More enrolments in higher education than ever before

A change in the way higher education is organised in Flanders has led to a rise in the number of students registering for the 2019-20 academic year. Enrolments now number 259,000 in Dutch-speaking universities and colleges across the region and in Brussels.

The figure is up 8% on the previous year. The number of students enrolling for the first time has also increased, by 12%.

A restructuring of the system makes tertiary courses a fully-fledged part of universities and colleges, where they could previously have been taken at adult education centres (CVOs). “This is a further democratisation of our higher education,” said Flemish education minister Ben Weyts in a press release. “More young people are now taking the step to enrol higher education than ever before.”

Almost all training courses in higher professional education has been taken over from CVOs by university-colleges. Students on these courses are now eligible for a study allowance and will have access to the college’s facilities.

Teaching education is also being reformed as of September. Anyone wanting to become a teacher must now study at a university or college, rather than at a CVO.

“We are going to need more teachers and so are giving a boost to our teacher training programme,” said Weyts. “We will only be able to attract more people to the teaching profession if we succeed in making the job more appealing again, with fewer administrative burdens and more respect for the position. If teachers’ judgment is valued and if teachers are allowed to do what they love and do best, namely teaching, then we will be able to convince many more good students to take up the profession.”

Photo courtesy UHasselt