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