(Foto: Sharp Vision)
The VSNU lined up the growth statistics of all the Dutch universities. These show that Wageningen is popular. The number of first-years here increased by 39 percent in five years: from 1068 in 2012-2013 to 1486 this academic year. The technical degree programmes (up by 24 percent) and the nature-related programmes (up by 22 percent) follow at a distance.
Likewise, the growth in the total student population is greatest by far in Wageningen, at 43 percent: from 7406 to 10,568 students. Of all the other fields, the technical programmes and nature-related ones come closest again (up by 25 and 20 percent respectively)
. This is relative growth. In absolute numbers agriculture-related degrees form the smallest field in higher education in the Netherlands.
There are 2276 international students at Wageningen this year. That is almost one third more than five years ago. Yet the proportion of international students in Wageningen has remained fairly steady, at 22 percent. Dutch student numbers have kept pace with those of international students. International student numbers have gone up by 17 percent this year, a lot more than the preceding years.
There are currently 264,838 students attending Dutch universities. At 2.6 more than last year, that is an all-time record. With 10,568 students, Wageningen accounts for a modest 4 percent of that total.