Hogeschool Wittenborg has signed the Code of Conduct for International Students in Netherlands Higher Education that became effective as of 1 May 2006. The Code of Conduct describes agreements that must lead to care and caution on the part of higher education establishments in relation to the recruitment and registration of international students and the quality of the programmes international students are offered. The National Commission of the Code of Conduct for International Students in Netherlands Higher Education is responsible for ensuring that higher education institutions in the Netherlands operate within the agreements contained within the Code of Conduct.

In 2008, the National Commission made a clear statement with regard to the English Language requirements for International Students * wishing to study in the Netherlands. Through this clearly formulated statement it has become clear that every International Student wishing to be registered as a student in the Netherlands should possess a valid IELTS or TOEFL certificate showing that the student has a level of English which is in line with the requirements as set out within the Code of Conduct, or a certificate of the institute’s own test that has been accredited by the independent organization RCEC. (Article 4.2 of the Code of Conduct).

Hogeschool Wittenborg believes that all institutions in the Netherlands who have signed the Code of Conduct use the same entrance criteria when it comes to language testing and assessment when recruiting and selecting students from outside the EU. In this way, a level playing field is achieved, for both funded and non-funded institutions, and respect is shown towards a Code of Conduct that they have signed and agreed upon. Enrolment of non EU students is only made possible if this is done in accordance to the agreements in the Code of Conduct as a requirement of the Covenant signed between higher education institutions and the Immigration Service.

At the end of 2008, Wittenborg presented examples of how the language requirement (4.2) article of the Code was being ignored by a number of institutions, including both a funded and a non funded school. Both institutions used a self-made and, more importantly, self- administered language test to test students either at the initial recruitment stage, or internally allowing students to pass from a ‘prep’ programme into the Bachelor degree programmes. Examples of students tested by self-made tests at these two schools were given from India, China and Iran.

In early 2009 Hogeschool Wittenborg submitted a formal complaint to the Board of Directors of both these Universities of Applied Sciences, and on receiving the clear replies, confirming the use of self-made tests; a decision was made to request the National Commission to come to a verdict in these two cases. Both institutions clearly state that they use their own self-made and self-administered tests. They have been asked to have their tests formally compared to IELTS or TOEFL.

In January 2010, both complaints were heard at a formal sitting of the National Commission. In the coming weeks a verdict is expected, and this will be published on Wittenborg Online.

*International Students in this context are seen as non-EU citizens who have clearly been educated in a non-English language environment.

For information regarding the Code of Conduct see: http://www.internationalstudy.nl/Paginas/Landelijke%20commissie.htm

Download the Code of Conduct here:: http://www.internationalstudy.nl/documenten/Gedragscode%20Engels.pdf

For information regarding the entry of non-EU students to the Netherlands see: : http://www.ind.nl

For information regarding IELTS zie: http://www.ielts.org

For information regarding TOEFL zie: http://www.ets.org

For information regarding REC zie: http://www.rcec.nl