Universities and colleges growing more alike

Dutch report shows both kinds of institutions offer similar courses and research opportunities

Universities and universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands are growing increasingly alike, with both offering vocational courses while also expanding their research activities, a report has found.

The report, written by University of Twente researcher Harry de Boer, shows that universities of applied sciences are increasingly opting to offer PhD programmes in conjunction with traditional universities. Meanwhile, the traditional universities are expanding their vocational courses and lifelong learning offerings.