Management structure

The management structure of institutions of higher education is governed by the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW). Institutions of higher professional education and universities have different management structures.

Institutions of higher professional education

The day-to-day management of an institution of higher professional education  (hogeschool) is entrusted to either a central management board or an executive board. Both have up to three members. The central management board is responsible, on behalf of the administration of the institution, for managing the preparation and implementation of policy and coordinating the daily running and management of the institution. The executive board has the same powers and duties as a central management board and, in addition, any powers and duties delegated to it by the administration.

Universities

Following the introduction of the University Government (Modernisation) Act (MUB) in 1997, the management structure of a university now consists of an executive board, a supervisory board and the dean. They have the following tasks, responsibilities and powers.

● The executive board is responsible for all aspects of the administration and management of the university. It consists of up to three members, one of whom is the rector. The executive board is accountable to the supervisory board and must furnish it with any information the supervisory board requests concerning its decisions and actions.

● The supervisory board supervises the administration and management of the university in broad terms. It consists of between three and five members, who are appointed by the Minister. The supervisory board is accountable to the Minister and must furnish him with any information he requests concerning its actions. The chair and other members of the supervisory board of public universities are appointed by the Minister. The supervisory board appoints, suspends and dismisses the members of the executive board.

● At faculty level, administration and management are the responsibility of the dean, who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the faculty. The dean is responsible for the organisation of teaching and research within the faculty and is appointed by the executive board. Alternatively, the executive board may appoint a faculty board with the same powers and responsibilities, to be chaired by the dean. The dean or faculty board is accountable to the executive board, which, in turn, is overseen by the supervisory board.

The MUB was introduced in order to give universities more autonomy and make their administration more professional. Students and staff no longer sit on the governing bodies but are represented through the participation bodies instead.

Because of their distinctive character, private universities may have different management structures and different provisions on staff and student participation if the Minister does not object.

Open University

The governing bodies of the Open University are the executive board and the supervisory board. The executive board consists of up to three members who are appointed by the supervisory board. The supervisory board, which is appointed by the Minister of Education, Culture and Science, consists of between three and five members.