News item | 04-07-2023 | 08:00
In order to develop optimally as a student, it is important that you feel good about yourself. But student welfare is under increasing pressure. Minister Dijkgraaf (education) is therefore coming up with an approach to strengthen the well-being of students in MBO, HBO and WO. For example, he will be working with institutions and students in higher professional education and university on preventing stress and pressure to perform. Students should also feel more at home at the educational institution. The minister allocates 15 million euros annually for this. In addition, there will be a national program for MBO, HBO and WO to increase knowledge within institutions about improving student welfare. Minister Dijkgraaf writes this today in a letter to the House of Representatives.
Minister Dijkgraaf: “Study time should be a time in which you discover who you are and what drives you. A period in which you develop resilience and resilience. To be able to develop optimally as a student, it is very important that you feel mentally healthy. Many studies, including those by Trimbos, ECIO and RIVM into stress and pressure to perform, show that the mental health of students is coming under increasing pressure. And that is very dear to my heart. I want student welfare to improve. That is why I am taking measures together with institutions and students to reduce stress and pressure to perform and to make students more resilient. Only then will we fully utilize the power of education. Education should not be a high-pressure boiler, but a decompression chamber.”
Stimulate personal development and grip
There will be a national student welfare program to disseminate knowledge and skills in all sectors of secondary education. MBO, HBO and WO can learn from each other when it comes to improving student welfare.
There is already a care structure in MBO and many schools are already affiliated with the Healthy School approach. As announced, Minister Dijkgraaf will further strengthen the personal development of students by making additional investments in career orientation and guidance. The minister has also made agreements with schools and students to jointly formulate policy and facilities for the well-being of students. In this way, students can develop into resilient professionals.
Integral approach to student welfare
Personal development and being in control of your own life are also central to higher vocational education and university education. Institutions (UNL, VH) and students (ISO, LSVb), supported by ECIO, have jointly created a framework for an integrated approach to student welfare. Minister Dijkgraaf allocates 15 million euros annually to make this approach possible at universities of applied sciences and universities.
This approach at universities of applied sciences and universities is about more prevention, the prevention of stress and pressure to perform. Think of making mental wellbeing a subject of discussion, extra attention to the transition to university or college and help with developing resilience and recognizing risk signals.
In addition, students’ sense of belonging must be strengthened: the extent to which students feel at home at an educational institution, experience the freedom to be themselves and feel supported. This can be done, for example, by facilitating activities that ensure that students build up more contact with fellow students and lecturers. For example, discussion and support groups or communities.
Finally, the approach involves increasing knowledge and skills among professionals and more cooperation between institutions (including those outside their own sector) and organizations outside education such as municipalities and the GGD.
Reduce pressure
In addition, Minister Dijkgraaf has already focused on more peace, space and security for students in the past period. For example, the basic grant is returning to students from colleges and universities, the supplementary grant is available to a larger group of students and the use of that supplementary grant has been successfully improved. Minister Dijkgraaf also wants to reduce the pressure on HBO and WO students and create a better balance between study progress and well-being by adjusting the binding study advice. Students are given a longer period of time to get used to studying by setting a maximum negative BSA of 30 credits after the first year and 60 after the second year. In this context, the supervision and support of students will also be strengthened. Dijkgraaf wants to improve the functioning of the BSA in MBO.
Furthermore, the minister, students and institutions are working together to increase social safety and pilots with a ‘smarter academic year’ should provide more breathing space during the academic year.