The Code of Conduct review conducted in 2021/2022 led to various adjustments and improvements. They include a new provision requiring the National Commission to review all the institutions in the register once every six years in the light of specific articles. The review concerns Article 1 (definition of education institution), Article 2.1h (information about the Code of Conduct), Article 5.2 (determination and application of minimum language requirements) and Article 6.2 (accreditation requirements for the study programmes offered). The review has been given the name Register Survey.
The main purpose of the survey is to determine whether education institutions continue to comply with the Code of Conduct with regard to the aspects being reviewed. The results of the survey are intended to enable the National Commission to determine whether action is needed. These results will not be included in a survey report which will be published but rather will be used to highlight to institutions where improvement is needed in relation to certain aspects. In preparation for this survey, an inclusive and transparent approach, aligning with various stakeholders, was adopted. The survey design, for example, was carefully aligned with various parties, including the umbrella organisations, the education inspectorate and the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). These organisations were chosen in particular to ensure a correct and consistent approach to the definitions used as well as laws and regulations. The resulting survey questions are in line with those used when an education institution submits an initial request for inclusion in the Code of Conduct register.
The National Commission sees several positive outcomes from the initial edition of this Register Survey. Ten education institutions were approached and all agreed to take part. The survey did not reveal any findings that cast doubt on the institutions’ proper compliance with the Code of Conduct. Reference to the accreditation status of the study programmes offered was a notably positive highlight: most of the ten education institutions provide clear information on this on their websites. A less positive finding related to the information provided on the Code of Conduct through the website: three of the ten institutions either provided no information on the Code of Conduct or provided information that was difficult to locate, or only offered information on the Dutch part of their website.
Finally, one education institution concluded, based on the Register Survey, that being included in the Code of Conduct register did not provide any discernible benefits. The institution in question does not offer study programmes with recognised sponsorship, has no international students and has no plans to take them in the foreseeable future. After proper consultation, this institution’s registration was therefore terminated.
In 2024, the National Commission will again ask a number of education institutions to take part in the Register Survey.