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programmes and their participants. In order to enhance educational opportunities to a widergroup, lectures are increasingly made public over the internet. UvA aims to reach elderly inparticular and perceives ICT-based education as another step in providing education to the benefitof ‘life-long learning’. Another form of flexible education that receives increasing attention arehonours programmes (see Box 4-4).Flexible education provision is also a growing theme at HvA. In all domains there is attention forthe career development of individual students. The essence of flexible education at HvA is thatstudents receive education tailored to their competency level. The different educational forms(full-time, part-time, dual) provide some flexibility as well. Within the different educationalprogrammes at HvA, students can also choose learning routes and graduate tracks. Examples offlexible learning routes are deficiency programmes and excellence programmes. E-learning toolsare increasingly introduced at HvA as well. However, the increasing use of ICT at HvA (but alsoat UvA and VU) should be seen as a complement to traditional face-to-face education, instead ofa substitute of the latter. HvA uses electronic learning environments to support cooperation andthe provision of information to students, lecturers and other employees. In addition, HvA uses‘web classes’ and video conferencing. It has also implemented the Student Information System,an online database containing information about students. Besides this, HvA has alsoimplemented tools for digital examination, gaming, discussion forums and several other things.The intensity of use varies considerably between different educational programmes and domains.At INHolland the broad range of educational programmes and study paths guarantees thatstudents have a great deal of flexibility in determining their study trajectory. INHolland currentlyhas around 500 differentiation minors from which students can choose, but is planning to reducethis number to around 300-350 in order to simplify choice and create feasible and coherent studypaths. ICT-based education also plays an important role at INHolland and is available at studyplaces as well as remotely from students’ homes.Box 4-4: Honours ProgrammesThe UvA and VU Honours Programmes are supplementary educational programmes that areoffered to talented and motivated students who like to invest more time in their own area of studyand to broaden their horizon. Honours Programmes are a relatively new phenomenon in theNetherlands but have now been implemented at virtually all universities in the country. Thereason for the creation of Honours Programmes is that many students at universities in theNetherlands do not feel sufficiently challenged. At UvA the Institute for Interdisciplinary studiesorganizes Honours Programmes since 2001. The UvA Honours Program is divided intodisciplinary honours programs and interdisciplinary honours courses and options. Students areselected based on motivation, an essay and an intake conversation. Participating students have totake courses within their own department and interdepartmental courses for a total minimum of30 extra credits. The Honours Programmes are taught in Dutch and/or English. A HonoursProgramme Certificate is awarded to those students who graduate for their Bachelor and HonoursProgramme with at least a 7.0 for all courses. UvA has set the ambition to attain by 2014 a 10%participation rate amongst Bachelor students in the honours programme. The VU HonoursProgramme looks very similar. The Honours Programme starts in the second year of theBachelor’s programme. Participating students take courses within their own department andinterdepartmental courses for a total of 30 extra credits. To participate in the Honours Programmestudents must be highly motivated, have good grades (GPA of 7.0) and have passed all their firstyear Bachelor courses. The Honours Programme is taught in English. Graduates receive aBachelor Honours Degree.100