To get into a Dutch university, you still need a secondary school education of the highest level, called VWO here, but, as you say, if you can afford it, there are plenty of alternatives abroad.
The last bullwarks against the malarky you describe seem to be our Technical Universities that train engineers up to the MSc and PhD levels, but they show signs of crumbling as well. Still, graduating incompetent engineers is rare as protests from industry would be vicious.
Outside of the engineering and some exact fields things are indeed turning into a sick joke fast.
Yeap, technical schools are the only only ones that hold respect still. Incompetent engineers are rare because you can't really fake it in engineering. You cannot bullshit your way through as with humanities.
if only you have seen the things I witnessed...
Not in Murica, they're like blades of grass here.
Eventually they drift into other fields, like selling real estate, but they leave a wake of destruction in their path that destroys companies. I speak from the viewpoint of 20+ years in the american auto industry.
I've heard they like being assets in financial firms as well. Apparently their meme stands.
Those type of trades are best taught as they were for decades, with an apprenticeship.
Universities long term will become places to study accredited fields such as medicine.
A lot of the other current courses could be replaced by open and free education and the world would be better for it.