The concepts of differentiation and profiling are cornerstones in discussions about the organisation of contemporary higher education systems, following the trends of massification and global competition. This contribution provides a system-level description and comparison of the German and Dutch higher education systems regarding these topics,…

The extent to which the goals and contents of (compulsory) education should to be regulated has been a complicated balancing act in the Netherlands. Against a background of a long-standing statutory tradition of freedom of education, governmental decisions about "what knowledge is of most worth" have been delicate. The purpose of the…

Nineteen articles on the status of the relationship among educational research, policy, and practice around the world are collected in the 1985 edition of the "World Yearbook of Education." Contributors address the development of national policies on educational research in countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and…

The Dutch higher education and research system has incrementally changed during the last decade. Several reforms, initiated by the government, have hinted towards influencing the basic processes within universities, such as research programming. However, it is largely unknown how these reforms have been implemented at the university shop floor…

Fundamental changes in the organization of the Netherlands' graduate-level research training are described and analyzed in light of three related policies: the restructuring of the Dutch higher education system into two stages, formulation of an explicit research policy for universities, and the restructuring of academic staff. (MSE)

Article described the functions and objectives of the Netherlands Organisation for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO). (RK)

The managing director of The Netherlands' National Foundation for Educational Research (Stichting Voor Onderzoek van het Onderwijs, or SVO) delineates the SVO's role in promoting educational research and describes the conditions affecting the SVO's effectiveness in pursuing its mission. Among the factors considered are financial constraints,…

This report provides a comparative perspective on financial support for the arts in six western European countries, the United States, and Canada. It was designed so that American support for the arts could be compared with governmental support for the arts in other countries, whose philosophies and governmental systems might be similar or quite…

Middle school curriculum development in the Netherlands is following two divergent paths, and the central government should bring about unification. This paper describes change in administrative dominance of curriculum and management of curriculum programs since 1975, analyzes outcomes, and recommends unification. After program initiation,…

This report is the sixteenth in the series of Reviews of National Science Policy by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. It has two purposes: first, to enable the countries concerned to appraise the political, economic, and structural aspects of the action taken to reinforce the role of scientific and technical research in…

Preventive services, treatment services, and community health planning for the potentially and actually handicapped young child in Switzerland, Holland, and Israel are surveyed through visits and interviews with government, public and private agencies and institutions. Regarding preventive services, maintenance and/or integration of the natural…

The multiethnic nature of Dutch society is discussed, particularly the extent of educational underperformance among ethnic minority children. The possible role of language in this underperformance is examined in terms of bilingual education, home language instruction in primary schools, and government policy. (Author/LB)

Recent changes in the structure and funding of Dutch universities due to retrenchment measures include a two-stage curriculum, a system of conditionally financed research, structural staffing changes, and redistribution of tasks. Far-reaching, often negative results are predicted. (MSE)

This study explored quality assessment and accountability in Dutch university education using a case study approach. The Dutch national system of quality assurance is described, and developments since the mid-1980s are traced. The university case studies illustrate models which are being employed to implement the quality assurance system including…

This paper investigates technology policy for national governments, particularly the importance of education and training and the role of institutions of higher education as components of such policies for the diffusion and absorption of knowledge, as part of an overall strategy for improving the competitive edge of a nation's enterprises. The…