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19-09-2007

Higher education comprises higher professional education (HBO) and university education (WO). These types of education are provided by HBO institutions (“hogescholen”) and universities respectively.

Higher professional education
HBO institutions provide theoretical and practical training for occupations for which a higher vocational qualification is either required or useful. Graduates find employment in various fields, including middle and high-ranking jobs in trade and industry, social services, health care and the public sector.

University education
Universities combine academic research and teaching. University education focuses on training in academic disciplines, the independent pursuit of scholarship and the application of scholarly knowledge in the context of a profession and aims to improve understanding of the phenomena studied in the various disciplines and generate new knowledge.

There are thirteen 'regular' universities in the Netherlands, including three technical universities and the Agricultural University in Wageningen, which is financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality. Besides these, there are 43 colleges offering 200 different programmes for a variety of professions in a range of social areas.

The distribution of government grants to the universities partly depends on such performance indicators as the numbers of diplomas, first-year students and doctoral degrees. Universities may divide their state aid between 'education' and 'research' as they see fit. Each university bears the cost of its housing and infrastructure.

Institutions for higher professional education (HBO institutions) receive funding from a variety of sources. In addition to government grants, these institutions rely on tuition fees and revenue from external work (primarily contract education). Of the total state contribution, nearly 92% is made available in the form of a lump sum. HBO institutions independently decide on the most effective allocation of these funds to cover personnel, materials and housing costs.

In 2002, the main change in higher education was the implementation of the Bachelor and Master degree system, which is intended to give students greater international mobility. In concert with this shift, the value of study programs must be more easily recognisable, and they will be accredited to indicate quality.

Anyone who wishes to attend an institution of higher education in the Netherlands will find all the relevant information on the system, degrees, curricula and diplomas on the NUFFIC website (Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education).

NVAO (in Dutch: Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie) is the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. The organisation was established by international treaty and it ensures the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders.

The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) independently ensures the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders by assessing and accrediting programmes, and contributes to furthering this quality.

NVAO wishes to be a proactive partner in higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders. The organisation also intends to fulfil a pioneering role in the development of quality assurance and accreditation in Europe.

In both the Netherlands and Flanders, NVAO engages in intensive consultation with institutions of higher education, experts, umbrella and professional organisations, students, employer’s organisations and labour unions. NVAO endeavours to be proactive, to engage in dialogue with institutions, students and the labour market.

Together with other accreditation organisations, NVAO verifies to what extent their policies are based on the same approach and procedures as those laid down in the Dutch and Flemish accreditation frameworks.