A stop on the flow of international students to Maastricht University and local colleges will cost thousands of jobs and have a major impact on the regional economy, Limburg mayors, the university, hbo college and trade schools have warned.

The organisations have written to education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf and the four parties in talks on forming a new government to outline their fears and say measures as they are now would lead to the “devastation” of education in Limburg.

They argue that their position should not be compared with the situation in the big cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, where the shortage of accommodation and overcrowded lecture halls have led to calls for controls on foreign student numbers.

“We don’t have these problems in Limburg,” André Postema from the Zuyd Hogeschool told Radio 1 news.

“Students are the solution, not the problem here in Limburg,” he said. “Our population is shrinking and fewer children are born here than in the rest of the country. We need foreign students to keep functioning.”

Only 24% of Limburg’s border is with the rest of the Netherlands, the letter to the minister states. “This means that we have to look beyond borders to increase the quality of life in the region.

“Educational institutions and companies in Limburg have traditionally had a strong international orientation, and they play an important role in the region. Their contribution to the social, economic and cultural development of Limburg is essential.”

The Dutch universities association and hbo college body have published their own measures to try to reduce the flow of foreign students and head off the threat of government action.

One in three new bachelor degree students come from abroad and 30% of all bachelor degrees are in English and that is a situation which must change, the association said.