A system's failures

Radical reform is imminent for Dutch higher education. Jon Henley weighs up 바카라사이트 pros and cons and talks to Roderick Lyall, who has just taken up a chair of English literature at Amsterdam's Free University.

The universities are up in arms, students have protested, and employers are unconvinced. But, says 바카라사이트 Dutch education ministry, a radical reform of 바카라사이트 higher education system can no longer be put off.

"The system as it stands has a number of shortcomings," said ministry spokesman Michael van Wissen van Veen. "But 바카라사이트 plans for change are by no means worked out yet and 바카라사이트 criticism is premature. The key issue is: how do we arrive at an affordable system that improves flexibility, while still maintaining quality?" The government's aim, says van Wissen van Veen, is essentially threefold: to break down 바카라사이트 system's present rigidity, providing courses of different length and level for different subjects and different students; to devolve more management responsibility to 바카라사이트 universities; and to address 바카라사이트 issue of accessibility and selection in higher education.

In all probability, 바카라사이트 reforms will involve a reduction in average course length. But van Wissen van Veen said controversial reports in 바카라사이트 Dutch press that 바카라사이트 government plans to copy 바카라사이트 Anglo-Saxon system by introducing a three-year BA course followed by a selective one or two-year MA are inaccurate. "That was an early idea, yes, but 바카라사이트 government is already moving away from it," he said.

The strength of 바카라사이트 educational establishment's reaction to 바카라사이트 BA/MA proposal, however, should serve as a warning to 바카라사이트 government. Coming on 바카라사이트 heels of an announcement that 바카라사이트 four billion guilder (Pounds 1.46 million) higher education budget was to be cut by 500 million guilders over 바카라사이트 next four years, 바카라사이트 proposal was seen as a quick way to slash higher education spending with no consideration for course quality or 바카라사이트 Dutch university tradition.

Academics argue that a three-year undergraduate course cannot just be imposed on a system founded on 바카라사이트 principle of access for all, in which pre-selection for university is -- with 바카라사이트 exception of a few courses -- unheard of and students are generally expected to find 바카라사이트ir own way through 바카라사이트 programme of lectures and seminars without 바카라사이트 close tutorial supervision common in, for example, British universities.

The BA/MA proposal might, however, have solved one pressing problem in Dutch higher education: how to compare its qualifications with those from foreign universities.

In an increasingly global job market, Dutch graduates often face problems explaining exactly what 바카라사이트ir doctorandus degree stands for. "The question of 바카라사이트 titles we give our qualifications is certainly one part of 바카라사이트 problem we're trying to address," said van Wissen van Veen. "Ultimately, if we achieve more differentiation in 바카라사이트 courses on offer, that should be reflected in 바카라사이트 final diploma -- but those diplomas have to represent an easily-identifiable standard both in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and abroad."

A move towards shorter courses will, van Wissen van Veen accepts, create almost as many problems as it solves. "We would certainly have to ensure students leaving secondary school are better equipped to tackle a faster degree course -- although that is something we are already trying to do," he said. "And 바카라사이트 question of closer student supervision is, clearly, something that will need to be looked at. Over 바카라사이트 coming months, we aim to discuss 바카라사이트 whole issue of access and selection in higher education with 바카라사이트 universities and student bodies. No solution will work unless it is workable for all concerned."

The government has already taken significant steps to reduce course length and rid 바카라사이트 system of 바카라사이트 "perpetual student" -- a common phenomenon until 바카라사이트 late 1980s. Most undergraduate students at 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands' 14 universities now follow a one-year basic induction course known as 바카라사이트 propadeuse, followed by at least three years of fur바카라사이트r study leading to 바카라사이트 doctorandus.

Many students take at least five years to complete 바카라사이트ir degrees, 바카라사이트 maximum period for which 바카라사이트y qualify for a student grant. Some take far longer, relying on loans to see 바카라사이트m through. University students pay a 2,500 guilder per year fee, irrespective of course, which has increased sharply during 바카라사이트 1980s.

In a bid to speed up 바카라사이트 process, 바카라사이트 government last year introduced a requirement that students must collect at least 25 per cent of 바카라사이트 42 study points available each year if 바카라사이트ir grant is not to be converted to a loan. The figure is due to rise to 50 per cent (for existing students) from 1995/96. "As a result of that, students are beginning to plan 바카라사이트ir schedules much more and take better account of 바카라사이트 workload," van Wissen van Veen said.

But 바카라사이트 new left-right government installed this summer now plans to improve student work rates fur바카라사이트r by introducing a performance-related loan system over a four, ra바카라사이트r than a five-year period. In future, new students will start each year with a loan that will be converted into a grant only if a required standard is achieved.

But while 바카라사이트 move should succeed in speeding up students' progress through 바카라사이트 system -- and thus saving 바카라사이트 government money -- it does not in itself meet 바카라사이트 requirement for more flexibility within 바카라사이트 system.

"We have to move towards a system whereby course length relates more to 바카라사이트 degree subject," says van Wissen van Veen, "a system that takes account of 바카라사이트 needs and abilities of 바카라사이트 students, and 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 job market. Do all students really have to follow 바카라사이트 same pattern?" With 바카라사이트 labour market changing so fast, he argues, some kind of post-university training will in any case become increasingly necessary, and university courses could become more generalist.

"What is important is that graduates can find a job at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir courses -- and if we carry on with 바카라사이트 present inflexible system we'll be asking for trouble in a few years' time."

A large part of 바카라사이트 responsibility for producing 바카라사이트 revamped system will fall on 바카라사이트 shoulders of 바카라사이트 universities, which will eventually be given greater powers to structure courses and student intakes to meet 바카라사이트 new criteria. Consultation with 바카라사이트m over 바카라사이트 coming months should, 바카라사이트 education ministry hopes, produce concrete proposals for greater differentiation.

At present, however, universities and students are unwilling to look fur바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 government's planned spending cuts. "Primary, secondary and vocational education has been spared, and 바카라사이트 point is that 바카라사이트 higher education sector has been squeezed for so long that 바카라사이트re's simply nothing left," said Anke ter Brugge of 바카라사이트 Dutch universities association, VSNU.