Education minister Ronald Plasterk has set up a committee to look at possible reforms of the higher education section, the NRC reports on Monday.

The current Dutch set-up, with hbo colleges and universities, is not equipped to deal with the huge and diverse stream of students and the division between the two forms of higher eduction is no longer relevant today, the minister was quoted as saying.
Hbo colleges are known internationally as universities of professional education or universities of applied science and are supposed to focus on the practical application of knowledge. They are not allowed to award master’s degrees.
Plasterk was speaking at the opening of the academic year at Twente University.
Plasterk said he is particularly charmed by the university college concept, which offers broad courses on a small scale, the NRC reported. The committee is due to report back next spring.