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The overview below sets out the most important differences between studying at a research university and at a university of applied sciences. Research University (WO) University of Applied Sciences (HBO) ‘Why’. Abstract, analytical skills, theoretical, asking questions. The emphasis is on learning to look analytically and critically at the ...
Research university (WO): The emphasis is on learning to look analytically and critically at the way a certain field can be approached. Higher professional education (HBO): Higher professional education trains for a specific profession. You apply your knowledge and work in a solution-oriented way.
Upon completion of the pre-master, the HBO graduate is able to enroll in the target Masters program that the pre-master grants access to. However, an HBO bachelor graduate is able to directly enroll in a 'research' university Masters's degree abroad.
HBO or Hogeschool institutes are focused on applied higher education and usually offer 4-year Bachelor programs geared more towards the practical labor market. The academic universities (WO) are the highest possible level of education in the Netherlands.
Tertiary (higher) education in the Netherlands is made up of hoger beroepsonderwijs – HBO (higher vocational education) and wetenschappelijk onderwijs – WO (scientific/academic education). These 2 forms of education are provided by hogescholen (polytechnics / universities of applied science) and universities respectively.
In this dual system, higher professional education (HBO) is offered by universities of applied sciences (hogescholen), while research-oriented education is traditionally offered by research universities, such as Radboud University.
