The stereotype goes that the Dutch have forgotten more about hydraulic engineering than other countries have ever known. There is a grain of truth in this. If he wants to continue his current work then the Netherlands is one of the best places.

Plus many Europeans don’t want to go to the US. Not for anything more than a vacation. This view has strengthened over the last several years.

Why not in the Netherlands? They have great universities.

Depends if his objective is form a future network of C-suite acquaintances (Harvard, Oxbridge), or to learn science (MIT, Netherlands).