Around one-third of university courses that are currently taught in English are to add a Dutch-language option from 2025.

UNL, the umbrella body for the Netherlands’ universities, said 35 bachelor’s programmes would be made dual language, while four would switch entirely to Dutch.

The universities also said they wanted to put a limit on student numbers in 27 subjects, but were waiting for the relevant legislation to be passed. Fixed numbers on student intake can only be changed with the permission of the minister.

Dijkgraaf, who has called for English-taught degrees to be limited in order to curb international student numbers, welcomed the moves, but said he wanted to see the trend continuing.

University leaders have criticised Dijkgraaf’s plans to curb the intake of international students by cutting English-language tuition, arguing it will jeopardise their reputation and research.

MPs say international students increase the pressure on housing in university cities and deny access to Dutch school leavers, particularly in subjects such as economics.

Universities have already agreed not to set up any new English-language bachelor’s degrees and to stop actively recruiting at international student fairs.

Dijkgraaf has set a target of limiting the percentage of foreign-language teaching to one-third of course credits on bachelor’s degrees. But he said he would allow universities time to come up with their own plans before handing down orders from the ministry.