Funding depends on the level of the organising institution in the case of secondary education [see 3.1.1] (but with the specific regulations for the modular education concept), adult education [3.3.1] or higher education [see below].
The required budget for the new programmes will gradually increase. The main investment relates to the planned extra programmes in the university colleges.
Funding for the integrated teacher training programmes at university colleges is governed by the HE financing decree, like the other bachelor's degrees. The specific teacher training programme is governed by the university colleges decree if it is run at a university college, by the universities decree if run at a university and by the adult education decree if run at a Centre for Adult Education.
In 2008, a new financing system for the whole of higher education (university colleges and universities) was introduced (decree of 14 March 2008 concerning the financing of the operations of the Flemish university colleges and universities). The system was adapted by the decree of 13 July 2012 on the integration of academic programmes in the universities.
This new financing systems aims:
A fully integrated method to calculate the operational resources of universities and university colleges has as yet not been achievable due to the fact that these two types of education each have a different historical background and come with their own specific finalities. For that reason, it was decided to implement a model of sub-budgets for the various types of education. (The amounts specified here are price level 2011).
From budget year 2014 onwards, the fixed education lump sum payment will be divided among the university colleges (59.6 million euro), the schools of arts (3.8 million euro) and the universities (42.49 million euro).
We shall further elucidate these sub-budgets.
The associations each receive a fixed amount of 100 000 euro to be posted to a separate budget item (the association lump-sum).
Additional resources
As well as the lump sum payment there are additional resources:
These will be decided upon again once the academisation process has been completed in 2013. A separate financing arrangement has been developed for the Higher Maritime Institute.
More details: http://onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/beleid/financiering/
University colleges and universities will be able to use the resources from the Incentives Fund to take initiatives on equal opportunities and diversity within higher education and more specifically to take measures to boost the entry, progression and completion of students coming from population groups which are currently underrepresented within higher education.
To this end, the higher education institutions conclude a management agreement with the government. The first management agreements expired at the end of 2012, and the results have been evaluated. On the basis of the results of this evaluation, the system will be modified by 2013. In 2008, this fund had €3 million at its disposal, from 2009 it will be able to bank on €6 million euro a year.
The Open Higher Education study centres receive an annual contribution to the funding of their activities of 632 000 euro. This amount is distributed over the 6 centres according to a fixed component of max. 7 500 euro per centre, a fixed component of max. 15 000 euro for the centre in charge of coordination and the relations with the Dutch Open University, a variable component in which the amount remaining is divided over the centres in proportion to the number of exam-right registrations at the Dutch Open University.
Henceforth, every student embarking on higher education gets a study credit of 140 credits. At the time of registration the number of credits taken up is deducted from this study credit. Acquired credits are added back onto this study credit, the first 60 even twice (in the case of degree contracts only). This is an extra reserve for students who decide to get down to work after an initial bad start in higher education, for example. Students without study credit cannot be financed. The institutions can decide for themselves whether they register these students and may seek higher tuition fees (maximum double of the normal registration fees). The study credit is not used when students register for a bridging programme or a preparatory programme. Neither is it used for registrations under an exam contract.
When a Master's degree is obtained, the initial study credit of 140 credits is once again deducted from the study credit. Within the framework of lifelong and lifewide learning the study credit of any student leaving higher education is once again, on a one-off basis, brought back up to 60 credits, regardless of the fact whether the student has any study credit left: to that effect 10 credits are added every year. These 60 credits can then once again be used when they register for an initial Bachelor's or Master's programme again.
From now on, higher-education students can follow-up their study credit online on http://www.studentenportaal.be./
Every year, higher education institutions receive an amount for student facilities, intended to promote equal access to and participation in higher education for all students by offering material and non-material assistance and services and by removing factors which represent obstacles to studying. The decree of 29 June 2012 sets out a new, uniform system for university colleges and universities. The following have access to this system: students enrolled with a degree or credit contract and students attending a programme in the context of international mobility and exchanges; and students on an associate degree course organised by a Centre for Adult Education and pupils on an associate degree course in nursing organised by an institution for secondary education, provided these institutions have entered into a collaboration agreement concerning the associate degree course with a university college. The higher education institutions should set up a student facilities service that is easy for students to use and a student facilities council, half of whose members should be elected from among the students, pupils and those taking courses. Among other things, the student facilities council should draw up a policy plan, annual and multi-annual budget and annual report.
For the decree of 29 June 2012, see
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=14396
For student facilities council resources, see http://onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/beleid/financiering/
The financing decree will be evaluated before 2014. By 2018, an additional evaluation will be performed of the universities' internal allocation models in relation to the points weightings applied, with a particular focus on the programmes that have been integrated into the universities in the meantime.
Via the Special Research Fund, universities can pursue their own policy on fundamental and pioneering research. To that end, the government provides a total budget of 104 million euro. The funds allocated to each university are decided on the basis of a distribution code. This code consists of various components which refer to the institutions' research capacity and their research results (number of researchers, number of doctorates conferred, etc.). The number of publications and citations in highly-rated scientific journals also come into play here. To measure the number of publications and citations, the Web of Science (WoS) is employed but this international bibliographic database chiefly contains leading journals from the world of engineering, natural and life sciences. As a result, researchers involved in social and human sciences used to complain that their work was not properly valued when it came to distributing research funds and resources. So, for that reason a decision has been taken to put more store on the work of social and human-sciences researchers. This is accomplished by using a broader set of international publication and citation indexes in the BOF-funds' distribution code and by developing a Flemish Academic Bibliographic Database for the Social and Human Sciences (VABB-SHW). With the technical support from the R&D Centre of Excellence, Flemish researchers from the world of social and human sciences will build up a database containing articles and publications of high scientific value which do not feature in the existing international databases. This will also make it possible to assess Dutch-language publications on their merits. Moreover, the expansion also means that monographs and articles in books will be taken into consideration. This will also affect the basic financing of the universities. The VABB-SHW will be used to distribute the variable research funds and resources.
As a result of the rearrangement of the BOF funds, from budget year 2012 onwards the calculation and management of the BOF distribution code will be transferred to the Department for the Economy, Science and Innovation.
Financial autonomy and control depends on the level of the organising institution: secondary education [see 3.1.2], adult education [3.3.1] or higher education [see below].
Institutions are allocated operational resources in the form of a 'lump sum'. They decide autonomously how these resources are distributed and must draw up rules in this regard. However, they are bound by a minimum number of decree stipulations, e.g. regarding the recruitment and appointment of staff.
Compliance with these rules is supervised by a Commissioner of the Flemish Government and an inspector from the FPS Finance. The commissioner can appeal a decision from the institution and then the Flemish Government has to adjudicate on that decision. These commissioners of the Flemish Government at the university colleges and universities form one board which meets at least 6 times per year and reports to the Flemish Government on an annual basis. The commissioners are appointed for a period of five years. Their powers are limited, safeguarding the institutions' decisionmaking freedom. (Decree of the Flemish government of 5 September 2003).
Registration fees depend on the level of the organising institution: secondary education [see 3.1.3], adult education [3.3.2] or higher education [see below].
Students who register for a number of credits enter into a study contract with a certain institution. The Decree on flexibilisation specifies three types of study contracts (see 7.2.1.5].
Tuition fees are regulated by the Decree of 30 April 2004 concerning the flexibilisation of higher education. This depends on whether
Henceforth, students in the last year of secondary education can also register under a credit contract. Under a credit contract of up to 10 credits they pay only half of the tuition fees grant-rate students are charged.
In addition to the decree of 30 april 2004 on study financing and student facilities in higher education, the decree of 8 june 2007 now regulates study financing in the whole of the education system in the Flemish Community.
School allowances in nursery education, compulsory education and higher education are allocated on the basis of the same allocation criteria and on foot of a family file that covers all the children within one and the same family across all levels of education.
AHOVOS (the Agency for Higher Education, Adult Education and Study Allowances) has set up a specific website for school and study allowances: http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/studietoelagen/
The study allowance depends on the level of the organising institution: secondary education [3.1.1], adult education [3.3.1] or higher education [see beow].
There is no age restriction for those taking the nursing programme.
Study financing will be extended to those taking HBO5 programmes and those taking the general training in second-chance education.
There are three groups of conditions:
Financial conditions: here the following is taken into consideration:
In 2010-2011, 44 028 study allowances were paid out to students in higher education, for an average amount of €1,651.15. (Figures as at 30/09/2011; Study allowances - general data).
Study financing is now regulated on a integrated basis for all educational levels by the decree of 8 June 2007. (See 3.1-4).
Support options depend on the level of the organising institution: secondary [3.1.5], adult education [3.3.3] or higher education [see below].
Students who spend time (with a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of one academic year) abroad under the Erasmus Programme may qualify for a mobility grant from the Flemish Community.
Education grants are also provided by several authorities such as the Provincial Commissions for Foundations of Study Allowances, or within the framework of European exchange programmes and also by various private organisations and foundations. Grants are also available for studies abroad and scientific research.
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/studietoelagen/faq/ander_studiebeurzen_NL.htm
Students suffering from functional disabilities can avail of financing for special learning tools.
Doctoral students may be funded by the university as university assistants or in the form of doctoral fellowships or by the Fund for Scientific Research and related funds. Doctorate students may also finance their own doctoral studies, however this is rather rare.
Study loans are granted by all kinds of private financial organisations and foundations.
The higher-education institutions also provide numerous social facilities (a.o. student restaurants and accommodation). University colleges now receive the same level of subsidies for such services as the universities.
Non-subsidised and non-recognised educational initiatives are extremely few in number. The Department of Education does not collect data concerning them.
We deal with subsidised and recognised independent education together with public education.