October was that time again: the new HBO- Keuzegids came out. All universities of applied sciences rushed to flip through its pages to find out how well they have been rated this year. How did Northern colleges do?
By Arwen de Sera
Positive news for the Hanzehogeschool Groningen and NHL Stenden: they are both ‘very good’ universities, according to the Keuzegids 2020
Keuzegids
If you translate “de keuzegids” you get “ the choice guide.” The little book is published every year and is meant to help people to find the right education programme and university for them.
The programs are separated in three groups: Big, medium and small colleges. The colleges in the same category are compared with each other to define the rankings.
The guide also hands out quality seals to the programs. The programs who get these are called “top programs”, and each year 181 programmes become top programmes.
They judge the quality of each course based on the national student survey, the accreditation organisation (NVAO), figures around the labour market provided by the centre for research and the labor market (ROA), and the study grades of the society of colleges (Vereniging van Hogescholen)
This year there is a new ranking list with the associate degree programmes. Eight colleges were part of this research. Associate degree programs are programmes that fill in the space between MBO and HBO.
Hanzehogeschool
This Hanze is fourth in the ranking list of the “best big colleges of the Netherlands” in the Keuzegids
19 of the 46 programmes at the Hanzehogeschool won the quality seal.
The Hanzehogeschool is second on the list of the colleges that offer Associate degree programs. Three of these programmes are top programmes.
In the Elsevier Guide, which is a similar guide to the Keuzegids, the Hanzehogeschool is the best of all the big colleges in the Netherlands!
NHL Stenden
NHL Stenden are third on the list of the “best big colleges.” That’s something. Like the Hanzehogeschool they have 19 top programmes. Ten are located in Leeuwarden and seven in Emmen.
Last year NHL Stenden had 9 top programmes, and this year the figure is twice that number.
NHL Stenden is happy with the numbers. Erica Schaper (Chair of the Board) has stated on the NHL Stenden website that she is taking all this as a big compliment to the university. She says “ These are all examples of studies that are relevant for the areas where they are located. The combination of the quality of our education and our unique research profile ensures that can make impact in the regions where we are located.”
Van hall Larenstein
Unfortunate news for Van Hall Larenstein, which placed second last on the list of “best medium sized schools in the Netherlands”. Reacting to the news, Jan van Lersel has said that Van Hall is working hard to improve its quality with, for example, more support for students and more counselling for their future career.
The Keuzeugids for those that offer WO and MBO are coming in November and December. The Keuzegids is in Dutch.
Image via the Hanzehogeschool
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