Quality review in higher education in the Netherlands and in Belgium (Flanders)

Report ID: 18

The Dutch and Belgian Court of Audit found in a joint examination that quality review in higher education both in the Netherlands and in Belgium is highly developed. However, the functioning of quality assurance in educational institutions themselves could be improved in several aspects.

The process of accreditation by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation organisation (NVAO) has been duly set up. The appraisal contained in inspection reports remains, however, often too procedural by nature and the evidenced-based approach is not always sufficiently elaborated. However, the NVAO is left to base its accreditation decision on these inspection reports.

(Report in Flemish)

Quality review in higher education in the Netherlands and in Belgium. Joint follow-up report

Report ID: 19

The innovations in the quality education system in higher education introduced in the Netherlands and Flanders give the opportunity to focus more attention on the content aspects of the education quality and at the final level of students. However, the review reports, which assess a program, are not always appropriate in terms of compliance and substantiation of judgments. This implies that the poorly scoring aspects of a program remain invisible. The accreditation organization NVAO can easily find additional information to be more critical. However, the differences in quality surveillance between Flanders and the Netherlands are increasing. This sets the Dutch Court of Auditors and the Belgian Court of Auditors in the joint research report Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Netherlands and Flanders, published on September 12, 2013. This is a follow-up to similar joint research from 2008.

(Report in Flemish)

Abstract of the Joint Audit Report on Quality review in higher education in the Netherlands and in Belgium

Report ID: 277

The important implications of the Bologna Process, which aims to create a European Higher Education Area, have been highlighted by the Court of Auditors and the European Court of Auditors.

Court of Auditors to undertake a joint review of the operation of the system of quality assurance in higher education. The quality of higher education is important for the development of the knowledge economy and thus for the international economic position of the Netherlands and Flanders.

The aim of this research was to contribute to the good functioning of quality assurance in higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders

The audit questions addressed were:

- Is there a system of internal quality assurance that is aimed at measuring, improving and thus maintaining the quality of the higher level education as found in the accreditation process?

- How does external quality assurance work and does it lead to well-founded quality assurance accreditations?

- Do the institutions involved in the accreditation have an insight into the costs of quality assurance?

- Does the Minister supervise internal and external quality assurance?

35 study programmes were selected for this study: 18 in the Netherlands and 17 in Flanders, each divided between three universities and three colleges.

Source: https://www.ccrek.be/EN/Publications/Fiche.html?id=72338820-a787-4361-8eeb-e87adf02c5e8