High-quality, innovative education
At Maastricht University, we believe in providing our students with an education that the best possible preparation for their future career. Like many other universities, we regularly review our programmes, for example through student evaluations and through surveys amongst our graduates. Based on these studies we implement changes that improve our programmes. But we also go on where many other universities don't - we actively try to come up with new and innovative education concepts. We even have an office dedicated to providing our staff with the tools they need to give you the best possible education: EDLAB.
EDLAB
Edlab is Maastricht University's Insitute for Educational Innovation. Are you curious about how EDLAB tries to improve education? Here are some examples of topics that scientists and instructors at EDLAB are currently investigating, or have investigated in the past:
- best practices and innovations for Problem-Based Learning
- creating meaningful and effective assessment procedures
- improving the integration of Dutch and international students
- using new technologies in our educational programmes
In addition to coming up with new innovations in education, EDLAB is also responsible for:
- helping UM instructors and examination committees improve assessment procedures
- improving Problem-Based Learning by sharing best practices
- managing Maastricht University’s UM-wide excellence programmes PREMIUM, MaRBle and Honours+
Fast Facts
- Maastricht University is one of the few universities that actively works on new innovations in education
- All of our programmes are accredited by the NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders
Educational quality assurance
Maastricht University also has several systems in place to maintain and improve the quality of education.
NVAO accreditation
All UM bachelor’s and master’s programmes are accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. NVAO is an independent accreditation organisation established by the Dutch and Flemish governments that provides expert and objective assessment of the quality of higher education in Flanders and the Netherlands. Maastricht University has also received NVAO’s ‘Distinctive Quality Feature for Internationalisation’, which acknowledges the special focus on internationalisation which is a key point of attention for UM.
Quality assurance
Additionally, Maastricht University also has an internal quality assurance system that ensures that our students attain the highest learning outcomes possible. Our goal is to ensure that our students attain the highest learning outcomes possible. For example, we collect data to determine how to maximise the added value of our international student population in our educational model. We also investigate the added value of new communication techniques, and the most effective assessment methods to promote the learning process.
The results of these quality assurance assessments reveal the benefits of involving students in research early, and of addressing the real-life problems of companies and institutions in our courses. We are continuing to work on these areas. Our goal is for 85% of our students to be satisfied to very satisfied with their programmes.
Did you know…
Innovation in education has been at the core of Maastricht University ever since it was founded in 1976 - it was the first university to successfully introduce Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in all of its programmes.