Central Register of Higher Education Programmes
20 Aug 2009
Accredited programmes will be listed in the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes (CROHO).
Responsibility for accreditation has been allocated to the Netherlands-Flemish Accreditation Organization. Students will be awarded recognized degrees only after completing an accredited degree programme. Only degree programmes can be accredited by the NVAO.
Accreditation of degree programmes
A degree programme leads to a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degree. The system of accreditation in higher education aims to guarantee that study programmes meet the highest standards. The law – the Accreditation of Higher Education Act 2002 – requires that all degree programmes offered by Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences be evaluated against a specific set of criteria. Programmes that meet the criteria are accredited (i.e. officially recognized).
Quality control of specialized courses
A specialized course does not lead to a degree, but to a certificate or diploma. As these courses do not lead to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, they cannot be submitted for accreditation by the NVAO. The fact that a specialized course has not been accredited, does not therefore mean that it does not meet quality criteria.
The quality of specialized courses that are part of an accredited master’s programme is assured through the accreditation of the main programme. For other sorts of specialized courses, a procedure is currently being prepared so that institutions are able to declare that the course meets a minimum set of quality criteria.
Ranking
The systems of quality assurance and accreditation guarantee that education offered at all Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences in Holland meets the same high standards. There is no official ranking. When Dutch students decide on where they want to study, they do not think in terms of ‘the best institution’. Instead, they look for any particular features that may distinguish one University or University of Applied Sciences from another, such as specialization or academic tradition.
More information
CROHO register (in Dutch)
