Netherlands - other programmes

Advanced courses

Postgraduate vocational courses are offered by both universities and HBO institutions. Examinations following on from postgraduate vocational courses are not regulated by the Higher Education and Research Act. Courses of this kind are not funded by government and there is no state financial assistance for students. Although government start-up subsidies were available in the past, in principle the costs of such courses are borne by the students or their employers.

Training for researchers and design engineers

After completing their degree, graduates can apply for posts as research assistants (AIOs), research students (OIO) or grant-funded PhD students. AIOs and OIOs are appointed on a temporary basis by universities and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) respectively to conduct academic research and receive training with a view to becoming fully-fledged researchers or design engineers. Both AIOs and OIOS are public servants and as such have certain rights (holiday allowances, pension rights) and obligations (terms of contract). PhD students receive a four-year grant. The four-year research training concludes with the presentation of a thesis, prepared with the help of one or more supervisors. The design engineer training provided by the three universities of technology concludes with the production of a technological design.

Research schools

Research schools are centres for high quality research in one particular field or in a multidisciplinary context. They offer talented research assistants (AIOs) research posts including an intensive four-year course at the end of which they will be capable of carrying out independent research. AIOs are expected to obtain a doctorate at the end of their training. The research schools are national and international centres of excellence and provide a guaranteed level of supervision and tuition. They are responsible for their own budgets and carry out regular evaluations. There are 81 officially recognised research schools in the Netherlands (2009).

Top research schools

The concept of top research schools was introduced to give extra impetus to top-level academic research in the Netherlands. The institutions bearing this title must meet stringent quality criteria and are eligible for extra funding. They are selected by the general board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), on the basis of the recommendations of an independent committee. Six institutions were designated by the Minister as top research schools in 1998. The performance of these institutions was evaluated at the end of 2003. Based on this evaluation, it was decided to continue extra funding until 2008. The performance of these institutions was evaluated at the end of 2003 and it was decided to continue extra funding until 2013, with an interim evaluation in 2010, the results of which will be published in 2011.

Training for researchers and design engineers

After completing their degree, graduates can apply for posts as research assistants (AIOs), research students (OIO) or grant-funded PhD students. AIOs and OIOs are appointed on a temporary basis by universities and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) respectively to conduct academic research and receive training with a view to becoming fully-fledged researchers or design engineers. Both AIOs and OIOS are public servants and as such have certain rights (holiday allowances, pension rights) and obligations (terms of contract). PhD students receive a four-year grant. The four-year research training concludes with the presentation of a thesis, prepared with the help of one or more supervisors. The design engineer training provided by the three universities of technology concludes with the production of a technological design.

Open University of the Netherlands

The Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL) is a state establishment founded in 1984. Its social task is to provide a second chance or second way to attend higher education (partly through distance learning) to adults who have not previously had this opportunity. The tasks of the OUNL, as stated in the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW), are to provide initial courses at university level in the form of distance education and contribute to innovation in higher education. By dispensing with formal admission requirements and offering considerable flexibility as regards place, duration and pace of study, the OUNL makes higher education accessible to a wide range of people. There are 12 study centres and 2 support centres in the Netherlands and 6 study centres in Flanders, which provide information, guidance and advice for students in relation to their studies. Although the OUNL is independent, it maintains contacts with other institutions of higher education.