Amsterdam, Netherlands - SEO Economisch Onderzoek

also show a continued high demand for graduates, partly as a result of the ageing of the Dutchsociety (replacement effect) and the changing structure of the Dutch economy.2.4 Governance and the regulatory frameworkThe Netherlands aspires to use its tertiary education resources to help it move into a Europeanleadership position among knowledge-based economies by 2010. The government has strategiesto achieve this goal, which are set out in policy documents. The most recent strategic agenda, HetHoogste Goed (MinOCW, 2007b) delineates “an ambitious culture of learning” and “an excellentresearch climate” as the key objectives for the years to come.The official central government philosophy since the Hoger Onderwijs Autonomie en Kwaliteit(HOAK) policy paper has been to have as little central steering as possible, given the goals to beachieved (Jonge and Berger, 2006: 72). This is also known as the ‘state supervising model’ asopposed to the ‘state control model’. The described philosophy is expressed in the Wet op hetHoger Onderwijs en Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (WHW) (Law on Higher Education andScientific Research), first issued in 1992 and frequently adapted since.2.4.1 Federal governanceFour ministries – the ministry of Finance, the ministry of Economic Affairs, the ministry ofEducation, Culture and Science and the ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality – areinvolved in formulating and executing tertiary education policy and resourcing toward this end(OECD, 2008a: 19). The primary responsibility for national funding, programmes and policyadvice in higher education is assumed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Theministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is responsible for the institutions within thedomain of agriculture and natural environment. Apart from the ministries, there is also a greatdeal of advisory bodies, consultative bodies, intermediary organizations and interest groups thatone way or the other influence policy-making. The next paragraph discusses the most importantof these organizations. A more complete list can be found in Annex D.2.4.2 Advisory bodiesThe Education Council (Onderwijsraad) is a permanent advisory body established by Act ofParliament in 1919. It provides advice, both solicited and unsolicited, to the Minister ofEducation, Sciences and Cultural Affairs and the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and FoodQuality (Onderwijsraad, 2009). Other bodies which advice the government on science aneducation are: the Socio-Economic Council (SER), the Advisory Council of Government Policy(WRR), and the Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy (AWT).2.4.3 Consultative bodiesWith regard to higher education, the Minister consults within the Higher EducationConsultative Committee (HO Kamer) with the HBO Council (HBO-raad), Association ofUniversities (VSNU) and teaching hospitals and with the national research organizations (Weertand Broezerooy, 2007: 56). The national student organizations also have a say in higher educationpolicy through the Student Consultative Committee (Studentenkamer).45