'The DU is not a new educational institute but an extension of the participating organisations', emphasises board member Hans Roosendaal, involved in the project on behalf of the UT. The participants are the Free University, the University of Amsterdam, the Open University and, at present, five 'hogescholen'.
The organisations joining forces last year was prompted by the changing demand for education. More people want to learn and work at the same time and life-long learning is on the rise, according to the business-plan.
The Digital University wants to take advantage of these trends by developing and exploiting digital education with products like on-line teaching material, electronic teaching environments and new teaching contexts. One could think of selling separate modules at bachelor-master level to educational institutes. With regard to business the DU wants to make itself known as supplier of courses and short educational programmes. But businesses can also come to the DU for the implementation of a digital teaching environment.
This month Secretary Hermans will look at the business-plan agreed to by the four universities and the five 'hogescholen'. The original number of participating 'hogescholen' was eight, but three of them pulled out at an early stage. According to Roosendaal negotiations with new 'hogescholen' are taking place. 'We expect to reach eight after all.'
The official kick-off meeting of the DU is planned for april and in September the first people interested should be able to enter the DU-site.
What will the DU cost the UT?
'We have to put in three million annually, like the other universities. Half of that we earn back by selling products, modules for example.'
What are the advantages to the UT?
'We can share the development cost of products, they will therefore be cheaper. And we can purchase products that we could not have made ourselves.'
Relatively few universities are participating. Why is the UT?
'The UT, because it is a small university with a limited spectrum, has to profit from strategic alliances to be able to meet the demand for demand-driven education. The DU is such an alliance.'
