Quality assessment by independent experts

To ensure the quality of higher education in the Netherlands, institutions providing such education must be accredited. The assessment is done in the form of a peer review conducted by independent experts. They also give suggestions for improvements. If the audit is favourable, the Nederlands-Vlaamse accreditatieorganisatie (NVAO) accredits the institution or the programme for a further six years.

The Board of Examiners

Each programme has a Board of Examiners. This is a legal requirement. The board determines whether students meet the conditions of the Course and Examination Regulations (OER) and whether they possess the knowledge, understanding and skills required to pass the final examination for that programme.

Course and Examination Regulations (OER)

The OER is a legal document. It specifies such matters as the aim and content of a degree programme, the mode of examination, the validity of examination passes, resits, entry requirements, the BSA and study guidance. The Faculty Board draws up the OER. From a legal perspective, the e-Prospectus is an appendix of the OER.

The Programme Committees

Each degree programme has its own programme committee. This is a legal requirement. Students and lecturers sit on the programme committee. Together they monitor the quality of the teaching, flag up any problems and advise on the development and implementation of the teaching policy.

Evaluation of education

Evaluation of education is an important tool to analyse, monitor and improve the quality of education. The programme committee plays a central part in this. The goal is to use this information to improve our education. 

Plagiarism

Leiden University considers plagiarism to be a serious offense which can result in severe penalties. It is therefore important to make students aware of what academic integrity and plagiarism are, and what the possible consequences of plagiarism are.

Teacher professionalisation (Human Resources)

Leiden University considers good education to be of paramount importance. That is why we invest in our teachers’ professional development, to ensure that their teaching methods continue to match the needs of individual students. See Teacher professionalisation under the HR-pages.