Viewpoints:
Talent development
General
Talent development can take many forms and can mean something different for each student. What is important is that the student is central to shaping his or her educational programme. This is essential to keep education accessible to everyone and to ensure that the student gets the most out of it. Study time should not be seen in terms of efficiency, in which students are guided through their studies as quickly as possible, but should focus on the development of each individual student. However, characteristics of the profitability philosophy are woven into the education system, for example through the binding study advice and the funding system. Study success can mean something different for each student. Personal attention and guidance are necessary to make study success possible for each student.
Current affairs
In recent years, the pressure on students to complete their studies faster is increasing, reducing the scope for extra-curricular activities. In 2019, the National Youth Council (NJR) published a study on student boards. This research shows that the accessibility of governing is under pressure. It should not be the case that board years and other extra-curricular activities are only possible for a select group of students. The ISO is committed to the accessibility of boards.
The intellectual property of students is also an important issue. It is often unclear what the rights of students are in relation to their institution and institutions can make use of their position of power. The ISO, in cooperation with DutchSE, is committed to the proper regulation of intellectual property for student entrepreneurs at Dutch universities and colleges. Students must remain the owners of their own ideas and agreements between institutions and students in this regard must be unambiguous and transparent.
Viewpoint of the ISO
Extra-curricular education programmes and board years must be accessible to all groups of students. The ISO advocates that admission to such programmes should not be based solely on the student’s average grade. In order to give students from all socio-economic groups the opportunity to spend a year at an executive level, the ISO and the LKvV are working together to achieve tuition fee-free governing boards.