Grapes, Grain and Grey Cats: Binary Dynamics in Dutch Higher Education

Abstract

It appears that increasing vocationalisation in higher education is an issue in many countries. Economic considerations have been prominent among the outside pressures being put on higher education in recent years, with governments in a number of countries actively involved in creating structural conditions that are supposed to resemble markets. Competition for both students and financial resources is the order of the day (e.g. Neave, 1990), while higher education as such is perceived more and more as an instrument to bring about economic growth in both nation states and supranational entities like the European Community (Task Force, 1991). Perhaps Australia is the most extreme case in this respect, with the concept of the clever country (Higher Education Council, 1991). But in many other countries the same instrumentalist view of higher education has become part and parcel of government policy in an attempt either to revitalise ailing economies the United Kingdom is an obvious example in this respect or actually to create market economies, as is happening in Central and Eastern Europe (e.g. Cerych, 1990; Hendrichova, 1991). Notwithstanding the fact that market-like elements are playing an increasing role, European higher education systems by and large are public systems in which governments are the main providers of resources, and these public systems still conform to the golden rule. As governments are prepared to back their increasingly instrumentalist orientation on higher education with cash through various priority schemes and forms of selective funding, this seems to imply that the system is becoming more vocationally oriented. Considered in the above context, vocationalism appears to suggest an emphasis on economic relevance and readily applicable skills and knowledge. There is no denying that these are indeed the essential ingredients of the vocational concept. However, there also is no denying that over the years the concept has acquired a somewhat negative image. As Silver & Brennan state: