B Rural Innovation B Plattelandsvernieuwing Van Hall Larenstein. Report of the limited programme assessments 16, 17 and 24 May 2011

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1 Vlindersingel 220 NL 3544 VM Utrecht B Rural Innovation B Plattelandsvernieuwing Van Hall Larenstein Report of the limited programme assessments 16, 17 and 24 May 2011 Utrecht, The Netherlands September Assessment Agency for higher Education

2 This document is best printed in duplex. 2 Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

3 Table of contents Table of contents...3 Summary Rural Innovation (Wageningen)...4 Samenvatting Plattelandsvernieuwing (Leeuwarden)...6 Colophon...8 Introduction...9 1a. Intended learning outcomes Rural Innovation b. Beoogde eindkwalificaties Plattelandsvernieuwing a. Teaching-learning environment Rural Innovation b. Onderwijsleeromgeving Plattelandsvernieuwing a. Assessment and achieved learning outcomes Rural Innovation b. Toetsing en gerealiseerde eindkwalificaties Plattelandsvernieuwing...37 Appendices...41 Appendix 1a Assessment committee Rural Innovation...42 Appendix 1b Visitatiecommissie Plattelandsvernieuwing...45 Appendix 2a Program of the assessment Rural innovation...47 Appendix 2b Programma visitatie Plattelandsvernieuwing...49 Appendix 3a Quantitative data Rural innovation...50 Appendix 3b Kwantitatieve gegevens Plattelandsvernieuwing...51 Appendix 4a Final qualifications Rural innovation...52 Appendix 4b Eindkwalificaties Plattelandsvernieuwing...54 Appendix 5a Overview of the programme Rural Innovation...55 Appendix 5b Programmaoverzicht Plattelandsvernieuwing...56 Appendix 6 Documents...57 Appendix 7 Declarations of independence...58 B Rural Innovation September 2011 (2) 3

4 Summary Rural Innovation (Wageningen) On 16 and 17 May 2011 an assessment committee of AeQui has performed an assessment of the programme B Rural Innovation of Van Hall Larenstein in Wageningen. The overall judgement of the committee regarding the quality of the programme is satisfactory. The aim of the professional Bachelor s programme Rural Innovation and it s major Regional Development and Innovation, is to ensure graduates are suitable candidates for jobs offered by rural development organizations. They know how to deal with challenges faced by people living and working in the country side throughout Europe as well as in developing countries. Graduates are capable of co-managing rural development projects, mobilizing rural development expertise (local and non-local), reinforcing grass root level rural organizations, facilitating multistakeholder processes and strengthening networks between stakeholders of rural development interventions. Graduates as process facilitators have sufficient knowledge and experience to advise on innovative processes, be it at farm level or at regional level. This RDI programme is fairly unique in the Netherlands with its 4-year English-taught programme in regional development with a focus on the Netherlands, Europe and developing countries. Intended learning outcomes The assessment committee qualifies the intended learning outcomes as satisfactory. The programme focuses on three job profiles to which RDI graduates may be promoted after an estimated five years: Project or programme coordinator/manager, Facilitator of multi-stakeholder processes, and Area broker/networker. Since facilitator and area broker/ networker have similarities, the RDI programme trains its students to become junior project/process managers and junior facilitators in regional development programmes, in both European and Non- European countries. Career opportunities for RDI graduates exist in governmental and non-governmental organizations that implement projects and programmes in rural areas in and outside the EU. However, a lot is changing in the professional working field in the last couple of years: for example the effects of the economic crisis and also the effects of globalisation are getting much clearer. This and more has lead to the collapse of the Western- European labour market and a change toward more private oriented markets. These changes demand adaptation of the competences from the graduates. That s why the assessment committee advises the RDI team to develop a shared vision on these developments, ultimately to create clarity for the students and graduates and make the programme sustainable for the next ten to fifteen years. In the programme, the intended learning outcomes are matched with the up to date job based requirements of the professional discipline. There is coherence between the Dublin Descriptors and the intended learning outcomes. The programme assured this through comparing the assessment criteria of each competence at the final level with the Descriptors. Teaching-learning environment The assessment committee qualifies the teachinglearning environment as satisfactory. The programme covers the learning outcomes. There are several strong points to the programme: because of the students from abroad the student population automatically creates a multicultural setting, which prepares the students on the professional domain. The assessment committee is very positive about the fact that students get a lot of experience in multicultural teamwork. This is one of the crucial competences they will use once they graduated and enter the professional domain. Because the programme emphasis this so strongly, the assessment committee qualifies this aspect as excellent. The down side to that is the fact that students indicate they would like to have more theory in the programme. Since the professional field has been changing quite rapidly the last couple of years, the used methodologies in process-approach seem somewhat outdated. New concepts like place/spacebased development and social responsibility seem under exposed in the curriculum. Along with updating the intended learning outcomes, this could be renewed as well. The support system is good and accessible, teachers can always be contacted by the students. 4 Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

5 Assessment and achieved learning outcomes The assessment committee qualifies the assessment and achieved learning outcomes as good. As the competences are leading for the assessments, it is assured that the actual competences are assessed. Therefore, the assessments are valid in the sense that they measure the criteria explicitly stated in the competence descriptions. The assessments measure what they aim to measure. Also the assessments make a distinction between students who can apply knowledge and skills and students who don t. Therefore the assessment committee confirms the validity and reliability of the assessments. The assessments and thesis report are all of a professional bachelor s level, sometimes they can be fairly complex. Both conversations with students as well as alumni, and studying the thesis reports have led the assessment committee to the conviction that the students are ambitious and motivated. The assessment committee was surprised to find out that not many students get typical RDI jobs. For example: in the early days 80% of the alumni found a job they were trained for. But nowadays social projects and development projects are cut down by the new government. Regional expertise is hired first. So these days alumni get a job that doesn t fit the programme and the majority does a master s study after graduation first. Recommendations Overall, the assessment committee has a positive picture of the RDI programme. There are some points for further improvement. The European labour market has strongly diminished for traditional development jobs. The students that graduate will find extreme competition on the labour market from more experienced development consultants. It appears that the funding of the labour market is shifting to more and more private or semiprivate parties. To find a job and work for those parties, students need slightly different competences. Most of all, the assessment committee recommends the programme to develop a shared vision on developments and shifts in the labour market and the to be achieved competences. In the same move the programme should update the used methodologies and concepts. The Professional Advisory Committee should have a role in this process. Definitely the assessment committee thinks that students can and need to be trained in networking and spotting opportunities, more than is happening now in the current programme. The assessment committee got the impression that some of the used instruments for evaluation and grading, are somehow more complex than necessary. There might be a good role for the examination board in its new position to encourage developments in simplifying the assessment framework. B Rural Innovation September 2011 (2) 5

6 Samenvatting Plattelandsvernieuwing (Leeuwarden) Op 24 mei 2011 is de opleiding B Plattelandsvernieuwing van Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein (VHL) Leeuwarden gevisiteerd door een commissie van AeQui. Het totaaloordeel van de commissie is voldoende. De opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing is een vierjarige Bachelorstudie (240 EC). De doelstelling van de opleiding is dat afgestudeerden als integrale gebiedsmanagers goed kunnen omgaan met processen in het landelijk gebied en tussen de stad, de stedelijke kernen en het omliggende landelijke gebied. De afgestudeerde is inhoudelijk breed opgeleid en speelt vooral een verbindende en procesbegeleidende rol in de regionale ontwikkeling. De instroom van de opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing is overal in Nederland kwakkelend. VHL ziet als aanleiding voor de beperkte instroom dat de opleiding sterk geassocieerd wordt met het agrarische domein, terwijl dat niet geheel terecht is. Daartegenover staat de onverminderd grote vraag uit het werkveld om afgestudeerden. De opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing met de major Stad- en Streekmanagement gaat vernieuwd verder, mogelijk onder een nieuwe naam. De huidige ambitie van de opleiding is om zich binnen vier jaar te ontwikkelen tot een succesvolle, zelfstandige en levensvatbare hbo-bacheloropleiding. De nieuwe naam zal daar aan bijdragen. Door het woord stad in de opleidingstitel verwacht men een andere doelgroep aan te trekken. De doelstellingen De visitatiecommissie kwalificeert de beoogde eindkwalificaties als voldoende. De opleiding heeft door de kleinschaligheid ervan nog geen structurele beroepenveldcommissie. In de toekomst zal dit wel gerealiseerd worden. De opleiding weet nu door middel van ad hoc contacten, bijvoorbeeld in het kader van het kenniswerkplaatsconcept, wel stelselmatig input vanuit het werkveld aan te boren. Dit heeft onder andere geleid tot een vernieuwing van de competenties en inherent daaraan het curriculum. Men beoogt hiermee om de instroom de komende jaren te laten groeien tot het niveau dat de opleiding zich zelfstandig kan bedruipen. De aanzetten in de zelfevaluatie wat betreft nieuwe competenties en bijbehorend vernieuwd curriculum, die zijn toegelicht in de gesprekken met het opleidingsmanagement en de docenten, zijn essentieel en adequaat. De onderwijsleeromgeving De visitatiecommissie kwalificeert verder de onderwijsleeromgeving als goed. De visitatiecommissie heeft een goede opleiding gezien, die studenten zowel de mogelijkheid tot verbreding als verdieping biedt, door middel van keuze voor minor en stage. Het curriculum inclusief de vernieuwende elementen sluiten aan bij waar het werkveld naar zoekt. Het team docenten is betrokken en zij doorleven de vernieuwde opleiding. Dat blijkt uit de overtuigingskracht waarmee ze de vernieuwing vorm geven. De Kenniswerkplaats, waarbij concrete vragen van opdrachtgevers door een groep studenten worden opgelost, is een sterk punt waarmee theorie en praktijk met elkaar worden verbonden in een reële setting met diverse groepen stakeholders. De Kenniswerkplaats biedt niet alleen de studenten maar ook de docenten gelegenheid om verder te leren. Het is de visitatiecommissie opgevallen dat de bereidheid daartoe bij hen groot is. De toetsing en het gerealiseerd niveau De visitatiecommissie kwalificeert tenslotte de toetsing en gerealiseerde eindkwalificaties als voldoende. De visitatiecommissie tekent daarbij als positief punt aan dat zij heeft kunnen vaststellen dat de afstudeerscripties van goed niveau zijn. De scripties zijn meer gericht op het doen van onderzoek dan op het oplossen van een praktisch probleem. De visitatiecommissie ziet dat juist als een goede aanvulling omdat er in de loop van de studie al zoveel praktijkproblemen worden aangepakt. Beoordeling van de scripties is reëel. De toetsen zijn ook van voldoende niveau en diepgang. Dit lijkt echter niet te zijn vastgelegd in een expliciet toetsbeleid. De visitatiecommissie adviseert dit alsnog te formuleren. 6 Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

7 Aanbevelingen Eigenlijk heeft de commissie maar één belangwekkende aanbeveling te plaatsen. De opleiding zoals die vanaf september 2011 gaat draaien, heeft potentie. Zeker ook met een meer aansprekende naam voor de major: Stad- en Streekmanagement. De naamsverandering zal op zichzelf echter niet voldoende zijn om nu wel de gewenste studentenaantallen aan te trekken. De commissie beveelt daarom aan om gerichte publiciteit te maken. Een heldere thematiek werkt daarbij versterkend. De commissie heeft gedurende de visitatie verschillende thema s waargenomen, zoals maatschappelijk ondernemen. Dit zou een dragende focus kunnen zijn, en richt zich bovendien ook op de ondernemende ambtenaar. De dynamiek in het speelveld kan ook als aantrekkelijk gepositioneerd worden: krimp is leuk!. Verdere is het kenniswerkplaatsconcept een thema om goed te communiceren. En als doelgroep kan men overwegen om meer deeltijd-georiënteerde studenten aan te gaan spreken. Tenslotte zijn nog twee meer inhoudelijke verbeterpunten naar voren gekomen in de visitatie. In het curriculum zou meer plaats moeten worden ingeruimd voor bestuurlijke wet- en regelgeving. En voorts is vastgesteld dat de docenten niet konden aangeven of er een beschreven toetsingsbeleid beschikbaar was. Overigens hebben de toetsen en bijbehorende beoordelingen op het visitatieteam een degelijke indruk gemaakt. Alles overziend stelt de commissie vast dat ruimschoots aan de eisen van het beoordelingskader is voldaan. Op die grond geeft de visitatiecommissie een positief advies inzake accreditatie van de opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing van Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, te Wageningen en Leeuwarden. Namens de voltallige visitatiecommissie, Utrecht, september 2011 Ir. R. S. Kloosterman Voorzitter A.J.C. van Noort MScMC Secretaris B Rural Innovation September 2011 (2) 7

8 Colophon Institute and programme Institute: Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool Larenstein, Wageningen) Address Rural innovation: Droevendaalsesteeg 2, 6708 PB, Wageningen Telephone: (0317) Address Plattelandsvernieuwing: Agora 1, 8934 CJ Leeuwarden Telephone: (058) Status institution: publicly funded Result of institutional assessment: applied for Level: HBO Bachelor Number of credits: 240 EC Nomenclature: Bachelor of Rural Innovation / Bachelor Plattelandsvernieuwing Location: Wageningen (English programme) and Leeuwarden (Dutch programme) Mode of study: fulltime ISAT: Data on intake, graduates and drop-outs: see appendix 3. Responsibility for the quality of the programme: mrs. G. Oosterhof, VHL Wageningen Programme Director mr. J. van der Valk, Leeuwarden Programme Director. Contact with regard to the quality of the programmes: mr. B. Schulte, ben.schulte@wur.nl Assessment panel Ir. R. Kloosterman, chair Ir. N. Beun, domeinexpert Prof. A. Fuller, domain expert R. Herngreen, domeinexpert O. Ntenje MSc, domain expert Dr. F. van Schoubroeck, domain expert A. de Brouwer, student A. Jelsma BSc, student A. van Noort MScMC, secretary This Committee was presented to and approved by the NVAO for approval (NVAO-dossier #5117 and #5114). The assessment was conducted under responsibility of AeQui VBI Vlindersingel VM Utrecht, The Netherlands Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

9 Introduction Since September 1 st 2011 Van Hall Institute and Larenstein merged into Van Hall Larenstein (VHL), which is part of Wageningen University and Research centre (Wageningen UR). Courses are provided at three locations: Leeuwarden, Velp and Wageningen. With a staff of more than 400 FTE, VHL provides education to more than 4,000 students in 14 registered Bachelor courses, 3 Master and 6 Associate Degree courses. Van Hall Larenstein offers programmes that focus on nature and the environment, health of both humans and animals and sustainable entrepreneurship. Because of the merger of both institutions the reports of the assessments of Plattelandsvernieuwing (Dutch programme, Leeuwarden) and Rural innovation (English programme, Wageningen) are combined in this report, although the site visits of the assessment committees took place several months before the official merger. Therefore the report consists of both English and Dutch texts. The institute Aside from Wageningen, the programme Rural Innovation is also offered within VHL at Leeuwarden. The main differences between Wageningen en Leeuwarden are the language of instruction and the aim of this course. In Leeuwarden the programme is in Dutch and alumni will get jobs in Dutch organizations. In Wageningen the language of instruction is English. The focus is on the Netherlands, Europe and developing countries. This report concerns the programme Rural Innovation and it s major Rural Development and Innovation (RDI) at location Wageningen as well as the programme Plattelandsvernieuwing at location Leeuwarden. Because the focus of the RI/RDI-programme is on the Netherlands, Europe and developing countries, the programme appeals to a committed group of prospective students, most of which have purposively selected RDI for their interest in working in developing countries. The programme Rural innovation The aim of the professional Bachelor s programme Regional Development and Innovation is to ensure graduates are suitable candidates for jobs offered by rural development organizations. They know how to deal with challenges faced by people living and working in the countryside throughout Europe as well as in developing countries. Graduates are capable of co-managing rural development projects, mobilizing rural development expertise (local and non-local), reinforcing grass root level rural organizations, facilitating multi-stakeholder processses and strengthening networks between stakeholders of rural development interventions. Graduates as process facilitators have sufficient knowledge and experience to advise on innovative processes, be it at farm level or at regional level. RDI generates competent graduates by combining the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary to work in the professional domain. It combines in-house teaching with outdoor placements and stimulates learning by doing through projects. It has a conducive learning environment because Dutch and foreign students sit in the same classroom, lecturers are experts in the field of regional development and RDI students are able to meet Master s students from developing countries. This RDI programme is fairly unique in the Netherlands with its 4-year English-taught programme in regional development with a focus on the Netherlands, Europe and developing countries. If the topic of development cooperation is taught as a course under regional development, it is a minor while at RDI it is a major. When comparing RDI to foreign universities it appears that the foreign universities have professional Bachelor s programmes in rural/regional development or sustainable agricultural development, but often not in combination and do not provide a full 4-year programme. Their focus is often on developing B Rural Innovation September 2011 (2) 9

10 countries and they are often more academic and economics-oriented while the RDI programme has a professional and more generic focus. De opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing De opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing is een vierjarige Bachelorstudie (240 EC). De doelstelling van de opleiding is dat afgestudeerden als integrale gebiedsmanagers goed kunnen omgaan met processen in het landelijk gebied en tussen de stad, de stedelijke kernen en het omliggende landelijke gebied. De afgestudeerde is inhoudelijk breed opgeleid en speelt vooral een verbindende en procesbegeleidende rol in de regionale ontwikkeling. De afgestudeerde is een intermediair tussen de economische-, ruimtelijke kwaliteits- en sociale functies van het platteland. Hij of zij kan actief en creatief oplossingen aandragen voor problemen op het gebied van het multifunctionele gebruik van de spaarzame ruimte, vernieuwing van producten, markten en organisaties. De afgestudeerde moet vanuit een integrale benadering kunnen schakelen tussen vertegenwoordigers van verschillende sectoren dan wel afdelingen. De instroom van de opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing is overal in Nederland kwakkelend. VHL ziet als aanleiding voor de beperkte instroom dat de opleiding sterk geassocieerd wordt met het agrarische domein, terwijl dat niet geheel terecht is. Daartegenover staat de onverminderd grote vraag uit het werkveld om afgestudeerden. Eveneens een duidelijk signaal van aanhoudende vraag is het feit dat de opleidingcoördinator bijna wekelijks benaderd wordt door het werkveld om een project binnen het onderwijs te krijgen. Sinds de vorige visitatie heeft VHL aanvankelijk wegen gezocht om de instroom van de opleiding te bevorderen, waaronder het onderbrengen van het thema plattelandsvernieuwing bij andere opleidingen (bijvoorbeeld de studieroute Mens en Ruimte binnen de opleiding Milieukunde). Dit heeft echter niet geleid tot het gewenste effect. De instroom in de opleiding Plattelandsvernieuwing werd gestopt. Door de kleine aantallen aanmeldingen zijn deze studenten bediend met een maatwerk programma. De vraag naar afgestudeerden bleef echter onverminderd sterk en het lectoraat was succesvol. Daarom is gezocht naar een vernieuwd, aansprekend marktprofiel, in de hoop de opleiding nieuw leven in te blazen. Ook heeft er bezinning plaatsgevonden op het Van Hall Larenstein-brede portfolio. Dit heeft geleid tot een clustering van thema s. Een van de thema s zal betrekking hebben op de groene leefomgeving. De opleiding Stad- en streekmanagement (de beoogde nieuwe naam, behorend bij de vernieuwde opleiding die in september 2011 van start gaat) is volgens de opleiding een niet te missen element in dat palet. De huidige ambitie van de opleiding is om zich binnen vier jaar te ontwikkelen tot een succesvolle, zelfstandige en levensvatbare hbo-bacheloropleiding. De nieuwe naam zal daar aan bijdragen. Door het woord stad in de opleidingstitel verwacht men een andere doelgroep aan te trekken dan tot nu toe werd aangetrokken. Daarnaast hoopt men het imago van agrarische opleidingen op deze wijze ook wat bij te schaven. De opleiding is gericht op regionale ontwikkeling in geïndustrialiseerde landen, in eerste instantie Nederland. Het is echter ook belangrijk dat studenten over de grenzen van Nederland heen leren kijken, aangezien Nederland onderdeel uitmaakt van een veel grotere regio, waar zich vergelijkbare ontwikkelingen afspelen. Hierin onderscheidt de opleiding zich van de opleiding PLV die binnen VHL in Wageningen wordt aangeboden. De opleiding in Wageningen richt zich met name op ontwikkelingslanden. Het studiejaar bestaat uit vier perioden van tien weken en elke periode heeft acht lesweken, een lesvrije week en een tentamenweek. Het programma is opgebouwd uit drie met elkaar in verband staande segmenten: ruimtelijke kwaliteit (omgevingskwaliteit/ecologische), economische en sociale functies van het platteland. De basis van onderwijseenheden wordt gevormd door beroepscontexten en kennisgebieden als (regionale) economie, landbouw, natuur en landschap, recreatie en toerisme, volkshuisvesting, cultuurhistorie, communicatie, bestuurskunde, ondernemerschap. Het programa beslaat de volgende terreinen: - Kennis van actoren en functies in het landelijke gebied; - Procesmanagement en aspecten van opbouwen welzijnswerk; 10 Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

11 - De veranderende relatie tussen stad en platteland. The assessment Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (VHL) has assigned AeQui VBI to perform a quality assessment. In close co-operation with VHL, AeQui has convened an independent and competent assessment committee. A preparatory meeting with representatives of the programme has taken place. In this meeting the program for the site-visit and the interviewees were determined, see attachment 2. Two weeks prior to the site-visit, Van Hall Larenstein announced the open consultation to students and staff. Neither students nor staff has used this possibility. The assessment committee has made a choice of theses over the last two years, and has reviewed these theses. The results of this review were input for discussions during the site-visit, see chapter 3. The committee assessed in an independent manner; at the conclusion of the assessment the results were presented to representatives of the programme. The concept of this report was sent to the representatives of the programme; their reactions have led to this final version of the report. B Rural Innovation September 2011 (2) 11

12 1a. Intended learning outcomes Rural Innovation The intended learning outcomes of the programme have been concretised with regard to content, level and orientation; they meet international requirements. Explanation: As for level and orientation (bachelor s or master s; professional or academic), the intended learning outcomes fit into the Dutch qualifications framework. In addition, they tie in with the international perspective of the requirements currently set by the professional field and the discipline with regard to the contents of the programme. Based on the interviews and examination of the underlying documentation, the assessment committee qualifies the intended learning outcomes as satisfactory. A lot has changed in the professional working field in the last few years; the effects of the economic crisis and of globalisation are getting much clearer. This and more has led to the collapse of the Western-European labour market and a change towards more private-oriented markets. Development work has changed over the last two decades with a change of orientation from direct targeting of poorest groups in rural areas to either commerce-oriented capacity building or macro-level creation of enabling environments. Small-scale private-run initiatives rarely hire community workers such as the programme produces. These changes demand adaptation of the competences from the graduates. Consequently, the assessment committee advises the RDI team to develop a shared vision on these developments, ultimately to create clarity for the students and graduates and prepare them for jobs likely to be available and make the programme sustainable for the next ten to fifteen years. Links with professional practice The current programme was developed in The major issues from that time still exist: - Globalization is causing a continuous and rapidly changing context in which rural households operate. It influences agricultural development, the rural and regional economy, liveability, rural planning; - The three functions of the rural environment (nature and landscape, agriculture and supplementary) are increasingly being integrated, leading to a change from a sector to an area policy. This stimulates the decentralization of government tasks, which necessitates good governance and a more interactive, participative planning and decision making process. Local NGOs in developing countries now have the capacity which rural development workers with a western background and education used to provide in the 1980s-1990s; - Most poor people live in rural areas. Inspired by discussions with professionals and by these issues, the RDI team chose three job profiles to which RDI graduates may be promoted after an estimated five years: 1. Project or programme coordinator/manager. Projects are the way by which the EU stimulates rural development. The EU rural development programme for instance focuses on competitiveness, economic growth, improved quality of life and sustainable development of rural areas. Private funding organizations (like the Oranje Fonds in the Netherlands) may be asked to step in the void left by governments and implement all kinds of projects to assist vulnerable people, to improve social cohesion. In this position RDI alumni coordinate the work of a department, project or programme. They manage projects and programmes, from acquisition to implementation, and to monitoring and evaluation; if they work in the region of their origin. 2. Facilitator of multi-stakeholder processes. The decentralization of government tasks necessitates good governance and a more interactive, participative planning and decision making process. The devolution of power and the localization of services by national governments both in the Netherlands, Europe and in developing countries that means that local groups may have a larger say in the formulation of projects and policy. RDI alumni help stakeholders to understand their common objectives and help them to plan to achieve these objectives without taking a particular position in the discussion. Now, such capacities exist in most developing countries partly as a result of development work in the 1980s-1990s. 12 Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

13 3. Area broker/networker. Rural people are not always aware that they face similar problems and have similar needs and objectives; or they are not aware that they can learn from each other to overcome problems or grab opportunities. Also, unequal access to land and water brings tensions to local communities, tensions that need to be solved. RDI alumni help to link multiple, otherwise disconnected stakeholders who have similar problems, needs and objectives in order to create networks that use their knowledge and experience in the domain or rural development to be innovative in creating solutions. Since facilitator and area broker/networker have similarities, the RDI programme trains its students to become junior project/process managers and junior facilitators in regional development programmes, in both European and Non-European countries. Career opportunities for RDI graduates exist in governmental and non-governmental organizations that implement projects and programmes in rural areas in and outside the EU (for example in the Netherlands: Landelijke vereniging Kleine Kernen, Netwerk Platteland, STIMULAND, Movisie. Examples of Dutch organizations that employ project officers in developing countries are Novib, Hivos and Cordaid). Aside from the job profiles, the competences for RDI students were developed on the basis of two considerations: 1. All Dutch programmes on Plattelandsvernieuwing formulated competences in 2002; 2. VHL preferred to have so-called generic competences applicable to all programmes taught in Wageningen. This led to eight competences for RDI, of which competences A to G are generic competence that apply to all programmes taught at VHL Wageningen, while learning outcomes and learning environment are RDI specific. See attachment 4a. Competence H is RDI specific. Up to date The assessment committee thinks the job profiles, competences and learning outcomes are up to date for now and correspond with the requirements set by the professional domain. The programme has assured this in four ways: through consultation with the Professional Advisory Committee (PAC), through placements and the thesis, projects undertaken by the staff and feedback from alumni (survey and HBO monitor). So, the assessment committee thinks the qualifications are up to date for now but the committee has noticed several changes in the working field. The assessment committee feels the programme would benefit when theses changes are put together in a clear and more shared vision with regarding to the job profiles. The assessment committee thinks the competences itself are still relevant, but the context in which the competences are put to practice are changing. Students should be aware of the (changing) field they can work in after graduation. For instance, developments such as the accession of new EU countries with traditional rural areas; or in The Netherlands and other western European countries the shrinking of the rural population. Most of the students do not have a clear vision on the job they want to apply for after graduation. According to the assessment committee a relevant explanation for this on the one hand is that there is enough work in this area, but the number of jobs is limited. So, since the number of jobs is limited, obviously it seems to be of less importance for the students to gain information about the job profiles. On the other hand, because there is so much work the course also is very broad. Students confirm this. Because of the broad course, it is difficult to get a clear job perspective. None the less, the assessment committee thinks that the course is supposed to help the students to figure this out. The strong point still is that all students are happy with the programme, but there is a downside : only a minority of the students get into a job they are educated for. That is a symptom of the fact that the labour market for traditional development aid for Western Europe has become absent, and in the Netherlands there is a turn towards a more private market-driven development. Governments employ less and less community development workers and rely on local private sector to provide such services with a clear commercial goal. Since formal and informal discussions are held with a diversity of professionals from the domain, but also with the PAC, the assessment committee thinks the B Rural Innovation September 2011 (2) 13