New publication: Binding study advice in higher education

The binding study advice (BSA) is a provision of the Higher Education and Research Act (Wet op hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek, WHW). Educational institutions can use the BSA as an instrument to help ensure that students are enrolled in the right study program. The BSA can also contribute to study progress. By complying with the requirements of the BSA, students do not take a "heavy burden" with them to the second study year.

The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has asked Panteia and SEOR to study the operation of the binding study advice. This study analyzes the conditions, criteria and additional policies related to the BSA. Furthermore, the study identifies the factors that influence the functioning of the BSA and possible tools to reinforce its positive effect at both applied universities (hogescholen) and universities.

A number of conditions, criteria and supporting policies influence the functioning of the BSA. In practice, both the BSA-criterion itself and the conditions and criteria surrounding it, vary between educational institutions. Institutions harmonise these factors to create a coherent package that fits their educational vision, which is usually tailored to the nature of the study program or the type of students. This also means that if you change the number of credits needed to get a positive BSA, the entire package must be revised.