General
Hanzehogeschool Groningen (HG – 26.000 students, 2.400 staff) is a university of Applied Sciences. It offers courses in almost all fields of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands: Economics & Business, Health, Social Studies, Education, Engineering &Technology, Fine & Performing Arts, Sport Studies, Communication & Information. Education is organized in 19 schools, and Applied Research in seven Research Centres, linked to the relevant schools.
Most study programmes are Bachelor programmes; an increasing number of Master programmes is offered, and new ones are under development. Among them, some Joint European Master programmes are being developed in cooperation with universities abroad.
As University of Applied Sciences, HG maintains strong relations with the professional fields related to the schools. Apart from Bachelor and Master courses, HG also offers tailor-made courses, consultancy and applied research to business, industry and the not-for-profit sector. Especially in the Northern provinces of the Netherlands.
The university has been, and still is, involved in many projects funded by European programmes; in more than half of these projects as coordinating organization. HG is also involved in development cooperation projects in Africa and Asia, funded by the Dutch government.
Unit involved in the project
The Research and Innovation Centre for Rehabilitation, linked to both the School of Social Studies and School of Nursing, will be the central unit involved in the proposed project. It is the only specific centre in this field in the Netherlands.
Rehabilitation is defined here as supporting people with psychiatric disabilities in the exploration, selection and achievement of personal goals and aims concerning their activities and participation in society, improving this participation and their sense of involvement. This support can consist of both individual guidance and normalization or adaptation of the persons social environment. Central terms in this are healing (recovering from the effects of a psychiatric disability), empowerment (discovering and using one’s own strength) and experience (integration and sharing of personal experiences).
The proposed project fits with one of the central themes of the Centre: Rehabilitation in the field of Education and Labour.
With regard to Supported Education programmes, the Centre maintains strong contacts with Community Colleges (involved in adult education) and with Mental Health Organizations in the region and nationally.
Previous activities in supported education
HG has signed a convenant with the Foundation Handicap and Study about addressing the problems of students with disabilities completing their study. Within a broader project about diversity, special training programmes for students with (psychiatric) disabilities have been developed, and are now part of the standard offer of student counselling of the so called Hanze success centre.
Together with Rehabilitatie ’92 (Utrecht), the Research and Innovation Centre for Rehabilitation has established the Centre of Expertise for Supported Education. This Centre is involved in research, training (both for students themselves as professional working with these) and consultancy in the field of Supported Education.
Role in the project
Hanze University Groningen will:
a – Coordinate the project, and take care of the formal aspects, finances and reporting.
b – Coordinate the project in terms of content and monitoring.
c – Perform the assessments in the Netherlands.
d – Describe good practices from the Netherlands.
e – Play a coordinating role in developing the toolkit and manual.
g – Create and maintain the website.
h – Organize the first European conference on Supported Education.
The coordinating Professor of the Centre for Rehabilitation will be supported by staff from the International- (International Relations Manager) and Financial Department (Controller, Account Manager), experienced in running international (European) projects. It will also be integrated in the four months financial reporting system of the university.