Science and Technology Policy
The Dutch approach
Beatrice Boots
Platform of Science and Technology
Presentation outline
1) Problem setting
2) Skills mismatch and the approach of the Platform of Science and
Technology
3) Case study (1): public-private partnerships in vocational and higher
education
4) Case study (2): Jet-Net
5) EU STEM Coalition
6) Questions and discussion
1. Problem setting
Problem setting
• Traditional jobs are changing and fading as a consequence
of technological innovations
• Close to 60% of employment growth since the 1990s has been in the
form of non-standard work (temporary, part-time, self-employed) –
OECD (2015)
• 47% of all jobs in the US will be automated by 2034. – Frey & Osborne
(2014)
• Degrees that give the highest return on investment are engineering,
computer science and math – World Economic Forum (2016)
• Persisting skills shortages in STEM fields in spite of high unemployment
levels in many EU Member States is slowing down growth in the EU –
European Parliament (2015)
Skills Mismatch
• Key question: how to (re)develop the
education system to equip youngsters with
the right tools and ‘innovation skills’
(STEM, entrepreneurship, creativity) to
succeed in this new reality?
What are innovation skills? – various
definitions
st
21 Century skills – SLO (NL)
European Commission (2014)
- creativity
- entrepreneurial skills
- risk taking adaptability
- innovation capacity
- problem solving skills
- skills related to effective teamwork
- sharing information and knowledge
2. Skills mismatch and the
approach of the Dutch
Platform of Science and
Technology since 2002
Less people interested in science &
technology
Example: The Netherlands
•
•
•
Lisbon Strategy (2000): European goals
for more science & technology
National Deltaplan (2002): in 2010 15%
more STEM-students graduate from
higher education than in 2000
Establishment of national STEM Platform
The Dutch Approach: Talent Pipeline
•
•
•
Chain approach: from primary to higher
education
Performance agreements with every school.
Funding/subsidies dependent on results
Guiding “compass” & expertise:
cooperation schools & businesses, study &
career advice, more context in curriculum,
target groups (e.g. girls), coop with
universities, etc.
Inflow STEM students
The Dutch Approach > 2013
•
•
•
Technology Pact: supporting 5
regions with expertise and
assistance
Public private partnerships
between education and business
(institutionalized in “Centres”)
Regional stimulation of Science &
Technology in primary, secondary
education, vocational education
based on regional partnerships
Contributing to a solution
Triple Helix approach
Collaborating with and providing context for
educational institutes
By business involvement
With government support
3. Case study: public
private partnerships in
vocational and higher
education in the
Netherlands
Education system at a glance
• Vocational education: ISCED2011 levels 24 (equivalent to Certificate of vocational
matura), two types:
– Full-time at school with internships
– Four days work-based learning, one day at
school
• Universities of applied science: ISCED 2011
level 6 (Professional Bachelor’s)
Challenges
-
High rates of dropouts
Insufficient talent development
A lack of cross-disciplinary studies
Inflexible education system to meet the
needs of students and the labour market
- Not enough (qualified) teachers
Public-private partnerships
• Total national goverment investment 2011-2017: €
200 million
• Triple helix partnerships, co-investment requirement
of 2/3rd: € 400 million (in-kind and in-cash)
• Aimed at economy priority sectors (mostly STEM /
STEM-cross-sectoral oriented)
• Involves most VET/UAS institutions in the
Netherlands and over 3000 businesses.
Aims
– Solving skills mismatch
– Contribute to innovative strength of businesses
Life long learning
– E.g. Redesigning education with business
– Students work on innovation projects
– Employees participate in Centres
Key features in governance
• PPPs define their own scope and activities (within the overall
aim of bridging the skills gap)
• Participation and investments of triple-helix obligatory to
acquire government finance, active government support
• Focus on learning and monitoring: recursive learning oriented
cycle, room for experimentation and innovation
• Within 5 years a self-sustaining partnership without additional
funding of government
Critical success factors
• Sense of urgency: involvement of regional/local
governments, businesses and education
• Alignment of policies: avoid contradicting
exisisting national education regulation (i.e.
curricula, oversight, quality checks)
• Commmitment and Give it time, provide
expertise, focus on improving and monitoring (it
takes > 5 years to build a self-sustainable ppp)
4. Case study: Jet-Net
Jet-Net – Youth and Technology Network
November 2002
Cooperation within Jet-Net
• Educational Institutions
• Government
• Industry
LONG TERM VISION
Goals and Procedure
Goal:
Promote the flow of students to higher STEM Education
‘4 out of 10 STEM workers’
Dual approach:
1.Adding context to the teaching of the STEM-subjects 
lower barriers
2.Showcasing career prospects in industry and technology
 increase attraction
Main characteristics
• 1-to-1 collaboration school and company
• Curriculum plays a central role
• 80-20 principle (DIY)
National Events
•
•
•
•
Girlsday
Career Day
Meet the Boss
Webcast
Conditions for succes
•
Commitment of the school and company: human
resources, time and initiative
•
Direct link school and company
•
Embedding activities in the curriculum
•
Convert enthusiasm to professional approach
•
Let students experience by doing-it-themselves
•
Natioanal and regional
Results Jet-Net in 13 years
95 Jet-Net companies and 42 Partners
600 activities every year
185 active Jet-Net schools
>60.000 students per year
91 schools on the waiting list
5. EU STEM Coalition
National STEM strategies based on the triple
helix approach have proved to be a successful
tool in addressing the skills mismatch
What is the EU STEM Coalition?
A learning community
• Exchanging good practices between organisations and
countries with STEM strategies
• Supporting others who are willing to develop such a
strategy in order to challenge the skills mismatch on
national level
EU STEM Coalition - objectives
•
•
•
Good practice sharing – between existing national STEM
platforms
Peer to peer coaching – to support the establishment of
new national STEM platforms
Community building – between national platforms,
connecting parties on a national level, on European level
between platforms and supporting organisations
No ‘one size fits all’
• Formulating a national STEM strategy is a top down and bottom
up proces:
• Fitting the states’ needs and key characteristics
Key questions:
- How is the relationship between education and industry?
- How is the relationship between industry and government?
- What sectors are located in the country?
- Mostly large companies or SMEs?
- What skills are most needed? (STEM wide, IT,
entrepreneurship)
EU STEM Coalition - Partners
1. National Platforms
Denmark
Estonia
Belgium (Flanders)
The Netherlands
Ukraine
2. National Partners
Hungary
Greece
France
EU STEM Coalition - Partners
3. Supporting partners
CSR Europe
ECSITE (science centers)
FEANI (engineers)
Jet-Net
Jet-Net.dk
ThinkYoung
Thank you for your attention
further questions:
[email protected]