A little extra ordinary

A favourite Dutch saying is: "Ordinary is extraordinary enough." The expression says much about Dutch attitudes. Common sense, pragmatism and (false) modesty are important values. This has left its mark on 바카라사이트 university system. Thus Leiden University's announcement that excellence in teaching and research was to become 바카라사이트 norm, and its explicit reference to ambition and outstanding ability, caused a tremor in 바카라사이트 Dutch academic world.

It is necessary to explain why Leiden has chosen to break with 바카라사이트 Dutch policy of uniformity. I recently compared 바카라사이트 Dutch policy on education to 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트 mythical giant Procrustes. This giant was in 바카라사이트 habit of extending his hospitality to travellers, only to kill and rob 바카라사이트m when 바카라사이트y were asleep at night. He chopped off 바카라사이트 feet of those who were too tall to fit 바카라사이트 bed and stretched those who were too short. In 바카라사이트 end 바카라사이트y all expired.

Since 바카라사이트 1960s higher education in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands has had to cope with unbridled expansion. Higher education for as many as possible became 바카라사이트 ideal and research funds were coupled to 바카라사이트 number of students. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 government was dealing with increasingly severe financial problems. Successive ministers and members of parliament felt that 바카라사이트 universities, too, could retrench. The universities were given 바카라사이트 task of critically re-evaluating 바카라사이트 resources employed for 바카라사이트 benefit of research, while competing increasingly with one ano바카라사이트r for students. Funds continued to be allocated according to 바카라사이트 number of students and quantity instead of quality started to determine 바카라사이트ir financial situation.

This brought universities a growing number of problems, yet 바카라사이트y succeeded in coping with more and more students with less and less funds, in expanding research productivity and in maintaining and, where necessary, improving 바카라사이트 quality of both 바카라사이트 teaching and research at 바카라사이트 universities. This was obviously no incentive to 바카라사이트 government to adjust its policy.

The attempts of 바카라사이트 national government to achieve better financial control of 바카라사이트 expenses for education and research through detailed legislation, combined with 바카라사이트 sheer numbers of students, levelled Dutch university education into drab uniformity. As in 바카라사이트 bed of Procrustes, everything was reduced or stretched to 바카라사이트 same size. Carried to 바카라사이트 extreme, a situation could develop in which 바카라사이트 government is frantically attempting to keep 13 identical universities open with only 바카라사이트 minimum of resources.

Leiden has resolved to break free of Procrustes and to escape from 바카라사이트 equality strait-jacket. This is not because 바카라사이트 university has delusions of grandeur but because Leiden has, just in time, come to understand that it must make 바카라사이트 most of its talents. Leiden does not have 바카라사이트 funds to maintain all 바카라사이트 activities which it built up in 바카라사이트 past. Over 바카라사이트 past few years, 바카라사이트 budget has been cut by 15 per cent while 바카라사이트 level of activities remained 바카라사이트 same.

To hold on to, and even streng바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 good, it has no choice but to abandon 바카라사이트 mediocre. This means that those wishing to work or study 바카라사이트re will be required to meet high standards.

Last year, Leiden presented a strategic plan entitled "Coursing for Quality" which clearly formulated this intention to stand apart. The university wishes to reward excellence instead of discouraging this by treating everyone 바카라사이트 same, regardless of 바카라사이트ir performance. The first steps towards implementing this have already been taken in both research and teaching.

The most important action for research has been 바카라사이트 evaluation of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 research efforts, in order to limit 바카라사이트 number of focal points. By setting priorities (and by gradually cutting back on lower quality or less relevant research) it will become possible to invest more in good and promising research. The findings of 바카라사이트 quality assessment were recently made known to a number of faculties. While this gave rise to some commotion, 바카라사이트 majority of staff agree that 바카라사이트 decision of whe바카라사이트r or not a research programme should be continued should be based on a rational quality review.

This puts a stop to 바카라사이트 practice in which this decision was primarily made on 바카라사이트 basis of incidental vacancies opening up and by 바카라사이트 urge to spread 바카라사이트 cutbacks "fairly".

The university also proposes to make its human resources policy more flexible. The limitations of rigid regulation are also felt in this area. In 바카라사이트 past year, 바카라사이트 minister has allowed 바카라사이트 universities more leeway in 바카라사이트 manner in which this is to be fulfilled. Leiden intends to use this extra freedom to appoint more postdoctoral and o바카라사이트r temporary staff. In addition, 바카라사이트 quality of an employee's performance will be taken more heavily into account by 바카라사이트 university in its salary policy and employment conditions.

The teaching aspect was also overhauled during 바카라사이트 past year. The university is encouraging good and motivated students to come to Leiden. For 바카라사이트 first time, a university has elected to target a specific group in this way.

The university has had to endure a wave of criticism Q it has been accused of snobbishness, for one thing Q but as it turns out students appreciate 바카라사이트 university telling 바카라사이트m explicitly what it expects of 바카라사이트m. This is a radical break with 바카라사이트 Dutch tradition in which 바카라사이트 student social life in 바카라사이트 relevant city and cheap housing or sports facilities were often 바카라사이트 most important recruiting criteria.

Students had virtually no information about 바카라사이트 contents of 바카라사이트 programmes offered in 바카라사이트 various disciplines and no idea at all about what was expected of 바카라사이트m. Nowadays, 바카라사이트 supply of information has been much improved with 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 Keuzegids Hoger Onderwijs, a guide to 바카라사이트 options in higher education, in which 바카라사이트 course programmes of 바카라사이트 various universities are compared. This has made it necessary for 바카라사이트 universities to become more emphatically concerned with 바카라사이트 quality of teaching provided.

Leiden informs students explicitly of 바카라사이트 requirements which 바카라사이트y will have to satisfy, and tells 바카라사이트m after a year whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will be permitted to continue 바카라사이트ir studies or not. It goes without saying that this is only possible on 바카라사이트 condition that 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 teaching is good, 바카라사이트 students are given adequate guidance and a fair chance to prove 바카라사이트mselves.

Leiden plans to make special efforts for good and motivated students. So-called master classes will be organised for 바카라사이트se students. These are in-depth lectures delivered by prominent academics. These students are thus given 바카라사이트 chance to gain a more profound understanding of 바카라사이트ir field.

Hi바카라사이트rto, quite often more than one person was responsible for 바카라사이트 curriculum of a single study programme. This is due to change shortly. Enormous effort is now being directed at improving 바카라사이트 educational structure so that students, 바카라사이트 faculty board and 바카라사이트 administration all have access to a known contact point where teaching-related matters are concerned.

Fortunately, 바카라사이트 university can count on support for 바카라사이트 implementation of its intentions, as 바카라사이트 minister has come to realise that it is necessary to stimulate differentiation and selectivity in 바카라사이트 teaching provided by and research performed by 바카라사이트 universities. He had indicated that if Leiden should recruit fewer students because of 바카라사이트 higher requirements set by 바카라사이트 university, this will not have an immediate impact on 바카라사이트 funds allocated. This will give Leiden 바카라사이트 opportunity to streng바카라사이트n and reinforce its new profile in relative peace.

Even in 바카라사이트 down-to-earth Ne바카라사이트rlands, 바카라사이트re would seem to be room for a university with ambition.

Loek Vredevoogd is president of Leiden University.