Quality of teaching receives positive assessment:

The quality of teaching at the University of Groningen has received a great boost thanks to measures which the UG implemented after reaching agreements on quality with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The review committee which assessed the implementation of the measures was impressed: ‘ a beautiful achievement.’ All aspects of the UG were assessed as positive by the committee.

In terms of quality, excellence and study success the UG scored very highly.

The committee wishes to emphasise its appreciation of the progress made with regard to success rates in the Bachelor's programme and participation in excellence education. Combined with the measures taken to improve teaching quality through professional development and the encouragement of talent, this amounts to a top-level achievement. The chair of the committee praised the UG as ‘the most ambitious University of the Netherlands.’

Sibrand Poppema, President of the Board of the University: ‘This underscores the quality of the UG. The performance agreements are drawn directly from our Strategic Plan 2010-2015. We are proud to have achieved the goals and ambitions that we had defined for ourselves, thanks to the enormous commitment of our staff.’

UTQ

The progress with regard to the UTQ (University Teaching Qualification) is spectacular. The UTQ quality standard for teaching staff was drawn up by the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU). This means that certified teaching staff are recognized as qualified to teach at university level by all other participating institutions of higher education, without further testing, Whereas in 2011 only 14.8% of teaching staff had gained the UTQ, that figure is now 85.4%, higher than the UTQ level at any other Dutch university.

Student success rates

In addition to increasing the UTQ rates, the UG has invested a lot in improving student success. The success rates in the Bachelor's programmes (the share of students who gain their Bachelor’s degree certificates within 4 years), for example, increased from 53.6% in 2011 to 75.2% in 2015. Switching rates have been reduced as well. In addition much has been achieved in improving employability services.

Professional development

The UG will continue the professional development of teaching staff after 2015. In addition to the UTQ, the University of Groningen offers three other professional development tracks: the Senior Teaching Qualification, the Educational Leadership programme, and Permanent Education. Plans for professional development are agreed upon when new staff is recruited or when promotion is considered. Facilities are made available to temporary teaching staff as well.