Fontys University of Applied Sciences wants 1,400 more students per year to graduate in IT and engineering than at present, by 2032. This ambitions to grow is in sharp contrast to the announced recruitment freeze of international students.
Fontys’ news site Bron reports that with this view in mind, the college wants to double the number of engineering students in the programme. The intention to grow ties in with the plans Brainport Eindhoven will soon submit to The Hague. The region is growing rapidly economically. There is a huge demand for technicians. It is only going to increase.
The ambition seem at odds with the college’s announced recruitment freeze. That came at the request of education minister Robert Dijkgraaf, who called for it in the context of the huge housing shortage in the region. In fact, in order to achieve the desired growth, many international students will be needed.
‘Temporary stop’
According to the director of the ICT branch of Fontys, Frens Vonken, the plans do mesh well with the wishes of The Hague. “Exceptions are being made for shortage sectors and shortage regions. I include tech and IT and Brainport in that. Moreover, this is a temporary stop. At the end of February the minister will decide how to proceed”, he told Bron.
Funding
To realise the objectives, financing from the state is needed. Growth should not come at the expense of the current pressure on teaching staff, and the quality of education and research must remain guaranteed, Fontys says.
Earlier, Eindhoven University of Technology also announced that it would heed the minister’s call to stop recruiting international students. Nevertheless, TU/e agrees that the flow of international students to the region is vital for the Brainport economy.
Source: Studio040
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta. She also gives online INBURGERING classes.
