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On Friday afternoon, 18 October, Minister Eppo Bruins (Education, Culture, and Science) paid a working visit to Maastricht. There, he was briefed by Limburg's educational institutions on current educational topics from the Education Manifesto. The minister also engaged in conversations with teachers and students. Through practical examples, Bruins gained a clear understanding of how education in Limburg is joining forces and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by its border location. In addition, the Province of Limburg and the educational institutions expressed their concerns about government plans that do not sufficiently take these regional opportunities into account.

On 15 October, education minister Bruins informed the Netherlands House of Representatives of his plans to reduce the number of international students in the Netherlands through the Internationalisation in Balance Act (‘Wet Internationalisering in Balans’). Maastricht University has serious concerns about this. The minister seems to completely ignore the need for appropriate policies that the education and business communities as well as the government of Limburg have constantly pointed out in recent times. Appropriate rules with an eye for regional differences are in fact a dire necessity to prevent educational barrenness in Limburg, and to train enough professionals for the tense labour market in the region and the Netherlands.

On 8 October 2024, Maastricht University officially opened its new sustainable research greenhouse on the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo. The opening marks a significant step in research into sustainable food production. The university has named the greenhouse after Nick Bos, the former Vice Chair of its Executive Board who stepped down earlier this year.

This year, the total number of students at Maastricht University will probably still increase slightly to more than 23,000. Due to an estimated 3% decrease in the number of new students, this growth will level off. The ratio of Dutch to international students is also stabilising: among the new cohort, the proportion of Dutch students is increasing slightly. A large proportion of students still come from within Maastricht’s Euregion; over 50% of students come from within a 100-kilometre radius of Maastricht.

In the coming years, the Venlo municipality and Maastricht University (UM) will make additional investments in the city's academic research and education. The goals aim to create future-proof solutions for food and its production while being healthy for people, the environment, and the economy. This relies heavily on technological innovation.

Heerlen, Maastricht, and Sittard-Geleen will continue the services for the Euregional and international labour market in South Limburg for an extended period. Maastricht University actively supports in attracting and retaining Euregional and international talent."

Dutch universities have jointly announced measures to manage the intake of international students and enhance Dutch language proficiency.  Maastricht University is committed to finding tailored solutions that align with both the university and its environment.