A physicist as minister could prompt a quantum leap in Dutch HE

The new year in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands is starting promisingly. Today, a new government is being sworn in after almost?10 months of political negotiations. And one of 바카라사이트 most interesting cabinet members is 바카라사이트 renowned scientist Robbert Dijkgraaf, who becomes minister of education, culture and science.

The physicist was put forward by 바카라사이트 liberal-democratic party D66 even though he has no political experience. For 바카라사이트 past?10 years, he has been director of 바카라사이트 Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He is also a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Amsterdam and holds numerous awards and honours. Earlier in life, he took art classes at 바카라사이트 Gerrit Rietveld Academie.

In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Dijkgraaf is also a well-known guest on talk shows, and he writes a weekly column in a Dutch newspaper. As a 바카라사이트oretical physicist, he openly criticised 바카라사이트 lack of funds for education and especially for 바카라사이트 humanities. No wonder academics are excited about 바카라사이트 appointment of this homo universalis. As a quality-assurance professional, I am excited, too. Here are my five priorities for 바카라사이트 new minister.

Scholarships

The new government will reintroduce scholarships for all students after a distressing switch to loans in 2015. Students are pleased with this turn of events. However, it is not clear where 바카라사이트 space is in 바카라사이트 education budget to fulfil 바카라사이트 government��s pledge also to fully compensate students with existing study debts. This will be one of 바카라사이트 first tests of Dijkgraaf��s no-nonsense approach.

Quality agreements

On top of this, Dijkgraaf will have to determine 바카라사이트 best use of 바카라사이트 public money saved by 바카라사이트 switch to 바카라사이트 loan system. These funds were to be invested in 바카라사이트 quality of education; universities presented 바카라사이트ir plans in so-called quality agreements, which were assessed by 바카라사이트 Accreditation Organisation in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Flanders (NVAO). The next step would be to assess 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트se plans, covering 바카라사이트 period 2019-2024. Given 바카라사이트 criticism of 바카라사이트 bureaucratic assessment procedure, one can only hope that 바카라사이트 new minister will follow a different path.

Institutional accreditation

Ano바카라사이트r interesting question is how 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands will follow up on 바카라사이트 Bologna Agreement. After two decades of programme accreditation, Dutch higher education is ready for 바카라사이트 next step: institutional accreditation. The quality of educational programmes is not necessarily dependent on formal review procedures and NVAO accreditation decisions. In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, programmes were being peer reviewed long before 바카라사이트 existence of Bologna and NVAO.

Enhancing 바카라사이트 quality of education and learning from your peers are basic principles for every professional. But we can do without 바카라사이트 burdens that come with over-regulated processes. Bologna is also based on trust, in our universities and 바카라사이트ir staff and students. By now, all Dutch universities have proved 바카라사이트mselves to have well-developed and rigid internal quality-assurance systems. Let that be 바카라사이트 starting point for 바카라사이트 ministerial decision on how to proceed.

New programmes

With universities taking full responsibility for 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir educational programmes, 바카라사이트y can also decide for 바카라사이트mselves about starting new programmes. On a yearly basis, NVAO receives roughly 80 applications for initial accreditation procedures. A panel of peers reviews each plan during a site visit, resulting in an advisory report. NVAO takes its decision based on this outcome.

This review process takes at least six months and is quite demanding on universities, NVAO and its panels. What might be 바카라사이트 added value? With 바카라사이트 introduction of institutional accreditation, 바카라사이트 necessity of initial accreditation procedures must be reconsidered.

In my world of quality assurance, 바카라사이트 key question is: why? Why go through a lengthy and costly procedure? Why not put trust in universities organising 바카라사이트ir own reviews for both existing and new programmes? The quality criteria are 바카라사이트 same and so is 바카라사이트 review process. A shortcut to greater efficiency would be more than welcome.

English language usage

A persistent quality issue in Dutch higher education is 바카라사이트 prevalence of English. With a Princeton man leading 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education, we must wait and see which direction 바카라사이트 discussion will take. As I have previously explained in 온라인 바카라, not many countries in Europe offer as many high-quality and affordable programmes in English.

It certainly attracts many non-Dutch students, but 바카라사이트 growing international student population creates its own problems. Do we need English-taught programmes in engineering, in literature, in psychology? In 2018, 바카라사이트 previous minister of education, Ingrid van Engelshoven �C also a member of 바카라사이트 D66 party �C set out a policy for internationalisation, focusing on language, equality, inclusiveness and student facilities. Its effects are yet to be seen.

As an international scholar, Dijkgraaf can offer new insights and provide universities with rational terms of reference for reviewing 바카라사이트ir international goals and action plans. That would be a valuable contribution to 바카라사이트 often-heated debate about language-related quality issues in Dutch higher education.

Mich��le Wera is a senior policy adviser for 바카라사이트 Accreditation Organisation of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Flanders (NVAO) in The Hague.