Universities in Netherlands Antilles
Universities in Netherlands Antilles by City:
KralendijkAbout universities in Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles, also known informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (the ABC islands), located in the Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius (the SSS islands, situated in the Leeward islands southeast of the Virgin Islands. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands in 1986, forming a separate independent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the remainder of the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved in 2010, resulting in two new constituent countries: Curacao and Sint Maarten, with the other islands serving as special municipalities, called “public bodies,” within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Higher Education in the Netherlands
Higher education in the Netherlands is overseen and regulated by the national Ministry of Education, which sets educational policy and curriculum. Following successful completion of secondary school, students in the Netherlands Antilles region have two choices in terms of tertiary or higher education: middle-level applied education or university studies.
Middle-Level Applied Education in the Netherlands Antilles
The institutions that offer middle-level applied education (MBO) are oriented strongly towards vocational education and training. The institutions that offer this type of occupational education are called Regional Education Centers and are for the most part concentrated in and around major cities on the islands. The studies in MBO programs can span 1-4 years depending on the field or career of study, fields that may include business administration, management, hospitality services, agriculture and more. Following successful completion of a middle-level educational program, students receive a certificate of completion and proficiency, which allows graduates to either enter the workforce in their chosen field or further their studies at the university level.
University Studies in the Netherlands Antilles
University education in the Netherlands Antilles is offered at two types of institutions: universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) and research universities (universiteiten.) At the universities of applied sciences, studies focus on specific fields, such as teacher training and fine and performing arts. The research universities, on the other hand, are either more general in nature or specialize primarily in the fields of engineering and agriculture. Like the universities in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, both the universities of applied sciences and the research universities in the Netherlands Antilles have now been restructured into a three-cycle system of education consisting of Bachelor, Master’s and PhD degrees in accordance with the provisions set forth by the Bologna Process. The first or Bachelor degree cycle typically spans 3-4 years, and successful completion of the first cycle is a prerequisite for entry into the second or Master’s degree cycle, which is generally a two-year program. Master’s Degree graduates who wish to pursue advanced studies in their particular fields are free to apply to the third or PhD cycle of education, which typically lasts 3-5 years depending on the institution and the complexity of the program. All third-cycle education is conducted at research universities, as applied and theoretical research are major components of all doctorate-level programs.
Higher Education in the Netherlands
Higher education in the Netherlands is overseen and regulated by the national Ministry of Education, which sets educational policy and curriculum. Following successful completion of secondary school, students in the Netherlands Antilles region have two choices in terms of tertiary or higher education: middle-level applied education or university studies.
Middle-Level Applied Education in the Netherlands Antilles
The institutions that offer middle-level applied education (MBO) are oriented strongly towards vocational education and training. The institutions that offer this type of occupational education are called Regional Education Centers and are for the most part concentrated in and around major cities on the islands. The studies in MBO programs can span 1-4 years depending on the field or career of study, fields that may include business administration, management, hospitality services, agriculture and more. Following successful completion of a middle-level educational program, students receive a certificate of completion and proficiency, which allows graduates to either enter the workforce in their chosen field or further their studies at the university level.
University Studies in the Netherlands Antilles
University education in the Netherlands Antilles is offered at two types of institutions: universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) and research universities (universiteiten.) At the universities of applied sciences, studies focus on specific fields, such as teacher training and fine and performing arts. The research universities, on the other hand, are either more general in nature or specialize primarily in the fields of engineering and agriculture. Like the universities in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, both the universities of applied sciences and the research universities in the Netherlands Antilles have now been restructured into a three-cycle system of education consisting of Bachelor, Master’s and PhD degrees in accordance with the provisions set forth by the Bologna Process. The first or Bachelor degree cycle typically spans 3-4 years, and successful completion of the first cycle is a prerequisite for entry into the second or Master’s degree cycle, which is generally a two-year program. Master’s Degree graduates who wish to pursue advanced studies in their particular fields are free to apply to the third or PhD cycle of education, which typically lasts 3-5 years depending on the institution and the complexity of the program. All third-cycle education is conducted at research universities, as applied and theoretical research are major components of all doctorate-level programs.