News item | 14-07-2022 | 14:00
Further strengthening the higher education and scientific system and solving fundamental bottlenecks: the universities of applied sciences, universities and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science have today signed an administrative agreement. In the coming years, they will focus on strengthening the foundation of the system, giving room to diverse talent and (thereby) increasing their impact on society.
At the Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven, Minister Dijkgraaf, Maurice Limmen (chairman of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences) and Pieter Duisenberg (chairman of the Association of Universities of the Netherlands) signed the administrative agreement.
In the administrative agreement, Minister Dijkgraaf elaborates on the means and instruments that he appointed in the Policy Letter on Higher Education and Science, recently sent to both Houses.
Accessible and high quality
The three parties argue that the Netherlands has a strong and accessible system of higher education and science, with high quality across the board, combined with many centers of excellence. From an international perspective, the Dutch knowledge institutions are already highly regarded; collectively, as a system, they score even better.
In order to resolve a number of major bottlenecks, the parties identify three main goals of the agreement:
- Strengthening the foundation
The minister is investing in sector plans at universities, start-up and incentive grants for scientists, practice-oriented research in higher professional education and improving the quality of education.
- Giving space to diverse talent
On the basis of a strong foundation, more attention will be paid to equality of opportunity and student well-being. For example, institutions, companies and students work together on tackling internship discrimination. A manifesto was recently signed about this. The administrative agreement also aims to reduce work pressure (eg through incentive grants) and increase social safety, for example by better monitoring perceived social safety.
- Increasing the social impact
By strengthening knowledge transfer from knowledge institutions, the parties want to increase the social impact of research. A better connection between education and the labor market will also contribute to this, for example with activities to increase the influx to courses in the shortage sectors of care, science and education. In higher professional education, there will also be a plan to keep training in shrinking regions vital.
Minister Dijkgraaf: “A strong and accessible system of higher education and research is essential for the Netherlands as a knowledge country. Only together can we work on a sustainable and future-proof system.”
Foresight
An exploration into a future-proof system of higher education and research will start this autumn. This is because the system has to do with demographic developments, among other things: declining intake in higher professional education in certain areas, but an increase in academic education to such an extent that bottlenecks arise there. Furthermore, the boundaries between scientific and vocational education and research are becoming less clear. Finally, it is very important for the Netherlands to be able to respond quickly to acute crises or shortages.
The foresight study will start in September 2022 and will be completed before the summer of 2023. On the basis of this foresight study, the minister will propose statutory steering instruments to the House of Representatives in 2023 that enable the universities to control the international numbers of students in a targeted manner, without jeopardizing the benefits of internationalization.
It was also agreed in the administrative agreement that universities are very reluctant to change the teaching language of programs to English and to engage in international recruitment activities. In addition, universities proactively provide information to international students about the limited housing options in most student cities.
Minister Dijkgraaf (OCW): “A strong and accessible system of higher education and research is essential for the Netherlands as a knowledge country. We face major challenges. I am pleased that in this administrative agreement we have been able to make good agreements with the universities of applied sciences and universities, including about the way in which we will continue to involve students, lecturers and researchers in the next steps. Only together can we work on a sustainable and future-proof system.”