Knowledge for the Future Developments in Higher Education and Research in the Netherlands Don F. Westerheijden Contribution to Vision Seminar Higher education and Research 2030 Helsinki, 2017-06-14
How comparable are the higher education & research systems in Finland and the Netherlands? Finland Population 5.5 million Area 338.400 km 2 Higher education tradition Humboldtian New public management influence though with Nordic harmonic social model, egalitarian The Netherlands Population 17 million Area 41.500 km 2 Higher education tradition Humboldtian New public management influence though with consociational polder mentality, egalitarian? Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 2
New public management in the Netherlands Less focus on regulation Yet complaints about bureaucracy More focus on output Measurable indicators Efficiency What about outcomes/impact? What about less measurable values? Social value Social cohesion Quality Ministry of Education, Culture & Science National Security Coordinator Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 3
Recent developments in higher education Strategic Agenda for Higher Education Degree structure (Associate Degree) Tuition fees: impact on equity Experiments open system of higher education Experiments with flexible studying Experiment with performance contracts Continued development in quality assurance: programme accreditation and institutional audit Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 4
Strategic Agenda Regular, communicative planning Rolling planning, 10 year time horizon de facto every new minister makes one Communication Early years: Minister reacts to institutions strategic plans Recently: Minister tours institutions, discussion sessions Higher education and research Focus on higher education Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 5
Strategic Agenda Highlights 2015 Aim: Future-proof system Stimulate institutional diversity Maintain binary division university university of applied sciences (UAS AMK) More research-orientation in UAS education Rebalance education vs. research in university career (HRM) Hiatus: Life-long learning Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 6
Strategic Agenda Highlights 2015 Abandon 50% participation target Differentiation within study programmes: talent programmes Honours education has developed in universities + UAS Better flow through education system needed for students Vocational education (VET) UAS UAS university Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 7
Education system, the Netherlands VET UAS University Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 8
Degree structure: Associate degree (Ad) Two-year study programmes In UAS With social partners influence Labour market capacity Regional cooperation: business + VET Independent civil effect Also transferable to Bachelor Target students: VET degree Grow in your profession Large proportion socially disadvantaged students emancipatory role of UAS EQF Level 5 Experiment since 2006 Consolidated in law 2016 Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 9
Tuition fees: differentiation and equity Normal tuition fee = 2006 /yr. Additional fee for honours / talent programmes: rejected Arguments: equity; all higher education ought to be excellent With exceptions; accreditation + additional costs Study grants Study loan Since 2016/17 Advantageous conditions Low interest (2017: 0.0%) Repayment: 35 years, and only if exstudent has sufficient income After initial shock to enrolment, it was back to normal in 2017/18 Loan reluctance among socially disadvantaged students Extra money ( 700 M?) ought to benefit quality of education Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 10
Experiment open system Experiments intended to give private, non-traditional providers a level playing field 1. Private programmes given public funding 2. Free market entry to a knowledge area (no efficiency check for programme recognition) Evaluation for effects on Quality Access Efficiency / costs Are private providers interested in providing publicly funded HE? Do private providers experience barriers to enter the field? Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 11
Experiment open system Few private providers participated Public tuition fee is not cost-covering Students must be given open access as in public higher education, cannot be selected Bureaucracy Few effects observed Public institutions resisted Consequence: No open system introduced But also private providers must accredit Bachelor and Master programmes Students in all accredited programmes are eligible for study grant/loan Experiments ran 2007/08 2014 Led to longer experiment with more limited scope: flexibility (see next slides) Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 12
Experiments flexibility 1 Flexibility Institutions define expected learning outcomes But not curricula Intended for Life-long learning, in part-time programmes School + student conclude contracts about learning activities every 6 months, e.g. Teaching: face-to-face, online? Counselling/supervision Started 2016 Runs until 2022 Programmes in 8 UAS 7 public 1 private Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 13
Experiments flexibility 2 Demand driven funding Students take one module (=30 EC) at a time Fixed curricula Intended for Life-long learning, in part-time programmes Students enrol for 1 module at a time, pay for 1 module Higher tuition fee: 3750/mod. Voucher of 1250/module for students without Bachelor Started 2016 Runs until 2022 Programmes in Engineering/ICT, Health care 10 public UAS 8 private UAS Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 14
Experiment performance contracts Aims: Enhance quality of education Increase institutional diversity Period 2012 2016 7% of education budget at stake 5% for quality of education 2% for profiling in education, research & valorisation Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 15
Experiment performance contracts Quality of education 7 national indicators Each institution own ambition level and mix Results Efficiency in universities Efficiency in UAS Student satisfaction mostly Measures were taken Teaching hours: all 12 hours/wk More teachers qualified Indirect costs mostly reduced 7 indicators Graduation rate Drop-out 1 st year Switch 1 st year Quality judgment Student survey, or Excellence programs Accreditation Teaching hours Qualified teachers Indirect costs % Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 16
Experiment performance contracts Profiling in education Innovative study programmes, e.g. Broad area(s), e.g. liberal arts, area studies, engineering Problem-based pedagogy, etc. Associate degrees Fast-track programs in UAS (esp. for students with university-entry qualifications) Free-form ambitions Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 17
Experiment performance contracts Profiling in research & valorisation Relation to policy programmes, Grand Challenges etc. (in universities) Focus on certain fields Results of profiling: hard to measure Centres of Expertise in UAS See below Free-form ambitions Reception of performance contracts: negative to efficiency and financial punishment Follow-up 2018: Quality agreements? Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 18
Continued development of quality assurance Programme accreditation remains the bottom-line Politics, employers, student unions want trustworthy information on each programme Institutional audit Is: Assessment of institution's quality management Consequence: Lighter programme accreditation My comment (and of an opinionleading UAS president): it shifts bureaucracy, but does not reduce it Accreditation 3.0 project by Ministry etc. Reduce bureaucracy Again Risk-based approach? Not implemented Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 19
Recent developments in research and innovation National science agenda Top sectors Centres of Expertise Centres for Innovative Craftsmanship Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 20
National Science agenda Priorities for scientific development (and funding) based on bottom-up questions To stimulate cooperation HERI business society Questions invited from anyone Organised science/researchers participated in submitting questions As did citizens, other stakeholders Agendas developed by ad hoc team from higher education institutions, research institutions, business (large and small), government Questions collected 2014 15 Agenda developed in 2015 12.000 questions, in 140 clusters 1 billion/yr wanted (2016) Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 21
Top Sectors and Public Private Centres Ambition: stimulate research & innovation in 9 sectors in order to Make the Netherlands a top-5 knowledge economy Increase R&D investment to 2.5% of GDP Develop public private consortia for innovation to stimulate private investment in innovation ( 40% of each partnership) Agri & Food Chemistry Creative Industry Energy High Tech & Materials Logistics Life Sciences & Health Horticulture Water Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 22
Top Sectors and Public Private Centres Regional cooperation With business Among education institutions HE, VET Example: Brainport (Eindhoven) Semi-mergers among higher education institutions across binary line (university UAS) not so successful 2012 2015: + 7 billion (and counting ) Legal barriers Benefits for students? Resistance from university academics Confederate cooperation works better, e.g. 4.TU, LDE Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 23
Top Sectors and Public Private Centres Centres of Expertise PPP around UAS 50% contribution (funds or in kind) from private sector Competition for government recognition and funds In connection with Performance Contracts 2012 2016: 18 x 1 million (and counting ) Examples Healthy ageing Cyber security Water technology Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 24
Top Sectors and Public Private Centres Centres for Innovative Craftsmanship to raise quality and attractiveness of VET to increase the inflow of students (in top sector related programmes); to assist in raising the innovative capacity of enterprises; to increase mobility and flexibility of employees through lifelong learning Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 25
Some drivers for change in the Netherlands Higher Education, Research & Innovation (HERI) Globalisation continues The Netherlands wants to remain competitive Value of HERI universally agreed But not the need to invest huge sums of tax money Investment in education competes with investment in Health care Social care / cohesion greying population continuing inequality Security: police, defence feelings of insecurity Technology online and blended education But open system experiment was not successful Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 26
Thank you for your attention Contact: d.f.westerheijden@utwente.nl Twitter: @CHEPS_UT Don F. Westerheijden CHEPS '17-06-14 27