Dutch higher education

29 Jul 2008

The Netherlands has two main types of regular higher education:

  • Universities
  • Universities of Applied Sciences

The Universities focus on the independent practice of research-oriented work in an academic or professional setting. The Universities of Applied Sciences are more practically-oriented, preparing students directly for specific careers. A smaller branch of education is provided by institutes for international education, which offer programmes designed especially for foreign students.
 

Universities

There are 14 government-approved Universities in the Netherlands, three of which specialize in engineering. These institutions essentially train students in academic study and the application of knowledge, although many study programmes do also have a professional component and most graduates actually find work outside the research community.
The Universities vary in size, with enrolments ranging from 6,000 to 30,000. Altogether they enrol some 205,000 students.
 

Universities of Applied Sciences

The study programmes offered by Universities of Applied Sciences ('hogescholen') are career-oriented. Acquiring practical work experience through internships is an integral part of professional study programmes.

The country has 42 government-approved Universities of Applied Sciences. The largest enrol 20,000 to 39,000 students. Altogether some 350,000 students are enrolled on this type of higher education programmes.
 

Institutes for International Education

Holland has been offering another form of higher education for more than 50 years: advanced courses taught in English in what is known as ‘international education’. These institutes (11) focus on development-oriented courses, based on working in small, intercultural groups and the exchange of knowledge, facilitated by teachers with extensive experience of working in low-income countries.
 

Read more