Terra, Drenthe College and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences to begin exploring opportunities for collaboration

DRENTHE/GRONINGEN – On the initiative of Terra, the Boards of Terra, Drenthe College and NHL Stenden will be exploring potential forms of collaboration over the coming months. The objective is to maintain and further strengthen (prevocational) education for pupils and students in the Northern Netherlands. In doing so, the continuity of green prevocational secondary education (VMBO) and senior secondary vocational education (MBO) will be safeguarded as much as possible, as this greatly affects the labour market in the Northern Netherlands. Green education is at the heart of social issues, which need to be solved in education by working together and with care for each other and the world around us. Terra, Drenthe College and NHL Stenden will be joining forces to achieve this.

Collaboration

Strong, green vocational education is important for the Northern Netherlands. In order to guarantee continuity, Terra has been searching for a collaboration or merger partner. A partnership between Terra and Drenthe College is the best way to secure green education for the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen, as crossovers between their study programmes can result in broader education. For Drenthe College, this offers unique opportunities that align with the economic agendas of both northern provinces.

Terra also expressed an interest in involving a higher professional education partner. Given the strong collaboration between NHL Stenden and Drenthe College in RegioCampus Emmen and the scope of the programme portfolio, inviting NHL Stenden to join this regional collaboration is a logical step. This will strengthen the special and unique secondary vocational education programmes – from the cities of Assen, Meppel and Emmen – with learning continuity pathways to higher professional education (HBO).

Exploratory studies

Two exploratory studies are being carried out, and both are logical at this time given the challenges that both the education system and our region are currently facing. The first study comprises an investigation into an extensive collaboration between Terra and Drenthe College, potentially resulting in a merger.

The second study concerns an investigation into the option of creating a broad MBO/HBO coalition in and with green vocational education in Drenthe and Groningen. Terra, Drenthe College and NHL Stenden are involved in this administrative exploration. Collaboration is taking place within the regions and in cities such as Emmen, Assen and Meppel, where these institutions are already located. A relationship is also established with existing coalitions such as Noorderpoort, Alfa-college and Drenthe College, and with Terra's collaboration partners.

These administrative explorations will take some time and are expected to be finalised after the summer. Depending on the results, further follow-up steps will subsequently be formulated.

A broad spectrum of education

The starting point for these exploratory studies is an interest – both now and in the future – in continuing to offer high-quality, accessible (prevocational) education in the Northern Netherlands region. These institutions strive for a broad spectrum of (green) education, an education transfer from secondary education (VO) to MBO and education that enables adults to continue developing throughout their lives. In short: education that binds students to the region and that the region can continue developing.

Education in the northern regions faces challenges. Major issues such as the energy transition and climate change, a rapidly changing labour market, a declining trend in youth numbers and an increasing desire and demand for retraining, refresher training and further training all require collaborative efforts.