In a bid to bolster its international academic standing and foster diversity in its professorial ranks, KU Leuven's Chancellor Luc Sels has called for the language requirements for foreign professors entering the higher education sector in Flanders to be re-evaluated.
With the start of the new academic year, Sels is pushing for a more inclusive approach to language proficiency standards, aimed at making the region more appealing to foreign scholars.
In a statement to The Brussels Times, Sels said that "universities that fail to open themselves up to international talent are losing out. Regions that erect barriers to the recruitment of international talent will see their universities fall in the pecking order. Governments that do not pursue policies of knowledge migration are not doing their society or economy any favours."
"I think the lack of vision on language policy is a real Achilles heel: as a top university in a small region, we are even more dependent on international talent than comparable universities in larger language regions... We have the assets to attract that talent, we give assistant professors the opportunity to be supervisors of projects and PhDs early in their careers and build their own line of research and team. This is often unthinkable in Germany, the Netherlands or the UK."
Sels celebrated the autonomy that international professors enjoy and the quality of support provided. "But the way we deal with language conditions is much stricter than in our neighbouring countries."
A battle for brains
Under the current regulations, foreign professors looking to teach at a Flemish university or college must attain a B5 level of proficiency in Dutch within two years. This proficiency allows them to actively participate in meetings and comprehend specialised texts and failure to meet this requirement can lead to the termination of their employment.
"It is mainly the language requirements for international professors that concern me. They make it very difficult to attract the best international talent. We need them to realise our ambitions and our contribution to an internationally successful Flanders."
In a recent interview with VRT, Sels voiced concerns that these stringent language prerequisites act as a deterrent to many highly talented academics considering opportunities in Flanders. He stated that "Top-tier talents have numerous options at prestigious international universities; they may be discouraged from choosing our region."
Students in the library of the KU Leuven. Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand
Sels emphasised that this requirement is particularly challenging for young professors, typically aged 33 to 34, who are in the midst of expanding their families, seeking schools for their children, and establishing permanent homes. For them, uncertainty regarding language proficiency requirements can be a significant hurdle.
Sels clarified that his intention is not to increase the number of foreign professors at KU Leuven but to diversify the nationalities represented among the faculty. Highlighting his commitment to preserving language standards, he asserted that long-term professors must master Dutch.
"The question is not whether it is feasible to master the Dutch language in five years," Sels told The Brussels Times. "It is achievable, as the vast majority of our hires show. Rather, it is the deterrent effect that concerns me."
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Maintaining a balance in the faculty composition is also a priority for Sels. He envisages a mix of two-thirds local professors and one-third international faculty members. "Local expertise is crucial for our society but we should also open our doors to the one-third of professors we recruit internationally to enrich the educational experience for our students."
"Flanders must be a region where those who teach and research feel they are part of that select group that is advancing global society by developing groundbreaking insights and technology."
