Quality commitments
When the Student Loans (Higher Education) Act was introduced in 2015, it was agreed that the released resources would be invested in the quality of education. In a sector agreement, students, educational institutions and central government laid down six themes that universities of applied sciences and academic universities were allowed to invest the money in. All higher education institutions drew up a plan for this, in close consultation with internal and external stakeholders. The Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO) assessed the plans and advised the minister on the allocating of the funds. ArtEZ received a positive assessment from the NVAO and did its utmost from 2020 to 2024 to ensure that students reaped the benefits of the money for the quality commitments.
Quality commitments plan
Link up better with the different learning questions of students, better educational facilities and better guidance for students: these are the themes in which ArtEZ has invested heavily over the past five years (2020-2024). For each theme goals were laid down in the Quality Commitments Plan, which was approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The plan qualified as a quality commitment between central government, higher education and student organisations on how to spend the money.
No random choice
Many people from the ArtEZ community, such as students, lecturers and other members of staff, were involved in selecting these themes. Moreover, they tied in with the joint ambitions of the Dutch universities of the arts: to be maximally accessible to diverse talent and to provide flexible(er) educational opportunities.
Flexible education
With the Quality Commitments programme, ArtEZ wanted to make education more flexible. For example in the form of modified programmes for students with a different background and more freedom of choice for students in selecting their subjects. In the future, education will increasingly take place outside the walls of ArtEZ. Students were given more space to study beyond the boundaries of courses and academies. Collaboration with (domestic and foreign) partners in the field was central and attention was paid to the professionalization of lecturers such as digital skills for location-independent (online) education.
Educational facilities
Flexible education also has consequences for education logistics, including ICT and housing. We therefore ensured that students received an up-to-date, modern and user-friendly digital learning environment. We also invested in more meeting places and multifunctional spaces in the educational buildings. And the libraries are now more closely linked to education.
Student counselling
Student welfare was and is an important theme nationwide. The Quality Commitments programme has created room for more personal and intensive guidance, including the presence of a student psychologist and extra attention to 'life skills'.
Training was developed for the student counsellors to equip them even better for their work and the central provision of information about student support was improved so that students know how to find their way within ArtEZ more quickly and easily. In addition, attention was paid to intercultural competencies among lecturers, staff and students for a more inclusive study environment.