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7 Dutch universities snap up a spot in the top 150 in the world

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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7 Dutch universities snap up a spot in the top 150 in the world

According to the 2023 QS University Rankings, seven Dutch universities claimed their place in the top 150 spots, making them the best universities in the Netherlands.

Starting off with the defending champ, the University of Amsterdam is still considered the best Dutch university, ranking 58th worldwide. Though, it used to sit at number 55 last year.

Following the capital’s lead is the Delft University of Technology, which also consistently scores high among other institutions worldwide.

In 2021, TU Delft’s programmes in engineering and technology were given the 15th position in the QS World University Rankings. 🤓

READ MORE | Studying in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide

Following the top two contenders, five other Dutch universities also made it to the top 150 rankings: Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research, Leiden University, Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Groningen.

However, if Dutch universities were ranked based on how they treat their international students, there probably would’ve been a way lower turnout for the lowlands. 😅

The complete list of Dutch universities rankings for 2022

RankingUniversity
58University of Amsterdam
61Delft University of Technology
112Utrecht University
124Wageningen University & Research
131Leiden University
138Eindhoven University of Technology
145University of Groningen
208Erasmus University Rotterdam
212University of Twente
214Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
232Radboud University
278Maastricht University
398Tilburg University

Have you studied at one of these universities? Do you agree with their rankings? Tell us in the comments below!

Cruising Amsterdam’s canals is officially the top tourist experience (in the world!)

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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Cruising Amsterdam’s canals is officially the top tourist experience (in the world!)

A hiking tour in the Himalayas? How about snorkelling in Hawaii? Nah. According to TripAdvisor, Amsterdam canal cruises are the best thing for tourists to do — in the entire world. 🚤

A boat trip through the Amsterdam canals was rewarded with the winning spot in the Travelers Choice Awards from Tripadvisor, after thousands of travellers voted for the experience. 🥇

Rasmus Emmelkamp, owner of boat tour agency Flagship Amsterdam, told RTL Nieuws that they’re very happy to be providing others with the “best experience in the world.”

Not too sure about Amsterdam’s canal cruises being the top-ranked experience in the world? Well, the proof is in the pudding. 😉

READ MORE | Amsterdam ranked as the third most attractive city for tourists!

Challenging tourism restrictions

The super-official ranking will likely attract more tourists to the city and into its canals.

While this is a great turnout for tourists and travel companies, this probably won’t be well-received in Amsterdam’s municipality. 🙄

Reducing tourism has been an ongoing objective for Amsterdam’s municipality and mayor Femke Halsema.

Rasmus Emmelkamp explains that the way to please both parties is to attract “quality tourists” that enjoy quiet trips with beautiful stories.

Do you consider Amsterdam’s canal cruises the top-rated experience in the world? Tell us in the comments below!

Schiphol expected to cancel dozens of flights this summer (every single day!)

Juni Moltubak
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Schiphol expected to cancel dozens of flights this summer (every single day!)

Dozens of flights from Schiphol are expected to be scrapped every day this summer due to the airport’s staff-shortage. So if you’re flying out any time soon, be prepared for some last-minute changes… 

The mayhem at Schipol has gained heaps of attention lately, and it’s not over yet! The airport has been struggling with too many travellers, too little staff, and all-around bad vibes for  summer tourism.

To reduce the pressure, Schiphol has requested to cancel as many as 30% (!) of its daily flights. The hope is that the end result will be slightly less — only several dozen a day… 👍🏽

READ MORE | Chaos at Schiphol: why the biggest Dutch airport is struggling so much

What will this mean for your vacation plans? 

In the case of cancellation, tons of passengers will have to either rebook their flights or move to a different airport. Smaller, regional Dutch airports have been coping with the chaos much better lately. 

Before travelling, you should probably check out the details of your travel insurance, Schiphol’s basic overview website, and the policies of your specific airline. 

What can you do if your flight is cancelled? 

If the worst happens and your flight is cancelled, you have a number of options: 

  • Alternative flights ✈

Your airline, or you, can schedule a new flight to replace the cancelled one. 

  • Compensation 💶

If your flight is more than two hours delayed, you can be entitled to compensation between €125 and €600 — nice! It all depends on the distance of your travel, how long the delay is, and when you were notified of the delay. 

  • Voucher codes 🎫

If you’re offered a voucher as a replacement for your cancelled flight, it might be good to know that you should also always have the option to get an actual refund. Watch out!

Just to limit the stress levels a tiny bit. 💁🏽‍♀️ External companies like AirHelp or AviClaim might also be a handy option.

Enough anger to go round

The critique has not been modest when it comes to Schipol’s handling of the situation. 

The drama has been real — people waiting for six hours just to get through security, missing their flights throughfor no fault of their own, and even airlines refusing to fly their passengers to Amsterdam! 

Schiphol has tried multiple measures to reduce the crowds., For example, advising people to travel with hand luggage only, and only arrive at the airport four hours in advance (not 6, for example). How helpful! ❤

IATA, the International Air Transport Association, has called the large number of Schipol-cancellations “outrageous.” Needless to say, regular travellers have not been happy either… 

It is yet to be seen how this summer will affect Schipol’s reputation, but looking at current online reviews, our expectations are certainly set. 😑

Have you experienced the Schipol chaos first-hand this summer? Tell us in the comments!

An extra €500 euro in your pocket? Maybe, says PM Rutte

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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An extra €500 euro in your pocket? Maybe, says PM Rutte

Say doei to one-minute showers, surviving off 80c ramen noodles, and start planning a luxurious yacht holiday — the Dutch government is potentially scheming up a plan to drop some extra cash in your bank account.

The moolah, in the form of a toeslag (allowance), would pay €500 to people living in the Netherlands with low or middle incomes, the NOS reports.

Is that you? It could be if:
✅ You are single and earn less than €32,000 gross per year, or
✅ You and your partner earn less than €41,000 gross per year combined.

Of course, you could be saying “Nothing comes for free,” right? We love a bit of scepticism!

But no stress: while this cash is free, it’s meant to ease the burden of the rising energy costs and inflation — so yeah, you’ll probs have to spend it. Kiss goodbye to that yacht! 😗

Not confirmed yet

While we would love to tell you to exit out of this article and open your banking app straight away (wait, don’t do that, this is important!), the measure hasn’t been confirmed yet — and to be honest, it’s all a bit vague.

The proposal came from left-wing parties, GroenLinks and PvdA, and Prime Minister Mark Rutte is seriously considering the cash splash — but doesn’t want to rush it.

(Cough, we could argue that ol’ mate Rutte had no problem rushing the decisions that led to the toeslagenaffair where thousands of families were wrongfully accused of duping the government into paying allowances and forced to pay back thousands of euros, but whatever, cough).

Give us more, more, more (alsjeblieft)

The left-wing is also proposing a rent freeze, but Rutte has already nipped that idea in the bud, saying “a rent freeze is no longer possible.”

Luckily, the government isn’t standing still on inflation. We’ll begrudgingly admit they have reduced energy taxes and the excise duty on fuel, increased minimum wage, and sent minimum wage households €800. That’s a start!

And holy moly, we need it. The Dutch Central Planning Board recently calculated that up to 1.2 million households could struggle with monthly expenses in the future.

Fingers, toes, and legs are crossed that these measures get over the line. Do you think it’s enough? Tell us in the comments below!

Dutch woman (27) killed by stray bullet in Colombia

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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Dutch woman (27) killed by stray bullet in Colombia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a Dutch tourist has been killed in Colombia. The woman was hit by a stray bullet and later died from her wounds.

The 27-year-old woman was sitting in a restaurant in the Colombian town of Leticia when two men entered and opened fire.

“We are aware of the tragic death. According to the authorities, she became the victim of a stray bullet. We are assisting the relatives with consular assistance,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells RTL Nieuws.

Died from her injuries

According to local authorities, the Dutch woman from Gelderland suffered serious injuries after being hit by the stray bullet.

Eyewitnesses claim she and a Brazilian woman were talking to each other when the shooting began. Both women were hit and brought to a local hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.

Two men from Leticia were also shot, they remain in a critical condition.

Assailants on the run

The two men who carried out the shooting fled the scene. A manhunt is now underway, however, the reason for the shooting remains unknown.

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Feature Image: Aliman5040/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0

Hot, hot hot! Netherlands to reach up to 30 degrees in the coming days 

Juni Moltubak
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Hot, hot hot! Netherlands to reach up to 30 degrees in the coming days 

With as much as +30 degrees to look forward to, the Netherlands will continue to be blessed with lovely weather for the next few days — thank goodness! 

Grab the sunnies and slap on the suncream, Buienradar reports hot and sunny weather all across the country for the coming five days. ☀️

With little wind (and only a weak breeze where there is wind at all), the Dutch sun will get to peak out without too much disturbance from the clouds.

Start off slow

Today and tomorrow the temperatures will be slightly varied across the country. 

Temperatures of 20 degrees are expected for the Wadden Islands, reaching up to 24 degrees in the middle of the country. 

In the southeast, however, the temperatures will flirt with the high twenties, so you might want to wear a breathable shirt to work unless you have a decent aircon system. 😅

The peak of the week

If the high twenties don’t count as warm for you, perhaps the end of this week will be more satisfactory.

Temperatures are expected to go up to over 30 degrees in most parts of the country as we approach the weekend. Grab your beach towel, we’re going to Scheveningen for a swim! 🏄🏽‍♀️

READ MORE | Best beaches in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide to Dutch beaches

In the south, it’s (as usual) even warmer than the average, with temperatures as high as a baffling 34 degrees expected. 🥵

Ending with a bang

But of course, it wouldn’t be a Dutch summer without some bumps in the road too. Prepare for a possible thunderstorm on Sunday to wash away the heat and dust of the past few days.

A bit of thunder is of course to be expected after a week of unusually warm weather, but it does seem like a rather dramatic end to what will probably be a very lovely week. 

The curse of Dutch summers

With almost 15 hours of daylight a day as we approach midsummer, the summer vibes will probably be omnipresent in most Dutch cities. ✌🌞 

Buuut, we better enjoy it while it lasts. Next week may be dominated by more meh temperatures, again…🙄 

That means that the weather gods (Buienradar) foresee temperatures closer to the 20 mark in most parts of the country. The only exception is the south, where the temperatures in the mid-twenties are more likely. 

Where are you going to enjoy the weather this week(end)? Tell us in the comments!

Not yet: Dutch government won’t regulate intake of international students

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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Not yet: Dutch government won’t regulate intake of international students

While Dutch universities struggle with the increase of international students, the government will not pass an act that would regulate their intake — not yet at least.

Minister of Education Robbert Dijkgraaf wants to “develop a clear vision” before implementing such an act — which comes as a bit of relief for prospective students abroad. 😮‍💨

Language and accessibility bill

Dijkgraaf addressed the House of Representatives and the Senate asking to let the Language and Accessibility Act “simmer down” for a while, says Het Parool. 🥶

This act would guarantee the accessibility of higher education and control the intake of international students — exactly what the universities in Amsterdam are looking for.

At the moment, it only needs the approval of the Senate to pass.

Regulating international students

The chairman of the University of Amsterdam Geert ten Dam and the chairman of the Association of Universities Peter Duisenberg argued for legal measures to regulate the influx of international students.

Many Dutch universities lack space on campus, the quality of education decreases, and university employees feel overwhelmed with the workload. 😓

What’s more, Dutch universities cannot pick students on the basis of nationality. In particular, ten Dam worries about Dutch students being pushed out of universities in their home country.

Joint agreements and goals

Don’t get us wrong — Dijkgraaf does acknowledge the concern of universities when it comes to housing problems and working conditions for employees.

However, he wants to “clearly elaborate” on a vision for the national higher education system before continuing with this bill. He intends to provide a “toolbox” to manage the intake more effectively, but only through joint agreements and goals.

Dijkgraaf wants to review the act and return to it when the parties involved have a clearer understanding of their goals.

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Plans for a car-free neighbourhood in Amsterdam to be realised by 2026!

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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1
Plans for a car-free neighbourhood in Amsterdam to be realised by 2026!

The Frans Halbuurt neighbourhood in Amsterdam will soon become a car-free area, which priorities space for pedestrians, cyclists and children’s recreation. How leuk! ✨

The plan to remodel the area into a car-free zone first came up in 2018 when residents were surveyed about their preferences and wishes for the new Frans Halbuurt.

The project aims for the neighbourhoods to become car-free residential areas, where cars will only “be guests”. The Dutch tradition lives on as cyclists continue to be the kings of the road. 🚲

Where is it?

The area concerns several streets located near De Pijp, Amsterdam:

  • Frans Halsstraat
  • Ruysdaelkade
  • Ferdinand Bolstraat
  • A section of the Albert Cuypstraat

The project also plans to redesign the side streets between the Stadhouderskade and the Albert Cuypstraat as well as those located between the Boerenwetering and the Ferdinand Bolstraat.

It’ll take time

Reshaping an entire neighbourhood is no easy task. The project is only set to be finished by 2026.

Relocating and replacing underground cables, sewers, and pipes will take up a good chunk of time. There are also plans to make the neighbourhood more ‘climate-proof’ in order to prevent heat stress and flooding. 🌎

What do you think of these plans for a car-free neighbourhood in Amsterdam? Tell us in the comments!

The start of a summer wave: Dutch coronavirus cases increase by 64%

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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The start of a summer wave: Dutch coronavirus cases increase by 64%

What began as a slight increase in Dutch coronavirus infections last week, has developed into a 64% rise this week. What does this mean? According to an RIVM spokesperson, it’s the start of a summer wave.

Speaking to the NOS, epidemiologist Susan van den Hof explains that the number of coronavirus infections in the Netherlands is rising “very quickly.”

According to her, this indicates that the Netherlands is currently experiencing the beginning of (yet another) coronavirus wave.

However, “how high that wave will get and how long it will last, and what that will mean for hospital admissions, is very difficult to say at the moment.” 

Increased particles in sewage water

As part of the Dutch cabinet’s new approach to monitoring coronavirus infections, you no longer have to be tested by the GGD in order to confirm that you are positive for coronavirus.

This makes it slightly more difficult for the GGD to understand exactly how many new positive tests there are. However, people with a positive self-test can report their case to the Infection Radar.

The GGD’s findings are reflected in these reports — as well as in the country’s sewage water. 🦠

Who, what and where

According to the RIVM, no particular age group is being hit hardest at the moment. However, those living in the regions of Amsterdam-Amstelland, Utrecht and Hollands-Midden are experiencing the brunt of the wave.

The RIVM suspects that we have the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron to thank for this sharp increase.

Isolate with symptoms

The mention of a lockdown has been avoided so far. “The policy is to keep society open for as long as possible,” says Van den Hof.

In order to keep it this way, she advises that those with symptoms should “stay at home with complaints and get tested, to prevent infecting other people.”

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Lawyers: excluding students from the energy allowance is illegal

Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
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Lawyers: excluding students from the energy allowance is illegal

The Dutch energy allowance is a one-off payment of €800 to mitigate financial hardship caused by rising energy costs.

While the legislative amendment is based on needs still to be discussed in the House of Representatives and the Senate (Tweede en Eerste Kamer), you can already apply for the allowance.

That is if you’re not under the age of 21, homeless, live in an institution, or — wait for it — a student. 🙃

In an explanatory memorandum, the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) advised that the above groups are excluded from the allowance.

However, legal experts don’t agree, reports the NOS.

Justification for exclusion wouldn’t hold up in court

Legally, there needs to be a “justified ground” that explains why a law shouldn’t apply to a certain group of people. Now, while that is the case for the three other groups, it’s not so for students, says legal expert Willy Heesen.

In the explanatory memorandum, the VNG simply says that students should not receive an energy allowance because their living arrangements are “very diverse, also in terms of energy costs and bills.”

READ MORE | 10 dang smart ways to save on energy costs in the Netherlands

However, Heesen insists that “students do not live differently from non-students. All forms of housing that are used by students — with parents, independently, or in rooms — are also used by non-students.”

Not every student will qualify for the allowance, but it’s still not legal to exclude an entire group of people without proper justification.

So what are the odds of winning a case?

The short of the long? Students who would qualify for the allowance if it wasn’t for their education could make a legal case against their municipality. 👀

In fact, Heesen says they have a good chance of winning.

And that’s no insignificant feat as an increasing number of students in the Netherlands are struggling to make ends meet.

The National Student Union (LSVb) says they’ve “had a hotline where students report that they have to pay about €50 to €80 extra per month. Especially for students who often don’t have a lot of money, that is an enormous amount.”

You don’t say. 😅

Would you go to court over the energy allowance? Tell us in the comments below!

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