New step for the Kies Op Maat alliance: eduXchange as the technical infrastructure
How can we make it easier for students to add courses from other institutions to their studies at their home institution? This question (and the initial exploration of this by students) led to the creation of the ‘Keuzevakkengids’ in 2005, known as ‘Kies Op Maat’ (KOM) from 2007 onwards. More than 30 universities of applied sciences and universities are now affiliated with this national alliance.
More than 20 years later, the question behind Kies Op Maat is more relevant than ever. In order to continue to meet the growing demand for cross-institutional education, KOM will therefore be using the more technically advanced platform eduXchange.
Less manual work, more opportunities for exchange
EduXchange has been offered as a service by SURF since this month and has already been extensively tested by pilot partners. The platform automates more steps in the process surrounding cross-institutional education. This reduces the administrative workload for institutions.
The switch also makes it easier to expand cross-institutional education.EduXchange is already being used by various alliances, including the European university alliance EuroTeQ. Other Dutch and European alliances are also set to join. This will make it easier for KOM alliance members to exchange courses with a wider range of institutions at home and abroad, from secondary vocational education to universities.
Growing need for flexible education
This technical step forward is in line with a broader trend in education. AI and other technological developments are rapidly transforming professions and fields of study. This calls for study programmes that can adapt and accommodate people who return to education more frequently during their careers. Students also want greater freedom to shape their own learning pathways.
This makes it increasingly important to make education accessible across institutional boundaries. With eduXchange, Kies Op Maat gains a technical foundation that can grow alongside these developments.
The future: applying, enrolling and registering
EduXchange is the first key building block of the broader ‘Register, Enrol, Sign up’ (AII) system that is being delivered. In the AII project, Npuls, Studielink, CAMBO and SURF are collaborating on a single technical platform for application, enrolment and course registration, ensuring these processes link seamlessly. This would enable a student, from a single interface, to apply to an institution, enrol on a degree programme and register for a course module at their own institution or a host institution.