Quality culture Over the past few years, Howest has built a strong quality culture. Our shared values Serve – Empower – Care contribute to the improvement of daily practice and the image of our university of applied sciences and arts. In addition, a quality culture implies a mutual responsibility, whereby we share experiences with one another, are open to a development-oriented dialogue and feel ourselves owner of the organization. Our quality care system also contributes to the creation of a quality culture. Each staff member is co-owner of quality and quality care. We reflect with all our stakeholders on the quality of study programmes and take appropriate actions to further develop the study programmes. Quality care At Howest, we currently work with a six-year quality cycle. Eight quality criteria are the touchstone for all quality care initiatives. The quality criteria include both the European standards for qualitative higher education and the elements which are important for the realization of the vision of Howest. Quality care is embedded in the daily functioning of the study programme. The team collects feedback with all stakeholders about all quality criteria. This both formally and informally. After three years, we carry out an internal quality test, the Howest Study Programme Test (Howest Opleidingstoets). An external panel reflects together with the study department and with the stakeholders about the quality criteria of the study programme. These are discussed in relation to one another and tested. On the basis of an appreciative approach, we come to a shared reflection. At the end of the quality care cycle, after six years, a study programme audit is carried out by an external partner. This partner has the assignment to assess whether the study programme minimally meets the basic quality as described in our quality criteria or whether it exceeds it. The external auditor assesses on the basis of available documents and a conversation with all stakeholders; this assessment takes one and a half day. Results of Howest Study Programme Tests and external study programme audits are submitted to the management committee and the boards of directors. They give appropriate effect to it. Adjustments in response to internal or external quality tests are effected according to a plan and are recorded in the annual quality care report. Improvement trajectories are recorded in the policy plan of the study department and are, in this way, structurally followed up by the university of applied sciences and arts. Our approach to quality assurance of our study programmes is described in the brochure below: Quality assurance study programmes Our reference framework for training quality assurance (the eight quality criteria) is described in the brochure below: Quality criteria study programme The schedule for study programme evaluations is included in the overview below: Schedule study programme evaluations On the website Opleiding in cijfers (a page from the Flemish Government), you can find more information about the profile or our study programmes. These indicators are not a measure of the quality of the study programmes. They represent the available data in Flanders regarding the student population and the study success rates (from the past). For more information about your chances of success and study choice, do not hesitate to contact Howest. Below, you'll find the links to the information about the quality of each study programme: Advanced bachelor Advanced Bachelor of Bioinformatics Bachelor Applied Architecture Bachelor Applied Computer Science Bachelor Applied Health and Lifestyle Sciences Bachelor Applied Psychology Bachelor Built Environment Bachelor Business Management Bachelor Communication Management Bachelor Creative Technologies and Artificial Intelligence Bachelor Digital Arts and Entertainment Bachelor Digital Design and Development Bachelor Energy Management Bachelor Human Resources Management Bachelor Industrial Product Design Bachelor Journalism Bachelor Multimedia and Creative Technologies Bachelor Network Economy Bachelor Nursing Bachelor Occupational Therapy Bachelor Short Track Teacher Training: Secondary Education Bachelor Social Rehabilitation Sciences Bachelor Social Work Bachelor Sports and Movement Bachelor Teacher Training: Pre-Primary Education Bachelor Teacher Training: Primary Education Bachelor Teacher Training: Secondary Education Bachelor Tourism and Recreation Management Associate degree Accounting Administration Associate degree Building and Construction Drafting Associate degree Computer Programming Associate degree Digital Design Associate degree HR Support Associate degree Industrial Informatics Associate degree Internet of Things Associate degree Marketing and Communication Support Associate degree Short Track Teacher Training: Secondary Education Associate degree Social Educational Care Work Associate degree Social Work Associate degree Transport and Logistics Associate degree Travel Support Institutional review The institutional review is a periodic assessment of the quality of the educational policy of an institution. An external commission carries out the review by order of the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie (NVAO).In 2024, it was Howest's turn. The commission delved into the institution's vision and policy, policy implementation, monitoring and improvement policy. And we scored particularly well!“The commission experienced Howest as an entrepreneurial, innovative college that is future-oriented and student-centered. Commission Perspectives"We experienced Howest as an entrepreneurial, innovative college that is future-oriented and student-centered. The interviewees showed a dynamic organization with an international appeal that attaches importance to values-driven action and responds to market demands. Ambition is in surplus, ambition that is reinforced by a strong vision of education and a lived culture of quality in all parts of the organization." - Ann Demeulemeester & Suzanne Koster, co-chairs of the review commission.A team-effort"This positive report confirms the innovative and entrepreneurial nature of our University of Applied Sciences and the forward-thinking approach of our Howest community. At Howest, the student is central, and that was clearly recognized by the commission. Our students experience Howest as a safe place where everyone counts, you can't get nicer feedback as a University of Applied Sciences. We are a values-driven institution with structural input from the field, which allows us to always keep our education future-proof. The close-knit, engaged teams at all levels of our organization carry and help realize Howest's vision and goals. The entire Howest community is therefore very proud of the extremely positive report we achieved together." Frederik D'hulster - PresidentStudent-centeredThe commission spoke separately with a group of Howest students. They describe Howest as open-minded, accessible, personal, modern, practical, future-oriented, international (but also local), atmospheric, quality, and as a safe place where everyone counts.As additional positives, students report that there is a lot of attention to the individual and to customization, that there is now more attention to students' mental health, and that the small groups in which to work are a plus.Focus on qualityThe commission notes that quality culture and quality assurance have permeated the day-to-day operations of the entire organization. In all interviews, the commission found Howest's mission, vision and values with the specific DNA of the institution to be distinctly present.There is a visible open culture that is essential to good operations, with a healthy self-critical attitude. Great ownership among all stakeholders is expressed in all dialogues. People know how to find each other thanks to the short lines of communication. Moreover, there is a lot of bottom-up initiative: the innovation is tangible.Approriate organizational structureIn addition, great importance is attached to values-driven action and the institutional management responds agilely to market demands. The commission notes that thorough consideration has been given to an appropriate organizational structure, which is now developing considerably with the sharp increase in the number of students.Read the report of the commission Het rapport van Howest Lees hier het officiële bericht van de NVAO en ontdek ons volledige rapport in detail!Lees het rapport