The CSR and the UvA believe it is important that international students feel welcome and at home at the UvA and in Amsterdam. Learning Dutch can play a major role in this. It not only helps students connect more easily with Dutch‑speaking fellow students and the society around them, but also increases their chances of staying in the Netherlands after graduation and finding a job here.

At present, around €200,000 is already spent on Dutch language courses for international students. These courses are offered by the Institute for Dutch Language Education (INTT) at the UvA. The INTT provides courses and support in both Dutch and English language skills. With the additional €800,000 now reserved in the framework letter, there will be more room to offer Dutch language courses at a heavily reduced fee, or in some cases possibly even free of charge. The exact details are currently being further developed.

Partly in response to questions from the CSR, a clear information page about language learning has also been created on the UvA website. This page provides an overview of the possibilities for students who want to learn Dutch or further develop their language skills: https://student.uva.nl/en/information/language-skills

With this outcome, the CSR shows that student representation can raise concrete problems and actually help achieve solutions. The CSR will continue to work towards an accessible university where all students can feel at home. Do you have any concerns, signals or problems that deserve attention yourself? Please contact the CSR so that we can work together on improvements for students.