Netherlands: Yearly self-assessment
In the Netherlands, each university carries out its own assessment every year, while there are committees of outside assessors, as well as the education ombudsman, which are also responsible for higher education. The ombudsman operates under the auspices of the education minister and it plays a more advisory role on tertiary education policy. Outside evaluation is conducted sector by academic sector, with the assessors’ committee composed of six to eight members and drawn from the university community, industry and other educational bodies. It also includes two students from the same sector. Each academic sector is monitored by its respective committee every six years. Universities are required to reach certain targets in terms of the students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills. It is obligatory for them to set out the teaching methods they follow in order to attain these targets. In 2002, qualitative standards in education were set. Institutes of higher education approaching these standards receive rewards in the form of special funding for each university.
