Accreditation and quality assurance

Higher education in the Netherlands enjoys a worldwide reputation for its high quality. This is achieved through a national system of legal regulation and quality control. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is responsible for legislation pertaining to education. An important aspect of the higher education system in the Netherlands is the system of accreditation, that aims to guarantee a high standard of quality of programmes offered in higher education. A quality control system has always played an important part in Dutch higher education, but as of 2002, the responsibilities for quality assurance have been allocated to the Netherlands Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO).

According to the Act on Accreditation on Higher Education of 2002, all degree programmes offered by Universities and Universities of Professional Education will be evaluated according to established criteria and programmes that meet those criteria will be accredited, i.e. recognized. Only accredited programmes will be eligible for government funding. Students receive financial aid and will graduate with a recognized degree only when taking or after completing an accredited degree programme. Accredited programmes will be listed in the Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes and the information will of course be available to the public.

The system of quality control guarantees that the education offered at all the universities in the Netherlands meets the same high standards. When Dutch students choose where they want to study, they are not thinking of which institution is best, but instead are looking at which specializations the universities offer or which emphasis or academic tradition they feature. Each of the universities in the country has its own atmosphere and style. They distinguish themselves in this way, and not through any absolute measure of quality. For these reasons, employers in the Netherlands look first at the degree the person has earned. Where the person earned it is less important.

 

The University of Groningen is a signatory of the 'Code of Conduct with respect to international students in Dutch higher education'.