04 - Netherlands - General Objectives
Higher education comprises higher professional education (HBO) and university education (WO).
These types of education are provided by HBO institutions ("hogescholen") and universities
respectively.
The Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL) is responsible for providing initial courses at university
and higher professional level and contributing to innovation in higher education. Courses are provided
though the medium of distance education.
Higher professional education
Higher professional education (HBO) provides theoretical and practical training for occupations which
require a higher vocational qualification. The HBO institutions provide higher professional education
and may conduct research that is related to the programmes they provide (applied research). They
provide bachelor’s and master’s programmes and transfer knowledge for the benefit of the community.
They also contribute to the development of those occupations to which their teaching is geared.
University education
University education comprises training in the independent pursuit of scholarship and/or the application
of scholarly knowledge in the context of a profession. The core business of universities is to teach and
to carry out research. They provide initial (i.e. first degree) courses, train researchers and design
engineers, and transfer knowledge for the benefit of the community. University education includes both
the study of academic disciplines and specialised training for certain occupations.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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