Higher education

Higher education
Higher education prepares people for the
knowledge-based economy. To ensure that the
innovative power of the knowledge economy
remains intact and is strengthened in the future,
we will need a high-quality higher education
system. It is also important that higher education
provides a stimulus for creativity and innovation.
In our recommendations, the Education Council
distinguishes between four key points.
Guarantee and foster the quality of higher
education
Participation in higher education has fallen sharply
in recent years. The Education Council believes
that there should be no unnecessary barriers to
participation in higher education, but also argues
that increased participation in higher education
should not come at the sacrifice of basic quality.
Basic quality is guaranteed by the accreditation
system and also by a sound system of
examination. The Education Council advocated the
strengthening of the examinations committees,
assigning greater importance to examinations in
the accreditation context, and the formal
recognition of prior learning within the diploma
framework ( Assessment in higher education , 2004;
Examinering: draagvlak en toegankelijkheid
(Assessment: acceptance and accessibility) , 2006;
Diploma van waarde (Diploma of value) , 2010).
However, to create higher education with an
international allure and to keep sight of a ranking
in the top five of the knowledge-based economies
requires something more than just basic quality. A
direct and more integrated drive on quality aspects
is essential. In this context, the Education Council
gives the express warning that performance
indicators should not be confused with quality
indicators. Excellence can be fostered by
recognising added quality more in the funding
system, but the financial resources need to be
made available for this. In addition, the Education
Council is an advocate of a broad offering of
honours programmes for students of above-
average talent and above-average motivation
(Hoger onderwijs: meer kenniswerkers en betere
kennisbenutting (Higher education: more knowledge
workers and better knowledge utilisation) , 2004;
Kwaliteit belonen in het hoger onderwijs (Rewarding
quality in higher education) , 2007; A successful
start in higher education , 2008; Higher education fit
for the future, 2011).
Higher education must match the requirements of
a variety of groups (differentiation)
The growing numbers of students in higher
education result in differentiation in the
composition of the population. To meet the
differentiated demand, a varied offering for each
target group is essential. This form of variation is
particularly apparent in the bachelor’s cycle.
Developing a broad-based bachelor’s programme
that offers the scope for differentiation can
contribute to this. The associate degree also has a
role to play in the drive towards differentiation.
In the master’s cycle, a closer look at quality and
effectiveness would be desirable. Variation in the
master’s cycle has more to do with course
content. However, the Education Council does not
rule out that it may be desirable to introduce
differentiation in the level of the tuition fees
payable ( Bekostiging hoger onderwijs (‘Higher
education funding’) , 2003)
A strategy aimed at giving institutions a profile
also contributes to differentiation. The advice of
the Education Council is to ensure a drive towards
a broad range of profiles. Content-related profiles
achieved by exchanging master’s programmes is
one of the options, but an institutional profile
based on special attention for a diverse student
population (e.g. in Rotterdam) may equally be a
valid choice ( Higher education fit for the future,
2011).
No unnecessary barriers to access and transfers
within higher education
The Education Council believes it to be of great
important that everyone can follow a programme of
higher education according to their abilities. This
principle plays a role in both access to higher
education as well as in later transfers within the
higher education system. In regard to transfers
within higher education, the Education Council
believes it is important to keep sight of the various
ways in which students can achieve the same
educational position (Higher education fit for the
future, 2011).
It is important that senior secondary vocational
education (MBO), senior general secondary
education (HAVO) and pre-university education
(VWO) offer a seamless transition to higher
education. The Education Council focuses in
particular on graduates of senior secondary
vocational education (MBO) entering higher
education. The Education Council believes the
general right to transfer from senior secondary
vocational education (MBO) level 4 to higher
professional education (HBO) is very important (A
successful start in higher education , 2008; The path
to higher professional education , 2009; Higher
education fit for the future, 2011).
While the Education Council supports a certain
degree of selection, we also advocate good
matching. The principle should be that selection is
always aimed at finding a better match between
the level and profile of the study programme, on
the one hand, and the capabilities and motivation
of the student, on the other. Following on from
good matching, active coaching of students in the
initial period of higher education is important to
help prevent them from dropping out ( Richtpunten
bij onderwijsagenda's (Milestones in education
agendas), 2008 ; A successful start in higher
education , 2008; Higher education fit for the future,
2011).
Autonomy for institutions within state
responsibility for the system
Higher education institutions benefit from from a
large degree of autonomy. In this connection, the
Education Council calls for the removal of a
number of legal provisions that limit autonomy.
These include barriers to administrative mergers
between research universities and universities of
applied sciences, and barriers in deciding the place
of establishment of study programmes. However,
monitoring should take place to prevent the
formation of monopolies.
The Education Council published its advice on the
issue of whether certain responsibilities could be
conferred on or transferred to intermediary sector
organisations, such as the Netherlands Association
of Universities of Applied Sciences and VSNU, the
Association of Universities in the Netherlands. The
Education Council emphasises that no unrealistic
targets may be set when agreeing arrangements
with sector organisations (see Richtpunten bij
onderwijsagenda's ( Milestones in education
agendas), 2008).
It is important that the state lives up to its
responsibilities for the system as a whole. For
instance, the state carries responsibility for the
educational offering at macro level, and there is no
way it can simply foist this onto the institutions
collectively (see Higher education fit for the future,
2011).