Netherlands: VET’s first steps to becoming an equal partner in research and knowledge networks

Vocational education and training (VET) plays a crucial role in addressing societal challenges. One of the objectives of current policy for the VET sector is to establish VET as an equal partner in research and innovation. This is one of the priorities laid down in the national Working Agenda for VET and the National Implementation Plan (NIP). 

VET Council joins Knowledge Coalition
In April 2024, the VET Council (the Association of VET Colleges) joined the Knowledge Coalition – a national partnership of research and innovation parties, such as research institutes and (applied) universities, research funding bodies, and advocacy organisations for entrepreneurs. Its goal is to stimulate research and innovation to promote a robust and resilient knowledge-based society. As such, the Knowledge Coalition serves as an important interlocutor for the government. The VET Council joining the Knowledge Coalition follows the trend of VET’s increasing role in research and innovation.

VET teachers can apply for Teaching Fellow grants
The position of VET as a research and innovation partner is also strengthened by promoting research and teacher professionalisation. Through the yearly Comenius Teaching Fellow grants teachers can apply for funding to put their ideas for educational innovation into practice. In the past, only teachers in higher professional education could apply, but since 2023, the grants have also been made available to VET teachers. In July 2024, the first VET education professionals received their grants. 28 VET teachers received EUR 1 400 000 in total to pursue their upcoming 1-year projects. 

There are four themes under which projects will be conducted, each testing new approaches in the VET schools where the teachers who have applied work. These interventions aim to evaluate educational innovations for a targeted group on a small scale. Examples of projects under these themes include:

• Theme 1 ‘Education for the future: quality, research and innovation’: one project under this theme aims to improve students’ mental health skills by developing a serious game called You’re Okay! in collaboration with students; 
• Theme 2 ‘Promoting equal opportunities’: in this theme, one project involves teachers examining the effects of a multilingual approach to arithmetic, a mandatory course in Dutch VET, specifically for multilingual VET students; 
• Theme 3 ‘Improving the connection between education and the labour market’: a grant has been awarded to a project which will develop a toolkit in collaboration with industry, students and teachers to improve students’ feedback skills;
• Theme 4 ‘An open theme for a wide range of topics based on the curiosity of the teacher’: one project in this theme aims to foster the development of an internship connection point to support students during their internship.

With the VET Council joining the Knowledge Coalition and the new availability of Comenius Teaching Fellow grants for VET teachers, VET is gradually becoming an important player in the scientific community.

Read more

• Knol, A. (2023, August 2). Nieuw en geopend: call for proposals Comeniusprogramma mbo. [New and open: call for proposals Comenius programme for vocational education.] (In Dutch)
• NRO (2024, July 1). De eerste toekenningen Comenius Teaching Fellow beurs voor het mbo zijn een feit. [The first awards of the Comenius Teaching Fellow grant for vocational education have been confirmed.] NRO. (In Dutch)
• NRO. Comeniusprogramma [Comenius programme]. NRO. (In Dutch)
• NRO. Comeniusprogramma – Teaching Fellows – mbo 2024 [Comenius programme – Teaching Fellows – Vocational Education 2024.] NRO. (In Dutch)
• MBO Raad (2024, April 22). MBO Raad nieuw lid van de Kenniscoalitie: ‘Belangrijke stap om onderzoeks- en innovatie-ecosysteem van Nederland verder te versterken’. [MBO Council new member of the Knowledge Coalition: ‘An important step to further strengthen the research and innovation ecosystem of the Netherlands.] MBO Raad. (In Dutch)
• Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (2023, September 14). Comeniusprogramma: inschrijvingen geopend & commissieleden gezocht. [Comenius programme: Registrations Open & Committee Members Wanted.] Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. (In Dutch)
• Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Netherlands; Youth Organisation for Vocational Education; Professional Association of Trainers in VET; MBO Council; Dutch Council for Training and Education; Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers; Association of Dutch Municipalities; Foundation for Cooperation on Vocational Education, Training and the Labour Market (2023, February 14) Agenda for VET 2023-2027: Working together on talent Government of the Netherlands.