The System in The Netherlands PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION Children are allowed to begin school at the age of 4, but are not legally required to do so until the age of 5. Primary education lasts 8 years, in the last year of which pupils are advised as to the type of secondary education they should pursue. education begins at the age of 12 and is compulsory until the age of 16. The system of secondary education is divided into general programmes (MAVO, HAVO, VWO) which exist side by side, and vocational programmes (VBO, MBO), which are offered at two consecutive levels. The general education programmes are four, five and six years in length respectively, and vary in difficulty from a less challenging curriculum (MAVO) to a highly selective university preparatory curriculum (VWO), successfully completed by approximately 15% of the age group each year. The final examination for HAVO (minimum of six subjects) and VWO (minimum of seven subjects) consists of a series of internal school examinations in each subject throughout the year and national examinations in each subject at the end of the year. The final exams in this form will no longer be given after the year 2000 (HAVO) and 2001 (VWO), due to a complete reorganisation of upper secondary education, starting in the school year 1999-2000. The changes affect both the form and content of the last 2 years of HAVO/last 3 years of VWO. The curriculum will be organised around 4 subject profiles (profielen) which are nature and technology, nature and health, economics and society and culture and society. Pupils complete the requirements for at least 1 profile. This involves instruction in an average of 15 subjects, some of which are examined internally by the school, some of which (between 5-7 for HAVO, 6-8 for VWO) are examined both internally and during a final national examination. HIGHER EDUCATION The Netherlands has a binary system of higher education, which includes wetenschappelijk onderwijs (WO), offered by universities, and hoger beroepsonderwijs (HBO), offered by hogescholen, or universities of professional education. There are 13 universities in the Netherlands, including 1 agricultural university and 3 universities offering programmes in engineering and natural sciences. There are approximately 65 universities of professional education, which prepare students for particular professions and tend to be more practically oriented than traditional universities, where the emphasis is on theory and the generation of knowledge through research. In addition, there is an Open University, offering both university and HBO programmes. The higher education system also includes a third branch known as internationaal onderwijs (IO), or international education. IO offers advanced training courses primarily to foreign students, the emphasis of which may be either on research or the practical application of knowledge. University Dutch universities provide education and conduct research in a wide range of disciplines including language and culture, behaviour and society, economics, law, medical and health sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and agriculture. Initial study programmes last four years in most fields, but five years in agriculture, engineering and most natural sciences, at the end of which the doctorale getuigschrift or doctoraal degree is awarded. Integrated study programmes in medical and health sciences, last either five years (dentistry), or six years (medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine). The first year of every programme is referred to as the propedeuse, which provides students with introductory courses fundamental to the discipline in question. After the propedeuse, a required component of every doctoraal programme is training in research methodology and the completion of a thesis. As a recent
development (1998), Dutch universities are allowed to introduce the kandidaats diploma after 3 years of university study. Graduates of doctoraal programmes are permitted by law to use a particular title, depending on the discipline. Graduates in engineering and technology and agriculture and the natural environment receive the title of ingenieur, abbreviated to ir. Graduates in law obtain the title of meester, abbreviated to mr. Graduates in all other disciplines obtain the title of doctorandus, abbreviated to drs. Alternatively, all graduates have the right to use the title of Master. Graduates are eligible for admission to the doctorate. All universities in the Netherlands award the country s highest academic degree, the doctoraat, successful completion of which entitles use of the title doctor, abbreviated to dr. The process by which a doctorate is obtained is referred to as the promotie. The doctorate is primarily a research degree, for which a dissertation must be researched, written and publicly defended. The minimum amount of time required to complete a doctorate is. HBO Dutch universities of professional education prepare students for a wide variety of careers in seven sectors: agriculture, engineering and technology, economics and business administration, health care, fine and performing arts, education/teacher training and social welfare. Initial study programmes last, at the end of which the Getuigschrift Hoger Beroepsonderwijs or HBO degree is awarded. The first year of every programme is referred to as the propedeuse, which provides students with introductory courses fundamental to the discipline in question. In addition to lectures, seminars, and independent study, students are required to complete an internship or work placement (stage) which takes up part of the third year of study, as well as a final project or a thesis, in the fourth year. Graduates of an HBO programme in engineering and technology and agriculture and the natural environment receive the title of ingenieur, abbreviated to ing. Graduates in all other disciplines obtain the title of baccalaureus, abbreviated to bc. Alternatively, all graduates have the right to use the title of Bachelor. HBO graduates are fully qualified to practise their profession without further study, licensing or registration with a professional association. In addition, their diploma qualifies them for admission to several types of further study, including shortened university study programmes leading to the doctoraal degree and master s degree programmes. HBO graduates are also eligible to pursue a doctorate at a Dutch university. International International is a special branch of Dutch higher education, originally designed for people from developing countries whose jobs require highly specialised knowledge. Problemoriented courses and programmes of various types, including master s programmes, are offered in a wide range of specific fields. Courses are given in English, lasting from a few weeks to two years. With one exception (the Institute of Social Studies), the institutes of international education do not offer PhD programmes themselves but have concluded agreements with Dutch universities about the admission of their students to the doctorate. Admission requirements vary according to the course in question, but in most cases a bachelor s degree or its equivalent is required. An additional requirement is work experience. International education is subsidised by the government, which finances the costs of the institutes and provides scholarships for students. Admissions Requirements to Higher For admission to university programmes, students are required to have a VWO diploma or a HBO propedeuse diploma. The minimum admissions requirement to HBO is either a HAVO diploma or an MBO diploma, although approximately 40% of applicants have a VWO
diploma. Many study programmes in higher education require completion of specified courses at the secondary level, relevant to the discipline of study. Credit System and Grading The workload is measured in credits (studiepunten). One credit represents one week of fulltime study (40 hours), including both contact hours and hours spent studying and preparing assignments. University and HBO study programmes lasting four years require completion of a total of 168 credits, or 42 credits per year. The academic year is 42 weeks long. Grades are given from 1 (very poor) to 10 (outstanding). The lowest passing grade is 6; 9 s are seldom given and 10 s are extremely rare. INTERNATIONAL FEATURES An increasing number of higher education institutions in the Netherlands offers master s degree programmes. Master s degrees are awarded by universities, universities of professional education, institutions of international education and private institutions. RECOGNITION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE In the Netherlands, the recognition of higher education institutions, study programmes, and titles and degrees is based in law. The Higher and Research Act of 1993 regulates higher education offered by universities and universities of professional education, and the degrees and titles that they award. Study programmes are considered recognised if included in the Central Register of Higher Study Programmes, (Centraal Register Opleidingen Hoger Onderwijs, CROHO) which is maintained by the Ministry of, Culture and Science. In addition to the various forms of recognition, there are national systems of quality assurance in effect. Quality assessment of university programmes is coordinated by the VSNU, the Association of Cooperating Universities in the Netherlands. Quality assessment of HBO programmes is coordinated by the HBO Raad, the Association of Universities of Professional. In both cases, the assessment procedure involves institutional site visits and peer review. The Ministry s Inspectorate evaluates the quality assessment process and checks whether the assessment was carried out according to the standards that had been set. Master s programmes offered by Dutch universities of professional education are usually validated by British universities or the Dutch Validation Council.
PhD (i) (ISS) Post-doctoraal programmes and promotie Post-HBO programmes International Open Higher level 4 University University 4-6 years (ii) Professional (HBO) Senior level 3 Vocational (drs/ir/mr) (iii) (bc/ing) (iv) level 2 1- level 1 University Preparatory (VWO) 6 years Senior General (HAVO) 5 years Junior General (MAVO) Preparatory Vocational (VBO) primary education 7/8 years (i) International Institutes may offer PhD degrees in cooperation with the Dutch Universities. ISS has its own PhD degree. (ii) All university programmes last, with the exception of programmes in engineering, natural sciences and agriculture, which last 5 years, and integrated programmes in medical and health sciences, which last 5 or 6 years. (iii) University titles granted: (in engineering and agriculture): ingenieur (ir); (in law): meester (mr); (in all other fields): doctorandus (drs) (iv) HBO titles granted: (in engineering and agriculture) : ingenieur (ing); (in all other fields): baccalaureus (bc)
September, 1999