“Dutch universities rejecting Iranian students due to nuclear threat”

The universities of Enschede and Eindhoven are no longer admitting any students from Iran. They say they are forced to do so by the government, according to newspaper Trouw.

The technical universities must state in a declaration that new Iranian students will not in any way whatsoever have access to knowledge on nuclear technology. The universities cannot and do not want to issue this statement because, as they say, their students are entitled to all information available. The third technical university, the TU Delft, does reportedly still admit Iranians.

The three universities were previously warned by the education and foreign ministries to be prudent as far as admitting Iranians is concerned. That insistent request has now been replaced by the declaration, which the universities must send to the Immigration Service (IND) in order to be able to obtain visa for their students, said Trouw.

Enschede’s Twente University has informed three Iranian students in writing that they cannot study with it. An internal email by the universiry management to staff also states, according to Trouw, that no more Iranians will be admitted in the future either.

“Students have the right to follow all education that is offered to them in freedom”, stated Menno van Duuren of Twente University. “A guarantee that they will not come into contact with nuclear expertise we therefore cannot provide”.

A spokesman for TU Eindhoven emphasised: “If someone from Iran wants to do an engineering course, there is no reason whatsoever to refuse them. But the government decides whether someone gets a visa or not.” The Socialist Party (SP) has asked the education and foreign ministers for their reaction.

Source: NIS News, 2 January 2008