OCW-survey on codetermination in higher education
The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) has started a survey to identify the success factors of a strong codetermination culture within higher education institutes. All members of a codetermination council in higher education can participate in this survey until 2 April.
Why does codetermination work better in one institute than another? What are active elements, but also: what stands in the way of strong employee and student codetermination? What can institutions and employee and student codetermination bodies learn from this?
A major study has recently started into the determinants of strong employee and student codetermination in higher education. In recent years, the number of tasks and rights of codetermination bodies have increased through legislation. The aim is to stimulate a good culture in which students, teachers, management, administrators and supervisors discuss what constitutes good education. Examples of new elements in the Act are the role and position of programme committees, the facilitation of codetermination bodies and the role of the central codetermination council in the appointment of Executive Board members. In an interim report from 2019 was noted that there are differences in the way in which the codetermination culture is structured within institutions, which may have impact on quality and outcomes. For this reason, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) recently launched a study to identify the success factors of a strong codetermination culture.
The research is carried out by research bureau Berenschot. Between mid-March and the end of March, all members of employee and student codetermination bodies within all funded universities and universities of applied sciences will receive an invitation to complete a digital survey (self-scan). The Supervisory Boards, Executive Boards and the discussion partners of the codetermination councils in faculties, domains and departments will also receive the invitation.
Anyone who is a member of a codetermination council in higher education (student or staff section), at all levels, or a director, dean or domain chair, can participate in the questionnaire, by following the link. By completing this survey you contribute to the further development of the employee and student codetermination culture in higher education.
Based on the results of the survey, a number of in-depth interviews will be conducted, both within institutions across the entire codetermination column and between different institutions. Before the summer of 2021, the results of this research will be published by the Ministry of OCW and shared with parliament (Dutch: Tweede Kamer).
For further information about the research, Berenschot can be reached via medezeggenschapHO@Berenschot.nl