School Included in Organisation’s Tour of the Netherlands 2023-2024

To engage in open discussions about mutual experiences, expectations and developments regarding both internal and external quality assurance processes, a delegation from the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) visited Wittenborg on 2 July. 

The activity was held as part of NVAO’s Ronde van Nederland (Tour of the Netherlands) 2023-2024, which includes over 20 higher education institutions. The organisation’s delegation featured chairman Arnold Jonk, director for the Netherlands Luut Kroes, policy advisor Henri Ponds and student panel member Tim van der Putten. 

During the visit, three sessions were conducted, each focusing on different stakeholder groups: Wittenborg’s Executive Board, the school’s Quality Management Team and a group of lecturers, staff members and students.  

The discussions were not related to any assessment. Instead, the findings will contribute to NVAO’s reflection on its own operations, agenda setting and communication with institutions. Additionally, the Ronde van Nederland offers an opportunity for meeting and strengthening relationships.  

Among other subjects, the sessions addressed the school’s internationalisation and educational programmes, quality assurance & accreditation procedures and research initiatives. Other topics of discussion were the impact of Artificial Intelligence, teaching and learning at Wittenborg and the well-being of lecturers and students.  

Wittenborg Director of Governance Karen Penninga commented that it was very nice to be able to have an open discussion with NVAO, since schools do not usually engage with the organisation in this manner. The session with the Executive Board, of which she is a part, covered topics such as internationalisation, the current political situation and Wittenborg’s perspective on it, as well as the upcoming changes to the accreditation system, including institutional accreditation.

“We also discussed the structure of Wittenborg’s programmes, our pathways and specialisations and their impact on our programme accreditation. We explained that this approach works really well. The sessions with NVAO were productive, and they appreciated our transparency and willingness to engage. On top of that, they expressed their satisfaction with the visit, because now they have a better understanding of Wittenborg,” she underlined. 

For Head of Education Development and Quality Management Kriszta Kaspers, the visit went very smoothly, and the discussions were intriguing and insightful. “It was an honour to be visited by NVAO. Their representatives were glad to meet our enthusiastic team, motivated students, staff and faculty who have participated in this exercise. The discussions were open and fruitful.” 

MBM (Master of Business Management) student Allegra Zazzaro, also an Admissions Administrator at the school, participated in the session involving lecturers, staff and students. “We talked about how Wittenborg fosters a family-like environment for international students, equipping them with the right mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skills to step directly into the workforce. I was very glad to share my personal journey, from being a bachelor’s student to now pursuing my master’s. From my perspective, the outcome was positive. The discussion was transparent and direct, making for a pleasant conversation that flowed naturally,” she remarked. 

WUP 22/07/2024 
by Ulisses Sawczuk 
©WUAS Press