Dutch institutions

27 Sep 2010

The Netherlands has two main types of regular higher education:

  • research universities
  • universities of applied sciences

The research 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.
 

Research universities

There are eighteen research universities in Holland that offer international programmes and courses. The majority of these are government-funded. 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 43 universities of applied sciences. The largest enrol 20,000 to 39,000 students. Altogether some 365,000 students are enrolled on this type of higher education programmes.
 

Institutes for International Education

The Netherlands 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 offer development-oriented courses, focused on the exchange of knowledge in a setting of small, intercultural groups. They are facilitated by teachers with extensive experience in working in developing countries 
 

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