“We are cutting this Gordian knot with a smile”, said Committee chairman Veerman upon the presentation of his report. The distinction between higher vocational education (hbo) and university education does not necessarily have to be guarded by the titles granted.

Academics may call themselves Bachelors and Masters ‘of Arts’, or ‘of Science’, but hbo graduates have to make do without those additions. It is the Committee’s view that this leads to an undervaluation of the hbo diploma abroad. “That is why we recommend that the titles be equalized”, says Ron Bormans, Executive Board chairman of the Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen and a member of the Veerman Committee.

The diploma will be accompanied by a document containing a kind of photo of the institute. “That will show whether someone has studied at a ‘research university’ or at a ‘university of applied science’ - i.e. a ‘hogeschool’. It also describes the contents of the curriculum. This will make the title properly recognizable internationally without leaving any doubts about its value”, says Bormans.

The universities consider this to be a good proposal. “What we have always shrunk from is that it remained vague what kind of institute issues the diploma and how it is thought of”, says VSNU chairman Sijbolt Noorda. “If that problem is solved, we favor this recommendation.” (HOP)/.