Atlantis Seminar Amsterdam
Dutch Goverment Policy
on Lifelong Learning &
Short Cycle Higher Education
Patrick Leushuis – Dept. of Education, Culture & Science
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Lifelong Learning (LLL) in the Netherlands
•2005: Project Directorate Learning & Working (PLW)
•Interdepartmental: Co-operation Department of Education, Culture & Science and
Department of Social Affairs & Labour With support of Department of Economic Affairs and
Department of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality
•Objectives: upgrade qualification level of adult workforce develop sustainable infrastructure for LLL
•Action time!
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Actions PLW• Subsidising regional co-operation businesses – education – government organisations• Regional projects: specific targets upgrading qualification level
through:Work Based Learning (WBL)Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)Regional learning & working offices (44)
• Subsidising UAS-projects:RPLRPL and flexible learning pathways - WBLLLL-institutions Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)
• Quality code RPL and RPL-registerPilots Short Cycle Higher Education (SCHE)
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Why Short Cycle Higher Education (SCHE)?
• Labour market demand: SCHE-level jobs• Demand for shorter, qualifying programmes• Building block LLL:
‘Bridging the gap’ between level 4 and level 6 Flexibility Differentiation
• Increase qualification level of workforce
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Characteristics SCHE in the Netherlands
• Two year programme – 120 EC• Formal qualification: Associate degree (Ad)• Integrated in 4 year professional bachelor degree programme;
ongoing learning pathway for Ad-graduates remaining programme 120 EC
•Accreditation Ad based on general accreditation framework HE •Target groups:
Employees Graduates secondary vocational education (SVE)
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Facts & figures SCHE in the Netherlands
•3 pilot rounds since 2006•92 Ad-pilots started at 21 UAS (2 private)•Participants:
2006/2007: 4492007/2008: 2.0962008/2009: appr. 3.00050% employees (> 3 yrs. work experience)25% graduates SVE
•Currently: round 4 Ad-pilots: 40 Ad-pilots at UAS 20 Ad-pilots co-operation SVEI’s and UAS
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Evaluation of Ad-pilots in 2009
• Associate degree:attracts new target groupsleads to increasing number of participants in HE
• 60%-75% of participants aims to continue to professional bachelor’s degree level• Labour market enthusiastic about Ad • HBO-Raad (UAS-council):
concerns about quality bachelor degree level; ‘associate degree attracts weaker students’ continuation of Ad-graduates to bachelor degree in 2 years / 120 EC problematic
• Student organisations: ‘too soon to decide, continue pilots’
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Final evaluation Ad-pilots end of 2010:
• Effects and quality of continuation in bachelor degree programmes
• Labour market position of Associate degree graduates
• If positive: end of pilot stage, implementation of Ad in HEI
•Ad’s in co-operation between SVEI’s and UAS: evaluation in 2014
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Objectives of LLL in the Netherlands
Top 5 Global Competetiveness Index (GCI)
Innovation
Sustainable economic growth & welfare
Higher qualification level of workforce needed
Anticipate shortages higher qualified workforce
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Facts and figures LLL
€ 3 billion annually
85% private
Mainly non-formal Training and Education
Participation in T&E: 16%
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Facts and figures LLL in HE
Workforce: 37% HE-level (Bachelor / Master / Phd)
Participation of target group 30+: growth (10% since 1990) far below
total growth HE-population (42%) half of OECD-average
Participation in part time HE (16.6%): below OESO and EU-average (20.2%)
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Issues and problems LLL in HE
Participation level
Flexibility of programmes
Work based learning
Periodization
Laws, rules & regulations
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Government policy on LLL in HE
Decisions to be taken by new governmentWhich parties will form new government coalition?
Election programmes political parties: LLL serious topic: government policy measures required LLL-agreements part of employment contracts Labour market reforms Same (financial) conditions for learning for all ages
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Veerman - ‘Threefold differentiation’
Structural implementation of Associate degree
Professional masters
Learning entitlements for students 30+
Create conditions for flexible learning pathways
Distinct profiles for HEI’s
Financing HEI’s based on profile and performance
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Education Council – ‘Secondary and Higher Education for Adults’
Limited number of HEI’s with specific LLL-tasks (not general)
Separate arrangement for LLL (laws, rules & regulations, finance)
Currently seven projects LLL-HPE
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International study on LLL
Flanders, Germany, UK, California-USA, Denmark, Sweden
Learn from good practices re. government policies on LLL
Key success factors: Flexible arrangements training & education Use of e-learning / blended learning Financial arrangements for adults Close co-operation HEI’s and businesses