Letter to the editor
UTNews
UT's reputation abroad
Although we Chinese are happy to see that the UT is becoming well known in China and are glad to see people increasingly joining the UT from our nation we see two worrying trends that are damaging the UT's reputation abroad.
The first is that the percentage of Chinese in courses at for example the TSM business school and Educational Science and Technology (EDTE) is increasing, sometimes to even 60%. We strongly prefer that the percentage should be kept to a reasonable range, say 30%. Otherwise, why not simply co-operate with schools in China by sending teachers there instead of accepting students at the UT? The chief advantage for attending an international programme is the opportunity for cultural integration, but from programmes where 60% of the students are Chinese, how can we expect to integrate with or even learn something of Dutch culture?
Other universities, such as the Erasmus University, Nijenrode, and Tilburg, do have a policy of limiting the number of students from any one country. They have gained a more positive reputation from foreign applicants since the 'internationalisation' in these programmes is believed much more effective than at the UT.
Our second worry concerns the admissions' policy at the UT with regard to students with Bachelor's degrees from 'hogescholen' (institutes of higher vocational training) here in the Netherlands. The UT has been mentioned in some Chinese bulletin boards on internet as 'probably the one university' that admits Hogeschool applicants directly into a Master's programme. The Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Tilburg University and Nijmegen University stipulate that a BA degree from a hogeschool is not equal to a BA degree from a university, which means hogeschool graduates require at least two more years than the BA holders from universities to earn a Master's degree. At the UT, as far as we know, some hogeschool graduates have been admitted into TO and TSM programmes.
The Chinese believe the harder to get into a programme, the more respect it earns. However, among the 14 regular Dutch universities, the EDTE programmes have earned the following reputation: 'Once you apply, you will be admitted.' The question is whether the UT wants to admit all comers and earn money that way or maintain its reputation as a well-respected university. Implementing a basic admissions system could help the UT's reputation in the long run.
Sincerely, |
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