Little is known about how the complex notion of higher education quality is understood and (strategically) handled by a specific group of key university actors: directors of educational programmes. A framing analysis of in-depth interviews was conducted to explore how bachelor-programme directors in Dutch social science departments understand and…

Beyond Grey Pinstripes is a research survey and alternative ranking of business schools that spotlights innovative full-time MBA programs leading the way in integrating social and environmental stewardship into their curriculum and scholarly research. These schools are preparing today's students--tomorrow's leaders--for future market realities by…

The Netherlands' experience with the Conditional Finance System, introduced in the universities in 1982 make explicit the distribution of research effort and allocate research resources on bases other than enrollments, is discussed. (MSE)

A framework is presented for the programming of research within the context of the objectives of the Foundation for Educational Research (SVO) in the Netherlands. The memorandum is divided into three sections. Section one deals with the actual initiative leading to programming. In the second section the framework is sketched in which the…

In 1997 a new governance act, based on the principles of New Public Management (NPM) was introduced at Dutch universities. The aims were to realise integrated management, to strengthen the position of executives at the central (executive board) and faculty (dean) levels, to introduce a Supervisory Board at the institution's central level, and to…

The Netherlands' use of an ad hoc interinstitutional committee of university board members during a period of retrenchment is described which resulted in a plan to close a number of university departments and to terminate many small and not very successful research programs. (MSE)

The performance of the Social Employment Program (a public undertaking to employ physically, socially, or culturally disadvantaged persons) in the Netherlands is discussed and evaluated in this paper. The management, organization, and financial structure of the program are described in detail, and the degree of efficiency attained by the program…

First, the role of the association of universities in the Netherlands in external institutional evaluation is examined. Then, three basic tenets of program assessment are discussed: (1) university programs must be of academic quality; (2) program content must not be too compressed; and (3) programs should be challenging for students. (MSE)

Government relocation assistance programs, designed to move unemployed workers from areas where suitable employment opportunities do not exist to areas where jobs are available, were examined in detail for Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and the United States and briefly for Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, West Germany, and the…