The Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (VH) has published an election manifesto aimed at informing all political parties participating in the national elections on Wednesday, October 29, about the vital role of higher professional education and applied research. Below is a summary of the key points in the manifesto.
“Universities of applied sciences are ready to deliver,” says Maurice Limmen, VH president. “A new cabinet must act immediately. Now is the time to invest in higher professional education.” The manifesto is titled: 'Invest in talent for the future of the Netherlands'.
Tangible Returns
According to HZ and 35 other universities of applied sciences, targeted investments in HBO education will yield concrete returns for the Netherlands: more professionals in the workforce, better alignment between education and professional practice and stronger regional economies. The labor market is changing rapidly due to technological developments. At the same time, there are persistent shortages of skilled professionals and the country’s innovation capacity is lagging. Major societal transitions (in healthcare, defense, and climate) also demand highly trained HBO graduates.
Applied Research
Applied research at universities of applied sciences addresses concrete innovation challenges from the professional field, not only from large companies and public institutions but also, importantly, from smaller companies. This research delivers innovations needed in fields like defense, energy, digitalization, healthcare, climate and in raising labor productivity across all sectors. The insights gained feed directly back into education, giving all students access to the latest knowledge and tools. An investment of 250 million euro in applied research would enable universities of applied sciences to make an even greater impact. This is one of the central appeals in the VH’s manifesto.
Upskilling and Reskilling
The Netherlands needs to reskill and upskill over nine million workers to keep pace with evolving knowledge and technology, address labor shortages, and tackle major societal challenges. Universities of applied sciences want to support this by offering targeted training and reskilling programs. The manifesto calls on the government to legally recognize the use of microcredentials: digital certificates that validate learning outcomes from short, focused educational units such as courses or modules. In addition, universities want lifelong learning to be formally established as a public responsibility under the Higher Education and Scientific Research Act.
Regional Education Access
Universities of applied sciences, like HZ, play a crucial role in their regions, supplying a large share of the local workforce. 75 percent of HBO graduates remain in the region where they studied. Therefore, a regionally comprehensive offering of HBO programs (associate degrees, bachelor’s, and master’s) that aligns with local labor market needs is essential. To strengthen this regional role, universities are calling for 195 million euro per year in additional funding. They also emphasize the need for stable funding to absorb fluctuations in student numbers and fulfill their societal mission.
Resilience
Geopolitical shifts have made the Netherlands more reliant on Europe and itself, both in terms of innovation and competitiveness as well as safety and resilience in society, education, and research. This requires universities of applied sciences to be resilient in knowledge, cybersecurity, physical, and social safety. To meet legal and safety requirements, they need structural funding of €90 million, with possibly more in the coming years to catch up on delayed investments.
The total structural investment requested in the manifesto (for applied research, regional education provision, and institutional resilience) comes to 535 million. All points are elaborated in detail in the full election manifesto (in Dutch).