The number of internationals staying in the Netherlands after their studies is rising. In percentage terms TU Delft alumni stay relatively often, although most do leave.
(Photo: Lucas Hirschegger)
The Technical University of Eindhoven is leading the way when it comes to alumni staying in the Netherlands. Of the cohorts from 2006-2007 through 2012-2013 no fewer than 52.1 percent stayed. Delft comes in second with 41 percent, reports the Dutch organization for internationalization in education Nuffic. That does mean, of course, that 59 percent of TU Delft alumni is leaving the country.
Of all international students in the Netherlands, almost a quarter has established themselves here five years after graduating. The total group of international talents numbers nearly 22,000, writes Nuffic. Of the cohort graduating in 2006, 2,610 set up home in the Netherlands. For the cohort graduating in 2012 that number increased to 3,515. According to Nuffic, higher education can be said to be a significant route of entry for knowledge workers coming to the Netherlands.
But it is a bit of a double message. The good news: there are more international alumni in the Netherlands and that is good for the economy. The bad news: in percentage terms more internationals are leaving the Netherlands. The so-called stay rate decreased from almost 30 percent to little over 20 percent.
The retention of international talents boosts the funds of the Dutch Treasury
Students who graduate in disciplines in demand in the job market, or expected to be so, remain relatively often. In particular, among internationals graduating in engineering and technology fields, relatively many remain resident in the Netherlands (41 percent from universities, 26 percent from universities of applied sciences, in total 3,135 graduates).
On average, university graduates stay in the Netherlands more often than graduates with a degree from a vocational higher education institution. This is particularly true of the universities of technology.
According to Nuffic, the retention of international talents boosts the funds of the Dutch Treasury. Research shows that at least 19 percent of all graduates remain in the Netherlands for their entire lives. This provides the Treasury with 1.64 billion euros per annum. Were the Netherlands to manage to retain indefinitely all the graduates in the study still here after five years, that would add 2.08 billion euros to the country’s annual income.
Source: Cursor (edited version)
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