We need a new school.

A school of communication! I mean really. There are professors in Universities who , simply, cannot pass their knowledge to their class! Damn! I am watching a history seminar,  today and tomorrow. The attending professors are among the best scholars in this particular subject, yet some of them speak English very badly. Too quick, or with a , not that good, accent. Plus, they stand there talking talking talking without a pause! Dude, where is the power point? 

Originally posted by Spartakus The attending professors are among the best scholars in this particular subject, yet some of them speak English very badly.

That is horrible. Giving classes in English is also becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands, which is not something I support.
First of all English is not the native language of most teachers and students. The English of many of them is plain horrible, and even if they do speak English very well, it is rarely as good as their native language (Dutch), so you'll always loose some of the quality of the classes (from both sides). Also having a discussion is harder, because the fact that they have to say something in a foreign language also serves as an extra barrier for students.

The argument is of course that it will make the university look more international. But if universities all over the world start to teach in English, don't they become all more similar? Another argument you often hear is that will attract English and American students, but I really don't see why they would go to another country to receive education in a broken version of their own language.

Another disadvantage of teaching in English is that you will only be able to use literature in English. When classes are given in Dutch you can safely assume that all students understand both Dutch and English, so you can use books in both languages. When you teach classes in English it is probable that some of the students won't speak Dutch, so you won't be able to use books in that language any more.

One university in the Netherlands awards a prize every year for the worst gaffe made by a teacher teaching in English. The prize: a sausage, because it translates as worst in Dutch.

NB: any spelling and grammar mistakes found in this message are not intentional, but do support my point.

Oh I totally understand what you mean.
Red's first post is completely right too. I couldn't agree more.

I've had mumbling Russian lecturers who think the computer screen is the audience and the monotone the best way to keep people awake. Korean Chinese lecturers where you simply can't understand what's going on, and IT lecturers who not only can't give a lecture in their native language but also can't use the computer they are using for the slides because its not running linux!