Lost in Translation: The International Academic’s Dutch Challenge
News of potential rules mandating Dutch for university teaching in The Netherlands underscores the challenges faced by international academics. As someone who’s recently started an academic role in The Netherlands, I’d like to share my personal experience.
Starting out, my partner and I took roles outside our home countries. She had landed a three-year Marie-Curie fellowship, taking her away from her Dutch roots. At the same time, I continued my journey in the UK with a postdoctoral fellowship, after leaving my home in Germany for an MSc and PhD in London.
Things took a turn when she secured a permanent job in The Netherlands. Wanting to stay close, I found a year-long role at her university. But getting a permanent role there proved tricky, even with my strong CV. So, back to the UK I went, into a tenure-track position.
Life got busier when we welcomed our child, especially as I commuted weekly between London and Amsterdam. Eventually, I got a permanent role in Amsterdam. But just as I settled, news broke: Dutch universities might soon demand local language teaching.
I get it — universities should cater to locals, including those not fluent in English. But for global academics like me, mastering a new language, on top of everything else, is a tall order…