Their main objective has been to offer high quality education to foreign students, especially those coming from developing countries and countries in transition. Dutch higher education is regulated by Dutch law. Several education acts provide for a strict system of quality control which ensures the maintenance of high standards from an international point of view. The process of earning a doctorate normally takes four years or more and consists of conducting independent research and writing a dissertation.
All communication is done directly with the institute concerned.
The first step is to find a supervisor, known in the Netherlands as a promotor, and to agree on the research topic. After the research proposal has been approved by the faculty a period of research follows. Foreign students often conduct much of this research in their own country. The dissertation will have to be written and defended orally in the Netherlands. A residence permit is granted for the duration of the training only and does not allow the student to work.