Business administration and management most popular higher education disciplines

  • Technology mbo courses most popular in Zeeland and North Brabant
  • Basic qualification increases chances of work
  • Rise in public spending on secondary education

These are a few of the main conclusions of the annual education report Jaarboek onderwijs in cijfers 2012 published by Statistics Netherlands today (available in Dutch only). The book sets out a number of important facts and developments with regard to education in the Netherlands. This edition pays special attention to education disciplines.

Business administration and management most popular in higher education

Both in higher professional education (hbo) and in university education business administration and management disciplines had the most students in academic year 2011/’12. At universities in particular these disciplines have become more popular, accounting for 48 thousand students, two and a half times more than in 2000/’01. There are just as many social science students in universities as students doing business administration and management. In  hbo studies in the field of health care and welfare are also popular.

Mbo technology disciplines mainly in Zeeland and North Brabant

Twenty percent of students in senior secondary vocational education (mbo) are enrolled in a technology, manufacturing or construction discipline. This share is considerably higher in the provinces of Zeeland and North Brabant, but lower in Flevoland, in the regions Arnhem-Nijmegen, Utrecht-Amersfoort, Amsterdam-Haarlem and the cities The Hague, Rotterdam and Zoetermeer. 

Basic qualification increases chance of work

Just over seven in ten 25-64 year-olds had a basic qualification in 2011, i.e. a diploma at the level of senior general secondary education (havo), pre-university education (vwo), or level 2 of senior secondary vocational education (mbo). Eight out of ten people with a basic qualification had a job. For people without a basic qualification this was just under six in ten. Fifty percent of people with only primary education had paid employment, compared with 85 percent of people with a degree in higher education. Twice as many people with a basic qualification in the field of health care as those without a basic qualification in this field were in work (88 versus 41 percent).

Public spending on secondary education up

Public spending on secondary education has risen by more than the number of pupils in the last decade. The effect of this increase has been largest for staff in secondary schools. The number of full-time equivalents rose by 22 percent, the number of pupils by 5 percent.

For the most recent figures and publications on education see the Education theme page on www.cbs.nl.