technology sector in Parkstad Limburg is a good example for that. But there are labour shortages and we need migrants, particularly young migrants, to maintain our level of prosperity and guarantee healthcare for our aging population.” She thinks that with the right policies the region will succeed. “We have an amazing quality of life here.”

Text: Florian Raith