Differences between Universities of Applied Sciences and Academic Universities Look to Disappear

Soon, both graduates of academic universities and universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands will receive the same title once they finished their Master studies: Master of Arts and Master of Science will be used in both cases. This is what Dutch Secretary of State Zijlstra (Ministry of Education) proposes.

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences will start a Master programme in International Business & Management in September 2011. If the plan gets the go-ahead, graduates from this programme will hold the title MSc.

On the other hand, apart from this development, the Dutch cabinet wants universities of applied sciences and academic universities to distinguish themselves more: stricter admission criteria and selection procedures can be introduced, leading to a situation in which it will not be possible anymore for secondary school leavers to go to every university they would like to. Furthermore, both types of universities have to choose a clear profile, focusing more on specific fields of study. These plans stem from the advice of the Veerman Committee, arguing changes in the structure of higher education.

At Wittenborg University, a focus is already present: as a business school, all of the programmes offered are in the business administration field, which is self-evident looking at the specialized nature of the business school.