This discussion is triggered by the publication of Universitas. Why Higher Education Must Be International, a new book that unites the voices of scholars from around the globe in a plea to embrace and improve the internationalization of higher education, to combat parochialism, to foster a critical globalist ethos, and to defend the quality of teaching and research. The authors have themselves followed international trajectories, across different parts of the world. At the same time, all are now settled academics who have been observing the relevant trends in their work environments and have been actively involved in managing them. This evening, we focus on the situation in the Netherlands. Why do we see a backlash against international higher education here? Is it justified? How can we better address the challenges internationalization poses? The discussion includes the book’s authors who are settled in the Netherlands as well as relevant political decision-makers.