Municipalities in South Limburg invest in the international labour market
Heerlen, Maastricht, and Sittard-Geleen will continue the services for the Euregional and international labour market in South Limburg for an extended period. Facilities such as border information points and the Expat Centre can expect an annual investment of 1.2 million euros in the coming years. Alongside other knowledge institutions and employers, Maastricht University actively supports the attraction and retention of Euregional and international talent.
During a meeting on February 22, 2024, in Geleen, Maastricht University was one of the signatories of the document through which the 'Coalition of the Willing' pledged their active support to the initiative of the South Limburg municipalities.
Maastricht University will contribute to the early matching of businesses and students. This aligns seamlessly with one of the measures that Dutch universities announced earlier this month for a proper balance in internationalisation: "Each university, in collaboration with regional and national employers, will develop a multi-year plan to increase the stay rate of international students. This may include encouraging fieldwork, internships, and graduation assignments at organisations and companies in the Netherlands." Enhancing Dutch language proficiency is also part of this initiative.
On behalf of Maastricht University, Margriet Schreuders, Director of the Student Services Centre, signed the agreeement of the 'Coalition of the Willing'.
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On Friday afternoon, 18 October, Minister Eppo Bruins (Education, Culture, and Science) paid a working visit to Maastricht. There, he was briefed by Limburg's educational institutions on current educational topics from the Education Manifesto. The minister also engaged in conversations with teachers and students. Through practical examples, Bruins gained a clear understanding of how education in Limburg is joining forces and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by its border location. In addition, the Province of Limburg and the educational institutions expressed their concerns about government plans that do not sufficiently take these regional opportunities into account.
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On 15 October, education minister Bruins informed the Netherlands House of Representatives of his plans to reduce the number of international students in the Netherlands through the Internationalisation in Balance Act (‘Wet Internationalisering in Balans’). Maastricht University has serious concerns about this. The minister seems to completely ignore the need for appropriate policies that the education and business communities as well as the government of Limburg have constantly pointed out in recent times. Appropriate rules with an eye for regional differences are in fact a dire necessity to prevent educational barrenness in Limburg, and to train enough professionals for the tense labour market in the region and the Netherlands.