Evaluation of the Netherlands
Fellowship Programme (NFP)
2002-2010
Final report
Client: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Rotterdam, 11 June 2012

Evaluation of the Netherlands
Fellowship Programme (NFP)
2002-2010
Final report

Client: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ruud van der Aa
Anja Willemsen
Susan Warmerdam
Supported by: Annemieke Biesma, Eva van der Boom, Gwen de Bruin, Sander van Cuyk and
Anneke Slob

Rotterdam, 11 June 2012

About Ecorys

At Ecorys we aim to deliver real benefit to society through the work we do. We offer research,
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Table of contents

Glossary

7

Acknowledgements

9

Summary

11

1

2

Introduction

21

1.1 Justification of the evaluation

21

1.2 Key evaluation questions and evaluation criteria

22

1.3 Scope of the evaluation

23

1.4 Methodology and organisation of the evaluation

24

1.5 Strengths and limitations of the evaluation

26

1.6 Structure of the report

27

The NFP programme (2002-2010)

29

2.1 Introduction

29

2.2 Short overview of the programme
Objective

29

2.2.2

NFP Modalities

29

2.2.3

Geographical scope

31

2.2.4

Target groups

31

2.2.5

NFP course list

31

2.3 Implementation of NFP
2.3.1

Main stakeholders

2.4 Key changes in NFP policies in 2002 and 2008

3

29

2.2.1

32
32
35

2.4.1

Introduction of the new NFP in 2002

35

2.4.2

Introduction of the renewed NFP in 2008

36

2.4.3

Operationalisation of general policies in NFP

37

2.5 Analysis of enrolment in the NFP

38

2.6 Reconstruction of the intervention logic

41

2.7 Interests of NFP stakeholders

47

2.8 Comparison of NFP policies with policies of other key players

48

2.9 Synergy with NPT/NICHE

51

Relevance

53

3.1 Introduction

53

3.2 Labour market needs of developing countries

53

3.3 Relevance of higher education for developing countries

55

3.4 The role of fellowships

56

3.5 Motives of fellows to participate in the NFP

59

3.6 Motives of employers to support NFP fellows

60

3.7 Relevance of NFP for Dutch higher education

61

3.8 Conclusions

62

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

3

4

Effectiveness

65

4.1 Introduction

65

4.2 Completion rate of courses

65

4.3 Benefits of the NFP at individual level
4.3.1

Perceived value of NFP and education and training provided

4.3.2

Effects on career development

4.4 Utilisation of NFP knowledge
4.4.1

Conducive and hindering factors and conditions

Useful elements of NFP
4.5 Effects of the NFP at organisational level

5

6

7

4

66
66
68
73
74
75
76

4.5.1

Utilisation of NFP knowledge in the organisation

76

4.5.2

Perceived benefits at organisational level

77

4.5.3

Conducive and hindering factors and conditions at institutional level

79

4.6 Conclusion

81

Impact

83

5.1 Impacts on the wider socio-economic development

83

5.2 Impact on economic and political relations with the Netherlands

85

5.3 Conclusion

86

Efficiency

89

6.1 Introduction

89

6.2 The NFP budget

89

6.3 Price regulation

90

6.4 Costs of the NFP

91

6.4.1

Expenditures by type of fellowships

91

6.4.2

Management costs of NFP

91

6.4.3

Cost of grants per modality

91

6.4.4

Development of tuition fees

92

6.4.5

Cost calculation per modality

94

6.5 Cost inefficiencies

97

6.6 Comparison with similar fellowships

97

6.7 Role of the alumni networks and alumni offices

99

6.8 Division of responsibilities

100

6.9 Conclusions

102

Conclusions and options for the future

105

7.1 Conclusions

105

7.2 Options for the future

108

Literature

111

Interviews in the Netherlands

117

Annex to chapter 1

119

Annex to chapter 2

123

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Annex 4

Results of the NFP alumni questionnaire per modality

133

Annex 5

Results of the NFP employers questionnaire

163

Country reports

173

Country report Bangladesh

175

Country Report Ethiopia

187

Country Report Ghana

205

Country Report Uganda

221

NFP Alumni Questionnaire

241

NFP Employers Questionnaire

257

Terms of Reference

273

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

5

Glossary

Alumni

Individuals that completed one of the NFP modalities (Alumnus for singular)

Alumni

Employing organization the fellow was working for before (s)he entered NFP

employer
Applicant

Individual that requests a fellowship

DAAD

Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst

DAC

Development Assistance Committee (of the OECD)

Danida

Danish International Development Agency

DSA

Daily Subsistence Allowance

DSO

Department for Social Development

EEA

European Economic Area

EER

European Economic Region

EQ

Evaluation Question

Fellow

Individual following one of the NFP-modalities

Fellowship

Scholarship awarded to a fellow

GER

Gross enrolment rate

Graduate

Individual that completed a Masters’ degree, PhD or Short Course

HE

Higher Education

HEI

Higher Education Institute

IHE

UNESCO-IHE: Institute for Water Education

IO

Internationaal Onderwijs / International Education

IOB

Inspectie Ontwikkelingssamenwerking en Beleidsevaluatie / Policy and
Operations Evaluation Department

JICA

Japan International Cooperation Agency

ISPAC

International Study Programmes and Courses in Holland

ISS

Institute of Social Studies (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

KIT

Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen / Royal Tropical Institute

MA

Masters’ degree

MDF

MDF Training and Consultancy

Modality

Type of NFP course (Masters’ degree, PhD, Short Course, Tailor-Made
Training, Refresher course)

MSM

Maastricht School of Management

MYA

Multi Year Agreement

NAA

Netherlands Alumni Association

NFP

Netherlands Fellowship Program

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

7

NFP eligible

Only countries that are on the NFP country list are eligible for NFP

countries
NGO

Non-Governmental Organisation

NICHE

Netherlands Initiative for Capacity Building in Higher Education

Non-EEA (non-

Countries that are not a formal partner in the European Economic Area (EEA)

EER)

(Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)

NOMA

Norwegian Programme for Master Studies

Norad

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

NPT

Netherlands Programme for Institutional Strengthening of Post-secondary
Education and Training Capacity

NUFFIC

Netherlands organisation for international cooperation in higher education

OECD

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

PhD

Doctor of Philosophy

PIE

Platform for International Education (in the Netherlands)

RC

Refresher Course (one of the NFP modalities)

SC

Short Course (one of the NFP modalities)

Sub-Saharan

African countries south of the Sahara

Africa (SSA)

8

TMT

Tailor made Training (one of the NFP modalities)

ToR

Terms of Reference

VLIR-UOS

Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad – Flemish University Development Cooperation

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Acknowledgements

This report presents the results of the evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP)
as it was implemented in the period 2002-2010. It follows from an assignment conducted for the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands/ Department for Social Development (DSO) by a team
of evaluators from Ecorys Netherlands.
The overall purpose of this evaluation is to account for Netherlands funding and other inputs
provided for the NFP in the period 2002-2010 and, based on the findings of this policy evaluation,
gain lessons for future policy development and implementation.
For answering the evaluation questions that were formulated in the Terms of Reference a variety of
activities was undertaken. These activities could not have been performed without the willingness of
many people to participate in interviews, group discussions, questionnaires etc. We all thank them
for their cooperation in the evaluation.
A special word of thanks is due to the interviewees in the Netherlands (Nuffic, PIE, HE institutes,
ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the representatives of the organisations, the national ministries and
embassies which we interviewed during the country visits in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, and
Uganda. We also thank the NFP fellows and their employers who took the time to fill in the online
questionnaires or to participate in one of the interviews that took place in the Netherlands or during
the country visits.
Furthermore the evaluation team wishes to thank the members of the Reference Group that was
established for the evaluation, consisting of: Kristien Verbrugghen (VLIR), Joep Houterman (Nuffic),
Paul de Nooijer (IOB), Jannie de Graaf (DSO), Louise Anten (DSO), JanWillem Oosterbroek (DSO)
and Marian van Aalst (DS0). Co-operation with the ministry and the Reference Group has at all
times been very helpful and constructive.
Within Ecorys the core team of consultants was effectively assisted by a backstopping team
consisting of Annemieke Biesma, Gwen de Bruin, Sander van Cuyk (trainee) and Susan
Warmerdam.
The country study visits were performed by Eva van der Boom, in cooperation with Leo Dijkman
(Uganda), Anja Willemsen and Annemieke Biesma, in cooperation with Mohammed Mussa
(Ethiopia), Clemens Romijn, in cooperation with Golam Rabbani (Bangladesh), Anja Willemsen and
Annemieke Biesma, in cooperation with John Adraky (Ghana). On behalf of Ecorys Anneke Slob
was in charge of the quality control of the evaluation.
We sincerely hope that the results of this evaluation generated useful insights in the achieved
results in the period 2002-2010 and will also contribute to the future strategy of the NFP and policy
decisions for an effective and efficient management and implementation of the NFP programmes.

Ruud van der Aa
Team Leader Ecorys

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

9

Summary
Introduction
This report presents the findings of the evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP)
2002-2010. Overall, the evaluation looked at the implementation of the NFP in the period 2002 (the
year in which the programme became fully operational) until 2010. For an assessment of
effectiveness and impact, the evaluation focused on fellowships that were completed in the period
2004 to 2009. The evaluation considered all NFP modalities of the period 2002-2010, i.e. short
courses, refresher courses, PhD (sandwich) fellowships, and Master's programmes; it also included
tailor-made and multi-year agreements up till the moment that these were terminated when the
'renewed' NFP came into force (2008).
Following the Terms of Reference, the evaluation focuses on four key evaluation questions:
1. What development problems featured at the core of the design of NFP in 2002 and in 2008?

Are these still valid today, and if so for what reasons?
2. To what extent does the NFP effectively and efficiently 'help alleviate quantitative and qualitative

shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the
framework of poverty reduction in developing countries' in a sustainable manner?
3. To what extent did the Programme contribute to positive public relations for the Netherlands?
4. What lessons can be drawn on the basis of the findings regarding questions 1 to 3, and how

can they serve as inputs for future Dutch fellowship policymaking - against a background of
changing overall development policies?
These key questions were further detailed in a series of specific evaluation questions, using the
OECD/DAC criteria of policy relevance (key question 1), effectiveness and efficiency (key question
2), and impact (key question 3). The primary focus in the evaluation has been on effectiveness, with
the evaluation resulting in a number of conclusions that can be used as lessons for future policies
(key question 4).
The evaluation took place between August 2011 and March 2011 and was supervised by the
Reference Group consisting of officials of the ministry, Nuffic and an independent expert.

Characteristics and objective of the NFP
The general objective of the NFP is 'to help alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled
manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of poverty
reduction in developing countries'. In practice, the rationale of the programme is that alleviating
skills shortages will contribute to qualitatively better functioning organisations, thereby aiming to
give a qualitative impulse to society. Since the programme aims to promote the capacity building of
organisations, the educational need must be related to the institutional development of the
organisation the applicant works for. Therefore, applications must be supported by the employing
organisation. With a NFP grant, fellows are enabled to obtain a Master's or a PhD degree or follow
a short course at an education institute in the Netherlands.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

11

Between 2002 and 2010, the NFP was implemented through the provision of grants for six types of
fellowships/activities:


Short Courses offered by Dutch education institutes and comprising of professional training at
post-secondary level in several fields of study.



Master's degree programmes at Dutch higher education institutes. The NFP Nuffic awards the
grant covering the fellowship holders' costs, including the tuition fees, to the Dutch institute.



PhD studies can be pursued at 21 Dutch universities and institutes for international education.
The research proposal is agreed with one of the Dutch institutions, with the possibility for part of
the research to take place in the home country of the fellow. The maximum duration of this
fellowship is four years, with a maximum budget of €85,000.



Tailor-made Courses were organised for groups of employees, designed to meet specific
needs identified by a requesting organisation. The training courses were of brief duration (1-9
months), did not lead to a formal degree or diploma, and took place either in the Netherlands or
in the South (ended after 2008).



A Multi-Year Agreement was an agreement based on a multi-year training programme
between the programme manager (Nuffic) and an organisation in a developing country. It aimed
to help the selected organisations address their staff development needs on a more structured
basis. A Multi-Year Agreement could consist of a mixture of the different modalities (ended after
2008).



Refresher Courses: The aim of refresher courses is to contribute to the institutional
development of the employing organisations of NFP alumni and to increase the impact and
prolong the effect of the earlier training funded by NFP. The duration of the courses is
approximately 2 weeks and often given in countries in the South.

Participation in the NFP
During the period 2003-2010, approximately 12,750 fellows participated in one of the NFP
modalities, excluding the number of participants in the refresher courses, of which 233 were
granted, and which have a maximum of 20 participants per course. The total number of NFP fellows
that was granted a PhD course is 299. The main focus of the NFP has been on short courses (58%
of the NFP fellows) and Master's Courses (38% of the NFP fellows).
Over the period 2003-2010, in total 47% of the grants (for short courses, Master's Courses and
PhD studies) were awarded to women, which means that the target of 50% women was almost
met, although there were large differences in the ratio of female fellows per country.
Although about 60 countries are eligible for the NFP programme, the participation in the NFP shows
a clear focus on a limited number of countries, with almost 50% of the grants being provided to
participants from eight countries, with Ethiopia (1147) and Tanzania (1020) being the largest
beneficiary countries. This skewed distribution of NFP fellowships across the countries is largely
explained by historical patterns that have grown in the demand for NFP fellowships, and the focus
of Dutch education institutes on these countries.
The total budget for the NFP programme during the evaluation period 2002-2010 amounted to 244
million euros, excluding the management and implementation costs, which amounted to 12.5 million
euros, being about 5% of the programme costs.

12

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Methodology
In order to carry out an objective and thorough evaluation, an evaluation methodology based on a
'multi-perspective' approach and the combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods enabling validation of findings - was designed. The evaluation process we undertook consisted of
the following activities:


Desk research of relevant documentation and reports;



Interviews with Dutch government officials and Nuffic;



Interviews with 10 Dutch higher education institutes and the Dutch Platform for International
Education (PIE);



Online questionnaire among NFP alumni (2700 fellows; net response rate of 30.7%);



Online questionnaire among employers of NFP fellows (220 employers; net response rate of
12.7%);



Field visit studies to Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Uganda. During the field visits,
interviews were held with alumni and their employers, embassy staff, government officials and
NGOs.

Main findings
Relevance
Relevance from an individual perspective


The main reasons fellows applied for an NFP fellowship were linked to a mixture of individual
and organisation-oriented motives. 'Improving competences', 'enhancing personal development'
and 'enhancing one's career opportunities' were particularly mentioned as prominent motives.
Additionally, fellows stressed the importance of 'improving the quality of the services of the
organisation'. All these motives were supported by a large majority (90% or more) of the NFP
alumni. Especially with its supply of a wide variety of courses for mid-career professionals, the
NFP seems to offer unique opportunities in higher education which might otherwise not exist for
many employees.

Relevance from an employer's perspective


In supporting the application of their employees for the NFP, the employers also have a clear
focus on the individual development of knowledge and skills of their employees, also with the
aim of improving the quality of services of the organisation and enhancing innovation in the
organisation. It is noted that the relevance of the NFP programmes as expressed by the
employers should be considered with care, because a relatively large number of employers
have been NFP fellows in the past, possibly causing a positive bias towards the NFP. At the
same time, this fact could be seen as an indicator for the success of the NFP, leading to
managerial positions. The country studies also indicated that if given the choice, fellowships
would not always be the first instrument selected for capacity building. On the other hand, most
employers are committed to paying the salaries of their employees when they are in education
or training.

Labour market relevance


The country studies indicated a need for structural skills in the organisations and companies
whose employees participated in the NFP, although these skills shortages could not often be
documented. Furthermore, the available higher education in the developing countries does not
seem to have the appropriate mechanisms to effectively respond to skills shortages. The NFP is
especially highly valued because of the well-balanced combination of theoretical and practical
content of the courses. Additionally, the NFP makes use of accredited Master's courses in the

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

13

Netherlands, which in many cases are likely to be of higher quality than the education supply at
universities in the South.
Relevance for Dutch Higher Education and the Dutch state


It is concluded that the NFP can be of relevance for Dutch HE institutes due to its potential for
generating knowledge products (research output, publication, PhDs, new educational
programmes, etc.), although the evaluation did not collect concrete information to underpin this
assumption. The Netherlands as a state might potentially benefit from the NFP through an
improved bilateral relation from the large network of alumni that followed a course in the
Netherlands with NFP funding.

Effectiveness
The effectiveness of the NFP was primarily assessed for the two main target groups of the
programmes - the individual fellows and the organisations they work for.
Perceived value of NFP and education and training provided


All alumni identified the NFP fellowship to be an important aspect in realising their personal
development as well as their knowledge and skills development. Alumni who obtained a Master
or PhD stressed that the financial support was essential to their studies.



Alumni respondents prove to be very positive about the education or training offered by the
NFP. The quality of teachers/trainers is appreciated most as nearly all alumni surveyed judge
this element of the NFP education or training either as 'good' or 'very good'. Although the
practical aspect of the courses is also very much valued, it is also criticized by a number of
alumni who would like to have had more practical experiences geared to their local/regional
context.

Effects on the individual fellows


The NFP alumni benefitted from their participation in NFP in various ways. In particular, benefits
were reported regarding increased personal and professional competences, better career
perspectives, and increased responsibility and network opportunities. Differences per modality
were largely due to the level and length of the courses.



Positive effects on everyday work were perceived in different areas including increased self
confidence, an increased quality of work, an increased working motivation and improved
competences in handling complex problems.



Obtaining a higher degree of education led to a higher level of jobs and/or increased
responsibility for about 70% of the alumni surveyed. This is especially the case for alumni who
completed a Master's or PhD course. Findings from the field studies showed clear differences in
career opportunities in the different countries, related to differences in organisational cultures
and career structures.



Clear differences exist in reported changes in income depending on which modality was
followed. Alumni having followed Master's courses are more likely to have experienced a salary
increase than alumni from the other NFP modalities.



With regard to networking, it was found that to a large extent alumni stayed in contact with
fellow NFP students, teachers and other foreign students whom they had met during their NFP
education or training. There were few contacts with other people or organisations such as
businesses and government organisations. The main nature of these contacts are social or for
sharing technical advice. Specifically the contacts of alumni who participated in a PhD course
are more focused on future cooperation with the organisation that the PhD alumni works for
which can be explained by the fact that PhD alumni work more at universities.

14

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Effects on the organisation
The picture with respect to improved organisational functioning is less clear.


Both alumni and their employers in general felt that their return benefitted the organisations
considerably.



The evidence from the surveys and the field visits point to 'introduction of new techniques and
methodologies', 'new technical skills were brought into the organisation' and 'improved quality of
services of the organisation' as being the most important effects at organisational level. This
provided opportunities for innovation and improved quality of services and products.



Nevertheless, about 70% of the survey respondents also noted that there could have been
more effects for the organisation. Critical findings from the field visits showing often limited
possibilities to use the knowledge acquired modify the reported positive impacts even further.

The improved professional competences of the fellows noticeably led to better qualified staff for
employers. However, the possibilities to utilise the knowledge and skills gained vary greatly across
organisations and are influenced by factors such as the extent to which organisations are receptive
to new ideas, the position of the alumni upon return, follow-up by the employer, and availability of
resources.
The impact of the NFP education or training at organisational level seems to depend on the critical
mass of alumni within an organisation: organisational barriers were found to be lower in
organisations where more fellowships were awarded. Also the 'embeddedness' of the training or
education in a staff development plan of the organisation and exchange of NFP knowledge with
other staff was found to have a positive relation to the effects of the NFP.
Tailor-made training and Multi-year Agreements, which have been seized in 2008, provided
opportunities to link the fellowships to the development plan of an organisation. In the case of
individual fellowships, the utilisation of newly learned knowledge, skills and competences is very
much left to the individuals since the NFP currently does not include any front-end mechanism to
involve organisations apart from the letter of recommendation that needs to be provided. Therefore,
effects at the organisational level mostly occur on an ad hoc basis and are not necessarily the
result of the link of fellowships with other capacity-building activities.
Most employers are satisfied with the content of the NFP education but would like to have a greater
involvement in the selection process.
Brain drain or brain gain?
Almost 90% of the alumni surveyed returned to their employer after completing their NFP education
or training, whilst over 70% of the alumni surveyed are currently still working for the same employer
as when they started their NFP education. Note however, that this number is somewhat influenced
by the bigger response rate from alumni that recently completed their education/ training.
Not surprisingly, alumni who increased their education level through a Master's or PhD course left
the organisation more frequently. About 70% of the employers surveyed felt that NFP helped the
organisation to reduce shortages of skilled manpower and to retain their staff. Most employers
however state that they still experience shortages of skilled manpower.
Notwithstanding the fact that most alumni do return to their employer after completing the NFP
education, the findings in Ethiopia, Uganda and Bangladesh provide evidence of occasional
considerable brain drain at the level of the organisations. The loss of trained employees to other
institutions can limit the momentum for institutional development, while possibly being a brain gain
for other organisations.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

15

Based on the present tracer study and similar studies, it is likely that the brain drain to other
countries is limited as a high number of alumni (85-90%) are still working in their country of origin.
Impact
The field visits provided some anecdotal evidence of effects at the individual or organisational level
that trickled down from the individual to the organisational level, sector level and wider socioeconomic environment. These wider effects were either achieved through NFP support to a larger
number of trainees from a certain sector or through NFP support to an individual who helped the
organisation through her/his actions to develop activities that supported socio-economic
development. In general, however, it proved impossible to attribute any societal/economic
achievements to NFP.
Based on the long NFP history and consequent large numbers of alumni, it can be assumed that
the programme has benefitted bilateral relations with the NFP countries. Nevertheless, the country
cases show that alumni information is not actively used by the Dutch government to develop
relations between the Netherlands and the NFP countries. No active Netherlands alumni
association was present in any of the countries visited. Some of the Dutch education institutes have
set up active alumni networks
Efficiency
The total budget for the NFP programme during the evaluation period 2002-2010 amounted to 244
million euros. The majority of the budget was spent on Master’s courses (55%) and on short
courses (22%).
Only reviewing the costs, it is clear that the costs for Master’s courses and PhDs are much higher
due to personal allowances and other costs – around 25,000 euros for a one-year Master’s course
and approximately 85,000 euros for a four-year PhD course. Obviously, short courses are much
cheaper, with an average price of 7,000 to 8,000 euros.
Between 2005 and 2010, the average tuition fee of Master’s courses increased by 50%. Since on
average the tuition fees form one third of the NFP Master’s grants it is not surprising that the rise in
tuition fees also led to a considerable increase in total costs of NFP Master’s grants. At the same
time it is noted that on average the NFP tuition fees are still below the ISPAC tuition fees, which is
the fee that Dutch HE institutes charge for foreign (non-EER) students
The changes in tuition fees of short courses have been more modest, more or less fluctuating at
around 2,000 euros. Adjusted for course duration however, it was found that the prices of short
courses per week have increased even more (55%) than the prices of the Master’s courses per
month
Regarding the introduction of the new application and selection procedure (SOL), it was found that
this potentially improved the efficiency of the application process. In the past there has been
serious criticism on the lack of transparency in the selection procedures. In this evaluation it was
not feasible to assess whether the new procedures have solved this problem, although the
available information indicates that the issue of transparency still needs attention.

Conclusions
Based on the findings of the evaluation some conclusion can be drawn. These conclusions are
presented below in line with the main evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, impact and
efficiency. We also present three options for the future.

16

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Relevance
The overall conclusion regarding relevance is that from an individual employee perspective as well
as from an employers perspective the NFP education and training are (still) seen as relevant for
increasing knowledge, skills and competences as well as career opportunities of individual
employees, and in the view of employers and fellows are also expected to contribute to the quality
of the services of the organisation and innovation of the organisation. The relevance of the NFP
was underpinned with concrete information from the country studies, although in most cases the
shortages could not be documented. The relevance of the NFP for the national or regional labour
markets therefore proved difficult to establish.
The relevance of the NFP is also clear in the context of local (higher) education systems which to a
large degree does not allow for appropriate responses to demands of the labour market, leading to
structural mismatches between the education system (qualifications taught) and the labour market
(skills and knowledge requested by employers). So, the education system often does not
adequately respond to skills shortages. Not surprisingly, the NFP is especially highly valued by
alumni and employers because of its combination of theoretical and practical content and the high
quality of its courses. From this it is also concluded that the assumed causal relations which are
part of the intervention logic seem to hold. In practice, however there might obstacles and hindering
factors limiting the effectiveness of individual education and training in the organisation, which in
general are not given serious consideration in the implementation of the programme.
It is also concluded that the NFP can be of relevance for the Dutch HE institutes for its potential to
generate knowledge products (research output, publications, PhDs, new educational programmes,
etc.), although additional information would be needed to underpin this claim. The same applies for
the Netherlands as a state which might potentially benefit through improved bilateral relation from
the large network of alumni that followed a course in the Netherlands with NFP funding.
Effectiveness
The overall conclusion regarding effectiveness is that there is evidence for positive effects of the
NFP at the individual level. Effects at the organisational level are more difficult to assess and
appear to be lower than for the individual fellows.
Although the total number of NFP fellows is quite substantial also in comparison with other
fellowship programmes of other donors, it seems obvious that even in the countries that received
the largest number of fellows the number of fellows is limited at national level. This sets clear limits
to the ambitions of capacity building and alleviating skills shortages.
Impacts
The overall conclusions regarding impacts of the NFP is that there is little evidence of contribution
of the NFP to socio-economic developments in the regions or countries the fellows reside. This is
also due to absence of an intervention logic and well-defined indicators for the contribution of NFP
to the wider aims of socio-economic development. In cases anecdotal evidence, collected in the
country case studies, seems to indicate a wider impact, however.
Efficiency
The overall conclusion regarding efficiency is that, contrary to the policy of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, tuition fees have increased considerably in the period 2002 – 2010. This increase in tuition
fees, which form an important part of the NFP grants, is (mainly) due to policies of the Dutch
Ministry of Education regarding higher tuition fees for non-EER students, so including the NFP
fellows, and the possibility given to the education institutes to charge cost-effective tuition fees for

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

17

NFP fellows. Nevertheless, the NFP tuition fees are still below the ISPAC tuition fee level, which is
the fee Dutch HE institutes charge for foreign (non-EER) students. From 2010 onwards tuition fees
were settled for a period of four years, in the mean time only allowing price indexation (inflation).
The effectiveness of this measurement is outside the scope of this evaluation.
It is also concluded that alternative supply structures could reduce the costs of the programme, and
should be seriously considered. Options for cost reduction which could be considered are cofinancing, using regional institutes and allowing students to enrol in foreign/regional fellowships.
Also the possibilities of e-learning could be more explored, including the reasons why the available
options on the NFP course list have not or have only very limited been used so far. In general the
NFP could use good practices related to a more cost-efficient supply of education and training.

Options
On the basis of this evaluation, clear policy choices should be made regarding the future of the
programme in relation to the main objectives, the number of countries, types and location of
courses, and funding options. Of course different combinations are possible.


Main policy objective: this choice relates to the relative emphasis on the various objectives. The
ministry should decide on the importance of the various policy objectives related to the
improvement of bilateral relations (foreign policy), capacity building (development cooperation)
and the internationalisation of Dutch education, and to what extent these objectives can be
combined in a single programme. This choice very much influences the three other choices.



Number of countries: this choice relates to the number (concentration vs. enlargement) and type
of countries (low income vs. middle income) and who to focus on in these countries.



Types and location of courses: this choice relates to the course supply (restricted or almost no
restrictions) and location where the courses are provided (the Netherlands, in partner countries
or third countries).



Management and cost reduction: this choice relates to the way the programme is managed and
the attention given to economy and cost reduction.

The evaluation team identified three “extreme” options, which are elaborated in more detail in
chapter 7. These options are:
1.

Continuation of the programme with an emphasis on improvement of bilateral relations and
internationalisation of Dutch higher education

This option takes the Dutch bilateral relations and the internationalisation of higher education in the
Netherlands as its point of departure. To a large extent, the NFP would be used as a strategic
instrument to improve bilateral relations (economic and public diplomacy) in the long run. At the
same time, the programme would put a greater emphasis on the interest of the Netherlands
education institutes.
The focus of the programme will be on capacity building, but there would not be an explicit focus on
capacity building of organisations. Specific organisations which are of interest to the Netherlands
(Foreign Policy) could be approached to propose staff for the programme.
The consequence of this would be that the NFP would remain a relatively open programme with the
aim of reaching a large variety of potential candidates from countries that are of interest to the
Netherlands. It could even be decided to increase the number of countries, for instance also
involving upcoming market countries. Also, a larger focus of the course supply to areas which are of
specific interest to the Netherlands business community, such as water management, could be

18

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

considered. Considering the emphasis on policy objectives related to foreign policy and education,
it would not be logical to finance the programme in this option from Development Cooperation funds
2.

Continuation of the programme with a clearer emphasis on capacity building (development
cooperation)

In this option, the main focus of NFP on capacity building of organisations and development
cooperation policies is further enhanced. This would require fellowships to be combined with other
capacity-building activities. The organisations would then become the main focus rather than the
individuals, as is currently the case. Therefore, front-end mechanisms to link fellowships to other
capacity-building activities in line with well-known capacity-building strategies should be envisaged.
The present evaluation has shown that such a focus cannot realistically be realised in a large
number of countries and a limitation of the number of countries (e.g. to partner countries) will be
required. The course offer should not be limited to courses in the Netherlands, but the possibility of
also having them available in country courses and in the region should be considered.
3.

Phasing out of the programme

With a strong focus on capacity building and development cooperation policies, it might be
questioned whether a separate fellowship programme should be maintained. Fellowships can also
be provided through other capacity-building programmes such as NICHE but also through sector
support programmes.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

19

1

Introduction

1.1

Justification of the evaluation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for coordinating and implementing Dutch foreign
policy. The Department for Social Development (DSO) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is
responsible for developing and implementing Dutch development policies in education, research
and innovation, health, HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and civil society. DSO
is also responsible for the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) that have been implemented
over the years.
The programme objective of the new NFP as it was launched in 2002 was ‘to help alleviate
quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of
capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction in developing countries’.1.
In the Tender Documents two main arguments are mentioned for the requested evaluation of the
NFP programme:2


Need for recent information on the results of the NFP programme: The former evaluation of the
results of the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes was conducted in 2002. The most recent
evaluation, conducted in 2006 was more process oriented, giving less evidence of the results
accomplished and the extent to which policy objectives had been realized. This calls for more
evidence based information on whether the NFP has been able to accomplish what was
intended as per the Program’s objective, i.e. ‘to help alleviate quantitative and qualitative
shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the
framework of poverty reduction in developing countries’3;



Change of focus in Dutch foreign and development cooperation. The new spearheads of Dutch
development cooperation policy, as formulated in the letters to Parliament in November 2010
and March 2011 (e.g. in terms of countries, priority themes et cetera) raises the question how
international education programmes could respond optimally to the aims and priorities of these
new policies.
The overall purpose of the evaluation is to account for Netherlands funding and other inputs provided for
the NFP (in the period 2002-2010) and gain lessons for future policy development and implementation,
taking into account also recent changes in the overall Netherlands development cooperation policies.

For the evaluation a supervisory committee was installed by the ministry, consisting of
representatives of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Inspectorate for development cooperation
(IOB), Nuffic and one independent expert (VLIR- Belgium).

1
2
3

Policy framework of the International Education Policy; House of Representatives, 2000-2001, 22452, No. 16.
Limited bidding tender procedure Evaluation of NFP; FEZ/IM-233/DSO.
Policy framework of the International Education Policy; House of Representatives, 2000-2001, 22452, No. 16.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

21

1.2

Key evaluation questions and evaluation criteria
The Tender Document lists the following key evaluation questions:
1. What were the development problems that featured at the basis of the design of NFP in 2002
and in 2008? Are these still valid today, and if so for what reasons?
2. To what extent does the NFP effectively and efficiently ‘help alleviate quantitative and
qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building
within the framework of poverty reduction in developing countries’ in a sustainable manner?
3. To what extent did the Programme contribute to positive public relations for the Netherlands?
4. What lessons can be drawn on the basis of the findings regarding questions 1 to 3, and serve
as inputs for future Dutch fellowship policy making – against a background of changing overall
development policies?
The key questions were further detailed into a series of specific evaluation questions (EQ), using
the OECD/DAC criteria of policy relevance, effectiveness, efficiency4. The complete set over
evaluation questions are presented in the Annex. Below we give an overview of the evaluation
criteria and the main points of attention that are requested by the Tender Document.
Relevance: The extent to which the NFP programmes are suited to the priorities and policies of the
target group, recipient and donor.
In assessing the relevance of the NFP the Tender Document asks attention for:


The rationale and the objectives of the NFP as formulated in 2002 and reformulated in 2008;
are these still valid today?



If there is still a need for external support to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of
poverty reduction in developing countries’.



A description and explanation of the NFP policies in the period between 2002 and 2010.



The way in which general policies have been operationalized in inter alia the selection of NFP
countries, selection criteria for applicants, NFP modalities and the selection of NFP courses.



A comparison of developments in Netherlands international fellowship policies and the policies
of other key players and the resources they have available.

Effectiveness: the measure of the extent to which the NFP programmes attains its objectives.
In assessing the effectiveness of the NFP the Tender Document asks attention for:


The concerns about programme effectiveness that influenced the design of NFP in 2002, and in
2008 and the question if they have been addressed effectively?



The extent to which the NFP fellows completed their training and what factors can explain the
rate of completion.



The assessment by NFP alumni of the value of the NFP training/education in terms of career,
increased responsibilities, increased possibilities to train others, increased income, (academic)
networking with peers and institutions in the Netherlands.



The extent to which NFP alumni returned to their employer and were able to utilize their new
expertise, knowledge, skills, aptitudes, etc. after returning to their employer. What factors and
conditions made this (im)possible (both in relation to the training and the employer)?



The extent to which the organisations where the NFP alumni work still face qualitative and
quantitative vacancies. And the measures these organizations take to fill these vacancies.

4

22

http://www.oecd.org/document/22/0,2340,en_2649_34435_2086550_1_1_1_1,00.html.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010



The extent to which it can be established that the return of the NFP alumni has influenced the
functioning of these organizations. And the factors and conditions that have made this
(im)possible. In this context attention needs to be given to the issue of ‘brain drain’.

Impact: the positive and negative changes produced by a development intervention, directly or
indirectly, intended or unintended. This involves the main impacts and effects resulting from the
activity on the local social, economic, environmental and other development indicators.
In assessing the impact of the NFP the Tender Document asks attention for:


The indirect contribution made by the NFP to the wider aims of socio-economic development,
poverty alleviation and gender equity. For this it is requested to assess how the numbers and
types of NFP trainees compare with the recipient countries’ quantitative and qualitative
shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, and their Education and Human Resource
policies. And what role do employers play in the socio-economic development in the country?



The extent to which the NFP Programme contributed to positive economic and political relations
for the Netherlands.

Efficiency measures the outputs -- qualitative and quantitative -- in relation to the inputs. It is an
economic term which signifies that the aid uses the least costly resources possible in order to
achieve the desired results.
In assessing the efficiency of the NFP the Tender Document asks attention for:


Problems of efficiency that featured at the basis of the design of NFP in 2002, and in 2008.



The actual division of responsibilities between the NFP stakeholders and the extent to which
this division effectively addressed efficiency concerns.



The manner the division of responsibilities has been arranged and the extent to which the
arrangements have been efficient and effective.



The costs (and cost components) of the different types of fellowships (at different Netherlands
training providers) and the way in which these compare with a similar training/education offer
provided elsewhere in Europe, the eligible NFP countries and/or countries in the region.



Indications of extra costs/inefficiencies as a result of the programme being covered by Dutch
training institutions.



Measures taken to minimalize fellowship costs and to increase the efficiency of the courses in
terms of teaching methodology, implementing modules in partner countries, making use of ICT
technology (e-learning).



The role of the Holland Alumni network and the alumni offices at the Netherlands training
providers.

From an evaluator’s perspective it can be stated that the evaluation questions and the points of
attention raised offer a good coverage of the evaluation OECD/DAC criteria enabling a thorough
evaluation of the NFP programmes. Methodological strengths and limitations of the evaluation are
discussed in the last section of this chapter.

1.3

Scope of the evaluation
Focus on effectiveness
At the kick-off meeting with the supervisory committee it was agreed that a clear focus for the
evaluation is required and that not all questions could be answered in detail. From the Tender
Documents it was clear that the focus of the evaluation should be on the effectiveness and impact
of the NFP-programme.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

23

Relevance in a concise way
At the kick-off meeting the client indicated that the evaluation questions on relevance only need to
be addressed in a concise way and that no comprehensive overview of policy developments is
expected in the final report.
Efficiency
The evaluation questions regarding efficiency are partly process oriented (e.g. division of
responsibilities) whereas other questions are on costs (and cost components) including a
comparison on these issues with similar fellowships in other countries.
During the inception phase the client informed Ecorys on the complex but highly relevant matter of
the discussion on the costs of the NFP fellowships. Information on this issue might be hard to
collect, also considering the limited resources available for this part of the evaluation.

1.4

Methodology and organisation of the evaluation
The evaluation took place in three phases: 1) Inception; 2) Information gathering, including.
fieldwork; and 3) Analysis and report writing.
An inception report was produced at the end of the Inception Phase. The fieldwork resulted in four
separate country reports which proved to be a rich data source for a better understanding of the
results of the programmes and the underlying factors and mechanisms. The country reports are
presented as annexes to this report.
Phase 1: Inception
The inception phase consisted of the following activities:
Kick-off meeting
During the inception phase a kick-off meeting was held with the client (Wednesday 13th July 2011).
The aim of the meeting was to discuss and clarify the proposal of Ecorys, and for the client also to
emphasise the main focus points of the evaluation of NFP.
Information collection
During the inception phase, data and information were collected (mainly from Nuffic and DCO). The
data and information included programme documentation, policy documents and other relevant
documents. A complete list of literature and documents used for this report can be found in the
Annex.
Preparation of interview topic guides and questionnaires
During the inception phase, topic lists for interviews in the Netherlands, interviews for the country
studies and topics for the online questionnaires were prepared and discussed with the client.
Secondly, a list was made of key persons to be interviewed in the Netherlands (Nuffic, DCO, PIE
and the higher education institutes).
Inception report
Based on this information, an inception report was produced in which the methodology and a
comprehensive description of the intervention logic were presented. In addition, the report included
a description of the available information to be used for the evaluation. The inception report was
discussed with the client.

24

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Phase 2: Information gathering
The phase of information gathering consisted of the following activities:
Desk research
In this phase both qualitative and quantitative information was analysed, such as enrolment in the
NFP, policy documents, information on other fellowship programmes, country specific information
for the country case studies (Uganda, Ghana, Bangladesh and Ethiopia).
Interviews in the Netherlands
Interviews were held in the Netherlands to gain deeper understanding of the NFP programmes,
including the developments that have taken place in 2002 and 2008. Interviews were held with
DCO (two group interviews), Nuffic (two group interviews), Platform International Education (3
board members), higher education institutions in the Netherlands (10), NFP fellows present in the
Netherlands at the time of the evaluation (two group interviews). A list of interviewed persons can
be found in the Annex.
Country studies in Uganda, Ghana, Bangladesh and Ethiopia
Four countries were selected for the country studies. The supervisory committee of the evaluation
selected Uganda, Ghana, Bangladesh and Ethiopia based on the number of NFP fellows in each
country, the use of multi-year agreements, the focus of NFP on Sub-Saharan Africa, the possibility
to focus on the results of the scholarships in sectors of key importance to Netherlands development
policies and the possibility to compare the way of selecting candidates for the NFP in Uganda with
the way of selecting candidates used by the majority of the embassies. The country studies
consisted of interviews with employers, NFP alumni, the Netherlands Embassy, ministries involved
in manpower planning, representatives of other fellowship programmes and the alumni association.
For the interviews with NFP-alumni and their employers we followed a stepwise selection
procedure, providing a balanced selection of interviewees across sectors, academic disciplines,
NFP-modalities and regions. In the Annex this procedure is described in detail.
Online questionnaire among NFP alumni
In order to get a detailed picture of the results of the NFP a tracer study among NFP alumni was
conducted. The questionnaire consisted of 48 (closed and open) questions allowing respondents to
give their opinion on various aspects of the programme (see annex). Based on Nuffic administration
files the questionnaire was distributed by email among11,325 alumni which completed their NFP
education or training between 2002 and 2010. According to Nuffic the gross population of NFP
alumni for this period consisted of 11,325 persons. Of the emails sent 2,541 emails bounced,
leaving a population of 8,784 alumni. Eventually, and after sending out two reminders, 2,960
(33.7%) alumni responded to the invitation to fill in the questionnaire, which can be considered as
quite successful. For the analysis we selected 2,700 (30.7%) respondents that answered at least
the first 20 questions of the questionnaire. These 2,700 alumni form our panel of respondents of the
alumni questionnaire.5 The alumni questionnaire was conducted in the period December 2011January 2012. A comprehensive overview of the back ground characteristics of the NFP fellows can
be found in the Annex (annex to chapter 1).

55

In the presentation of the result on the questionnaire the actual number or respondents might differ per question since not
all questions were obligatory and also because there were some logical skips in the routing of the questionnaire.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

25

By comparing our response population with the Nuffic alumni gross population according to gender,
modality, and year of completion we conclude that our response group of alumni represents a
representative sample of all NFP alumni (see table 2 in the annex to Chapter 1).
Online questionnaire among NFP employers
In order to also include the employer’s perspective in the assessment of the results of the NFP an
online questionnaire was conducted. The employers questionnaire consisted of 31 questions. The
questionnaire was send to the employers that supported the application of the NFP fellow by filling
out an employer’s statement. Based on the Nuffic administration the questionnaire was send to
2,952 employers of which 1,207 emails bounced, leaving a gross population of 1,745 employers.
After various reminders 220 employers responded which is a response of 12.6%. The employers
questionnaire was conducted in the period January – February 2012.
Since we did not possess of any background characteristics of the original employers population it
is not possible to assess the representativeness of the response group of employers. However,
considering the low response rate the outcomes of the employer’s questionnaire should be
interpreted with utmost care. A comprehensive overview of the back ground characteristics of the
alumni employers can be found in the Annex (annex to chapter 1).
Phase 3: Consolidation and Reporting
This phase comprised of an analysis of all data gathered and writing of the draft and final report.

1.5

Strengths and limitations of the evaluation
The evaluation of the NFP programme took place between August 2011 and March 2012. During
this relatively short period a large number of activities was carried out. In this section we would like
to highlight the main strengths and the limitations of this evaluation. This can be of help for future
evaluations.
Strengths
The main strengths of the evaluation have been as follows:


A ’multi-perspective’ approach, in which we took into account the views of policy officers, Nuffic
programme management, representatives of Dutch higher education (PIE), Dutch higher
education institutions, NFP alumni, employers of NFP fellows, representatives of national
ministries, NGOs, other donors in the partner countries (during the field visits). Through
triangulation of these different perspectives we succeeded in establishing a well balanced view
of the results achieved with the NFP.



Combination of quantitative and various qualitative research methods which enabled us to back
up the results of one method with the results of other methods (e.g. questionnaires, interviews
and review of documents).



Cooperation with local consultants during the field visits which proved to be very useful for
contacting the right persons and enabling in-depth interview with all relevant stakeholders, and
also for collecting and analysing background information on country specific policy issues in the
field of higher education.



In general the willingness of all involved organisations, employers and alumni to participate in
the evaluation was very good - making it easier for us to carry out the evaluation. Unfortunately
the response to the online questionnaire among employers was not fully satisfactory.



The use of web-based questionnaires proved to be a good instrument for collecting data among
the alumni with a satisfactory response rate of 31%. The available Nuffic database with contact
details of alumni appeared to be fairly up-to-date, although one fifth of the send emails bounced.

26

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Contact details of the employers of the NFP alumni were less up-to-date with a large share of
bounced emails (almost one third), or possibly indicating less involvement of the employers.
Limitations
From an evaluation perspective we mention a few limitations of the evaluation:


A large part of findings from the survey and interviews rely on self-reported benefits by alumni.
This may have a positive bias and somewhat overstate the increase in abilities and impacts
associated with the NFP education and training. Through the employer survey and interviews
during the country visits we have made efforts to involve supervisors and more in-depth critical
views of alumni to validate these self-reported skills and behaviour assessments both at
individual and organisational level. Regarding the employers, however, it should be mentioned
that a considerable number of them once participated in the NFP themselves; of the employers
that participated in the online questionnaire one third is a former NFP fellow.



Interviewed stakeholders might have had an interest in presenting a positive picture of the
achievements of the NFP education and training while on the other hand overemphasising the
needs for external support in education and training. We sought to independently verify the
information collected through the numerous interviews as well as document analysis within the
country case studies.



The selection of countries for the country case studies was made by the supervisory committee
of this evaluation. The selection of countries (Uganda, Ghana, Bangladesh and Ethiopia) was
based on reasonable criteria like the number of NFP fellows in each country, the use of multiyear agreements, the focus of NFP on Sub-Saharan Africa, the possibility to focus on the
results of the scholarships in sectors of key importance to Netherlands development policies
and the possibility to compare the way of selecting candidates for the NFP in Uganda with the
way of selecting candidates used by the majority of the embassies. It is possible that in the
countries that were not visited, the programme might have yielded other outcomes. It was
beyond the scope of this evaluation to assess whether this was the case.



Evaluating the outcomes and impacts of programmes in education and training is complex and
concrete results are difficult to measure. By definition education is an investment in
development of human capital which is most likely to yield results after several years. This is
also the main reason why assessing the attribution effect of programmes for education and
training can only be done in a tentative way especially when it comes to outcomes and impacts
on the level of the organisation and the national level of the country. Assessing the needs for
and impacts of education and training requires information on indicators which is often not
available at the right level of detail, if available at all. Through triangulation of various
quantitative and qualitative sources we sought to independently come to a well-balanced
interpretation and argumentation of the outcomes and impacts of the NFP.



The evaluation questions regarding efficiency of the NFP proved to be complex and difficult to
answer due to a lack of insight in the cost structure of the Programme. Based on the available
information the efficiency questions has been answered as good as possible.

1.6

Structure of the report
After this introductory chapter the next chapter will give an overview of the various education and
training modalities of the NFP and the main policies that have guided the development of the NFP
in the period 2002-2010. The following chapters contain the findings of this evaluation regarding
relevance (chapter 3), effectiveness (chapter 4), impact (chapter 5) and efficiency (chapter 6). The
final chapter presents conclusions and lessons for the future (chapter 7).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

27

2

The NFP programme (2002-2010)

2.1

Introduction
In this chapter we give an introduction to the NFP, its objectives, modalities and the policies that
influenced the programme in the period 2002-2010. We also give a short overview of some key
statistics of the programme and a description and analysis of the NFP budget. The second part of
the chapter provides a reconstruction of the intervention logic.

2.2

Short overview of the programme

2.2.1 Objective
Financed by the Dutch state in the context of development cooperation the Netherlands Fellowship
Programmes (NFP) are designed to promote capacity building within organisations by providing
training and education to mid-career staff.
The general objective of the NFP is ‘to help alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled
manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction
in developing countries’ (Tender Document, p.40).

The NFP specifically aims to address the needs for training in the short-term, focusing on capacity
building in a broad spectrum of governmental, private and non-governmental organizations
(educational institutes, planning institutes, ministries, private companies, etc.) (Policy framework
2001). The need for training has to be evident within the context of an organization. This implicates
that applicants have to be nominated by their employers. By addressing these shortages, the
Programme is expected to contribute to qualitatively better functioning organizations, companies,
etc. and thereby aims to give a qualitative impulse to society.

2.2.2 NFP Modalities
Between 2002 and 2010 the NFP consisted of six modalities: Master Courses, PhD Courses, Short
Courses, Refresher Courses, Tailor-Made Training and Multi-Year Agreements. Since 2008, with
the start of the renewed NFP, Tailor-Made Training and Multi-Year Agreements were no longer part
of NFP. Aside from the fellowships also limited budget was available for subsidising alumni
activities. Box 2.1 gives an overview of the NFP modalities and some other key activities.
Box 2.1 NFP modalities

6

Fellowships:


Short courses: These courses vary from two weeks to twelve months and are offered by Dutch
education institutes and comprise of professional training at post-secondary level in several fields of
study. The fellowship holders can either earn a Dutch certificate or a diploma. The grant is awarded to
the Dutch institution which makes logistical arrangements and pays the fellowship holders;



Master’s degree programmes: There is a selected number of master’s degree programmes at Dutch
higher education institutions which can be pursued. The duration of the programmes varies between 9
and 24 months. Nuffic awards the grant covering the fellowship holders’ costs, including the tuition

6

Nuffic 2010, Brochure on The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes 2011-2012.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

29

fees, to the Dutch institution. By participating, the fellowship holders can earn one of the Dutch
degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Science or a Professional Master’s degree;


PhD studies: PhD degrees can be pursued at 21 Dutch universities and institutes for international
education. The research proposal should be agreed with one of these Dutch institutions. Still, a large
portion of the PhD research takes place in the home country of the fellow. The maximum duration of
this fellowship is four year with a maximum budget of € 85,000 (€ 74,000 till 2008). The grant is
awarded to the Dutch institution which pays the fellowship holder monthly allowances;



Tailor made courses were designed to meet specific needs identified by a requesting organization.
These trainings were of a brief duration (between one and nine months), did not lead to a formal
degree or diploma and took place either in the Netherlands or in the south.

Subsidies for Alumni activities:


Refresher courses: The aim of refresher courses is to contribute to institutional development of the
employing organizations of NFP alumni and to increase the impact and prolong the effect of the
earlier training funded by NFP. The duration of the courses is approximately 2 weeks. The course can
be provided by the Dutch institution that provided the original course but also by another Dutch
institute, as long as this institute is qualified in the field of expertise. The course has a maximum
number of participants of 20. Next to NFP alumni, these groups can also include, to a limited extent,
colleagues of NFP alumni or staff members of partner institutes in the NFP country;



NAA start-up subsidies: A potential Netherlands Alumni Association in an NFP country can apply for
a start-up subsidy. These subsidies are maximized at € 3,000. The subsidy should be used to create
the infrastructure necessary and to guarantee basic conditions which are needed for a successful
start;



Co-financing of alumni activities: A Netherlands Alumni Association in an NFP country can apply
for co-financing of its activities. The maximum co-financing subsidy is €5,000. Another requirement is
that at least 25 per cent of the budget must have another source.

Aside from these fellowship modalities and alumni activities the NFP made use of Multi Year
Agreements (MYA’s). A Multi Year Agreement is an agreement based on a multi-year training
programme between Nuffic and a local organization. It aims to help the selected organizations to
solve their staff development needs on a more structured basis. A Multi Year Agreement could
have consisted of a mixture of the different modalities. A pilot of this modality started in 2003 in 10
countries and by the end of 2005 it was implemented in 8 countries through 18 multi-year
agreements.
Relation NFP – NPT/NICHE
Alongside the introduction of the NFP in 2002 the Netherlands Programme for Institutional
Strengthening of Post-Secondary Education and Training Capacity (NPT) was introduced. In 2009
the NPT was renamed into NICHE. For the sake of clarity we briefly give the main differences
between the two programmes.


Whereas the NPT aims to strengthen sustainably post-secondary education and training capacity in
developing countries, so as to give them a better chance of generating their own training institutes
and manpower in the longer term, the NFP programmes aim to cater for short term training needs and
are geared to building capacity in a broad range of governmental, private and non-governmental
organisations;



And whereas the NFP only allows for individual fellowships, NPT/NICHE is more oriented towards
institutional cooperation in post-secondary education, although also individual fellowships may be part
of the cooperation agreements;



Another important difference is that whereas for the NFP programmes applicants from 61 countries
are eligible for training and education, NPT/NICHE is restricted to a selection of 14 countries.

30

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

In 2008 it was decided to transfer the Tailor Made Training (TMT) from the NFP programme to the
NPT programme, where it was thought to be of a more coherent and strategic role with other
instruments of capacity building.

2.2.3 Geographical scope
Between 2002 and 2010 the number of eligible countries varied between 57 (in 2002) and 60
(2010), in the meanwhile being expanded with four fragile states (Burundi, Congo, Sudan, Kosovo).
In 2010 the NFP eligible countries were:


Sub-Saharan Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia,
Zimbabwe. In Africa also Egypt is included;



Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru. In South America also Surinam is included;



Asian countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Autonomous Palestinian Territories, Bangladesh,
Bhutan Cambodia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan,
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen;



Central and Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova.

2.2.4 Target groups
The target group of NFP consists of mid-career professionals (with at least three years work
experience) living and working in and originating from one of the 60 countries on the NFP country
list (see above). Aim was to dedicate at least 50% of the number of fellowships to women, and 50%
of the available budget on candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008, it was decided that more
fellowships should be awarded to candidates from deprived regions. The Netherlands Embassies
were assigned with the task to formulate priority groups and sectors in the country.

2.2.5 NFP course list
The Netherlands Fellowship Programme is broad in scope. In total, each year fellowships are
available for around 400 Master degree programmes and 200 Short Courses. In its setup the NFP
is supposed to work by a demand-driven approach, reflecting the needs of an organisation or
country7. From the interview with Nuffic it became clear that the NFP course list is based on
information of the Dutch education institutes elaborating on the (assumed) relevance of their
courses for developing countries, so not based on a comprehensive analysis of labour market
needs Partly the demand driven approach for the NFP, is reflected in the budget distribution
mechanism, in which account is taken of the total number of applications per modality, when
distributing the NFP budget. The involvement of the employers is limited to a formal support letter.

7

Tender document Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP) FEZ/IM-233/DSO.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

31

2.3

Implementation of NFP

2.3.1 Main stakeholders
The main stakeholders of the NFP and their formal position within the programme are as follows:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is involved with NFP both through the ministry itself as through the
Netherlands embassies in the NFP eligible countries. The ministry is responsible for policy making,
financing, supervision and external evaluations. The Netherlands embassies in the NFP countries
assess all applications for fellowships and have the task to formulate priority groups and sectors in
the country. The ministry also approves of the NFP course list that is provided by Nuffic.
Nuffic
Nuffic is responsible for NFP management, awarding fellowships, programme monitoring and
reporting to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, administration and accounting, and internal evaluation.
Nuffic also compiles the NFP course list with courses for which NFP fellowships can be used. Nuffic
guides the selection procedure and assesses proposals for refresher courses and PhD
applications. Nuffic also awards subsidies to alumni associations and NFP alumni activities to other
Holland Alumni activities, largely funded by the ministry of Education.
Netherlands education and training providers
The Dutch institutions are responsible for the content and organization of the courses and
programmes. They are also responsible for the administration and accounting of individual
fellowships Moreover, the institutions assess whether applicants are qualified to participate in the
programme. There are also some programmes on the NFP Course List that take place, fully or
partly, in one of the NFP countries. These are joint or double degree programmes. The Dutch
institution and its partner institution are jointly responsible for the programme.
Local employers
All applications should be supported by the applicant’s employer to be eligible for NFP. With this
requirement, it is believed that NFP will meet the training needs of the organisation the applicant is
working for and therefore assures institutional development of the local organisations.

2.3.2 Selection of participants
During its existence the NFP experienced various changes in its selection procedures. Two main
periods can be distinguished, namely the old selection procedure which lasted from 2003 till
December 2010, and the new selection procedure which has been in use since February 2011.
Figure 3.1 gives a graphic overview of the two procedures. Strictly speaking only the old selection
procedure is part of this evaluation. However, since the evaluation also will show lessons learned, it
is evident that the new selection procedure also needs to be taken into account.
Old selection procedure (until January 2011)8:


Students ask for admission to a Dutch higher education institution. Students receive a letter
from the institution if they have admission;



The applicant applies for a fellowship at the Dutch embassy. The application must contain
several documents indicating:
a. Educational requirements;

8

32

Nuffic. (2010). The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) 2011-2012. Den Haag: Nuffic.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

b. Sufficient command of English;
c. A letter from the candidate’s employer confirming the candidate’s study plans and
guaranteeing to continue to pay the candidate’s salary during the period of study;
d. Copy of passport (and birth certificate).


The Netherlands embassy checks eligibility criteria (Box 2.2). If the applicant is eligible for NFP,
the embassy sends the application to Nuffic;



Nuffic decides how many fellowships will be available for each programme, based on the
number of applications per course per modality;



The Dutch institutions select candidates that receive the fellowship based on academic skills; if
there are more candidates than fellowships the Dutch institution can make their own selection of
applicants using on their own (academic) selection criteria;



Nuffic awards the fellowships to the Dutch institutions that pay the fellows the fellowships
(monthly allowance, study material, et cetera).
9

Box 2.2 Eligibility for master’s degree programmes :
If a person wants to apply for an NFP fellowship for a master’s degree programme (s)he must:


be a mid-career professional with at least three years' work experience;



be a national of, and working and living in one of the developing countries on the NFP country list
valid at the time of application;



be nominated by your employer, who pledges to continue paying your salary and guarantees that you



have been unconditionally admitted by a Dutch institution to one of the Master’s Degree Programmes

will be able to return to the same or an equivalent position at the end of your fellowship period;

on the course list. This means that you must have met all the requirements set by the Dutch
institution;


not already have received an NFP master’s degree fellowship;



not be employed by:
o

a multinational corporation (e.g. Shell, Unilever);

o

a large national and/or commercial organisation;

o

a bilateral donor organisation (e.g. USAID, DFID, Danida, Sida, BuZa, FinAid, AusAid, ADC,
SwissAid);

o

a multilateral donor organisation, (e.g. a UN organisation, the World Bank, the IMF, Asian
Development Bank, African Development Bank, IADB);

o

an international NGO (e.g. Oxfam, Plan, Care).



have completed and submitted an NFP master’s degree programme application, including all the



be employed in an area to which the study will make a relevant contribution;

required documentation, before the fellowship application deadline;


have a clear-cut, functional relationship with a relevant organization and be in a position to introduce
the newly acquired skills and knowledge into that organization;



be available for the entire period of the programme and be physically and mentally able to take part in
the entire programme;



endorse the objective and the aim of the NFP. The aim of the NFP cannot be reached if you do not
return to your own country. Nuffic would like to urge you to return to your home country upon finishing
the course or programme to meet the NFP aim in the most effective way.

9

Similar but slightly different conditions for Short courses and PhD studies can be found on the Nuffic website.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

33

Figure 2.1 Old (until January 2011) and new selection procedure (February 2011-current) of the NFP

Source: NFP brochure 2011/2012.
10

New selection procedure (from February 2011 – current):

1. Students ask for admission to a Dutch higher education institution. Students receive a letter
from the institution if they have admission:
-

The applicant has to submit a digital application through SOL (Scholarship OnLine), in some
cases hard-copy applications are accepted (which are entered in SOL by Nuffic). The
application contains:
a

A digital application or paper application form;

b

A letter from the candidate’s employer confirming the candidate’s study plans and
guaranteeing to continue to pay the candidate’s salary during the period of study;

c
-

10

34

Copy of passport.

The Dutch institution indicates (in SOL) whether applicant has admission to the institution;

Nuffic. (2010). The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) 2011-2012. Den Haag: Nuffic.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

-

The Netherlands embassy checks eligibility criteria (Box 2.2) and indicates in SOL whether
applicant is eligible for NFP;

-

Nuffic determines the budget per country based on the number of eligible applications per
country and the NFP results in the past year:
d

Dutch institutions score application by looking at academic skills;

e

Netherlands embassy scores application by looking at relevance for the development of
the employing organization and/or country.

-

Fellowships are awarded to applicants with highest combined scores until budget is
exhausted;

-

When awarding fellowships it is conditioned that 50% of the budget should go to SubSaharan Africa and also 50% of the fellowships should go to female candidates;

-

Nuffic awards the fellowships to the Dutch institutions that pay the fellowship holders the
fellowships (monthly allowances, study materials et cetera).

Differences between old and new selection procedure
With the new selection procedure:


The application goes directly to Nuffic instead of the Netherlands embassy;



An online application tool (SOL) is introduced;



The embassy has a greater influence: it can determine priority groups and it scores the
applications based on relevance for the development of the organization or country;



The HE institutions no longer select the candidates that receive the fellowship. Fellowships are
awarded based on the highest combined score from the institution and the embassy.

2.4

Key changes in NFP policies in 2002 and 2008
The current evaluation will address effectiveness and efficiency issues in the context of the
changes that formed and changed the NFP in the period 2002-2010. Two evaluation questions
directly refer to the concerns about programme effectiveness and programme efficiency that have
influenced the design of NFP in 2002 and in 2008. These questions are answered in the following
sections.
Which concerns about programme effectiveness have influenced the design of NFP in 2002, and in 2008?
Have they been addressed effectively?
What were problems of efficiency that featured at the basis of the design of NFP in 2002, and in 2008?

2.4.1 Introduction of the new NFP in 2002
Based on the interministerial policy review of 1998, the Dutch government decided to make radical
changes to the existing international education programmes11. The government decided to phase
out the seven existing programmes and instead, introduce the Netherlands Fellowship Programme.
In 2002, the new NFP was phased in and became fully operational in 2004.12

11

12

Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Directie Culturele Samenwerking, Onderzoek en Onderwijs, Afdeling onderwijs en
ontwikkelingslanden (31-5-1999). Kabinetstandpunt ten aanzien van de uitkomst van het Interdepartementaal
Beleidsonderzoek naar Internationaal onderwijs.
Minister voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking. (2008). Kamerbrief inzake beleidsreactie evaluatie internationaal
onderwijsprogramma's NPT en NFP. Kamerbrief.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

35

In relation to programme effectiveness the interministerial Review Committee expressed particularly
concerns about the limited adaption of the programme (education and training possibilities) to
priority changes in development cooperation and the dynamic demand in developing countries and
the insufficient operationalization of the programme objectives.
Regarding efficiency the Review Committee expressed serious concerns related to a lack of
flexibility in policy and funding, due to fixed contracts with the HE field. 13 Moreover, the Review
Committee observed that the efficiency of the international education programmes proved to be
difficult to assess due to lack of proper bench mark information. It was also noted that the
government was lacking a clear understanding of the relations between the inputs for the
programmes (subsidies) and the outputs (results). Finally, also attention was drawn at insufficient
synergy with other policy instruments
To enhance the effectiveness of the NFP in 2002 the following changes were implemented:


The list of approved courses was to be reviewed every year to enable a flexible and competent
response to new developments; As was expressed before the demand orientation of the
courses was/is left to the Dutch education institutes formulating the relevance of their course
supply for developing countries.



To enhance study in the region, courses provided jointly by organisations in the Netherlands
and developing countries could also be included in the list of eligible courses.



The RNEs were given the possibility to give recommendations for participants which were found
to be relevant from the development perspective.

To enhance the efficiency of the NFP in 2002 the following decisions were taken: 14


In line with the concentration policy of the Dutch government the new NFP in 2002 focused on
57 countries (instead of 89),15 aiming at less fragmentation of resources;



To increase competition and cost-awareness potential supply of NFP education and training
was broadened to all Master and PhD education possibilities in the Netherlands, not limiting the
supply only to the international education institutes as traditionally had been the case. In
addition also research institutions, training colleges and so on, could offer short courses and
could be called upon to provide tailor-made training courses;



The former also implied that the fixed distribution of resources over Dutch international
education institutes was changed to a more flexible application of resources reflecting
(changing) priorities in policies.

2.4.2 Introduction of the renewed NFP in 2008
The NFP as it was introduced in 2002 was evaluated by Ecorys in 2006.16 In the evaluation more
attention was given to efficiency issues than to effectiveness issues.
In relation to effectiveness the evaluation commented on the lack of clear selection criteria for
prioritisation of applicants and the cohesion between NPT and NFP, in particular for modalities
MYA and TM which also have an organisational focus.
13

14

15

16

36

Brief van de ministers van Buitenlandse Zaken en Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (1999), Interdepartementaal
beleidsonderzoek: internationaal onderwijs, Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 1998-1999, 25 576, nr. 1. See also: International
education: the Netherlands’ policy. Background paper for the Nuffic expert meeting ‘ A changing landscape – making
support for higher education and research in developing countries more effective’, The Hague, 24-25 May 2005.
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (31-5-1999). Kabinetsstandpunt ten aanzien van de uitkomsten van het
Interdepartementaal Beleidsonderzoek naar Internationaal onderwijs.
In line with the concentration policy of Dutch bilateral development cooperation the list of eligible countries was reduced to
57 whereas under the old fellowship programmes all 126 DAC countries were eligible. It was however, decided not to limit
the NFP to the bilateral sectors of the Netherlands, unlike for instance the NPT.
Ecorys (2007), Evaluation of the international education programs NPT and NFP (managed by Nufic).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Regarding the efficiency the evaluation of the NFP identified drawbacks in the application and
selection procedures for NFP participants which created a high workload for almost all parties
involved (embassies, Nuffic, the candidate fellows, education institutes in the Netherlands).
Furthermore, it was concluded that the preparation of Tailor Made Training (TMT) was a very
complex and time-consuming process with significant delays in the approval procedure and start-up
phase. 17 Finally, it was concluded that the possibilities for cooperation with regional institutes
remained underdeveloped.
To enhance the effectiveness of the NFP the following changes were made to the NFP in 2008:


A clearer distinction between NFP and NPT/Niche, with the NFP focusing more on individual
fellowships, and the NPT/NICHE focusing more on strengthening post-secondary education and
less isolated projects;18



The modalities ‘Tailor-Made Training’ and ‘Multi-Year Agreement’ were not any longer included
in the NFP;



In order to allow for a more balanced growth within a developing country candidates from
minority groups and subordinated regions were given a preferential treatment and given a
higher chance of being awarded a fellowship. Embassies were assigned the task to formulate
priority groups for the country.

To further enhance the efficiency of the programme the following was decided:


To introduce simplified and digitalised application and selection procedures (implemented in
2010 with the introduction of SOL);



Reconfirm that the NFP should be more open for all Masters and PhDs education possibilities in
the Netherlands and not only be limited to the international education institutes.

Related to the issue of efficiency is the fact that the number of NFP eligible countries increased
from 57 to 60. China was excluded in 2008 while Burundi, DR Congo, Kosovo and Sudan as fragile
states were added to the NFP country list.

2.4.3 Operationalisation of general policies in NFP
How have general policies been operationalized in inter alia the selection of NFP countries, selection
criteria for applicants, NFP modalities and the selection of NFP courses?

General policies appear to have had a limited influence on the NFP modalities and selection of
courses offered. In the past decade, during the introduction and the implementation of the NFP in
2002 and the new NFP in 2008 the policies for development cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs changed in various ways. During this period two policy documents for development
cooperation were presented by consequent governments respectively ‘Aan elkaar verplicht’ in 2003
and ‘Een zaak voor iedereen’ in 2007. The general policies have particularly been operationalized
in the selection of NFP countries and the selection criteria for applicants (women and deprived
groups).

17

18

It should be noted that at that time Nuffic already decided to simplify the procedure, first for proposals below € 50.000 and
later for all proposals.
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken Kamerbrief inzake beleidsreactie evaluatie internationaal onderwijsprogramma's NPT
en NFP, 25-02-2008.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

37

Inline with the concentration policy of the Dutch government the new NFP in 2002 focused on 57
countries (instead of 89). The new policy focus on fragile states accounted for the expansion with
four additional countries. The selection of NFP countries however still included non-partner
countries low-income and middle-income countries among others for reasons of public relations.
With its target of 50% female participants the NFP is congruent with the general policy of Dutch
development cooperation to actively promote a better position of women in society.19 Moreover the
central position of Africa in the Foreign policy, including development cooperation and intention to
allocate at least 50% of the ODA funds for this purpose was also operationalized in a 50% target for
participants from Sub-Saharan countries. To include the thematic priorities in development
cooperation from 2002 the RNEs could give recommendations for participants which were found to
be relevant from the development perspective. The renewed selection procedure implemented from
2011 is expected to improve operationalisation of the thematic policy priorities in the selection of
applicants.

2.5

Analysis of enrolment in the NFP
This paragraph presents the NFP programme data over the period 2003-2010. The paragraph
describes the development of NFP grants (1) per modality, (2) by gender, (3) per type of institute,
(4) per country and (5) by discipline.
NFP grants per modality
In the period 2003-2010 approximately 12,750 fellows participated in one of the NFP modalities.
This is exclusive of the number of participants in the Refresher Courses, of which 233 were
granted, and which have a maximum of 20 participants per course.
The main focus of the NFP has been on Short Courses (58% of the NFP fellows) and Master
Courses (38% of the NFP fellows) (see Figure 2.2). Note that the figure for Refresher Courses
represents the number of trainings and not the number of participants. The number of NFP fellows
that was granted a PhD fellowship between 2003 and 2010 is 299.
Over time, the number of participants in short courses as well as the number of participants in
Master courses increased, also reflecting the start-up phase of the NFP in 2003. In the first year of
the NFP (2003) only 271 short courses were granted by the programme, in 2010 this number had
grown to 1,329. The number of Master Courses showed an increase from 526 grants in 2003 to 853
in 2010. The number of awarded PhD grants and Refresher courses were quite stable over time.

19

38

Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Een zaak van iedereen, Investeren in ontwikkeling in een veranderende wereld,
beleidsbrief 16 oktober 2007.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Figure 2.2 NFP grants per modality

1600
1400
1200
1000
MA

800

SC

600

PhD
400
RC*
200
0
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

*The figure for refresher courses represents the number of trainings and not the number of participants. Refresher Courses can
have a maximum of 20 participants per grant.
Source: NFP Kern gegevens 2003-2010.

NFP grants by gender
Figure 2.3 presents the division of NFP courses divided by gender during the period 2003 to 2010.
Over the period 2003-2010 in total 47% of the grants (for Short Courses, Master Courses and PhD
studies) was awarded to women, which means that the target of 50% women was almost met.
While in the early years of the NFP women were underrepresented, in 2010 the majority (52%) of
the NFP grants was awarded to women. This pattern is more or less equal for all NFP modalities
(see Figures A2.3, A2.4 and A2.6 in the annex).
Figure 2.3 Participation in NFP courses (Short Courses, Master Courses and PhD grants) by gender

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Women

50%

Men

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Source: NFP Kerngegevens 2003-2010.

Although the target of female participants is achieved both at programme level and at the level of
modalities, there are large differences in the share of female fellows per country (see Figure A2.7in
the annex). Whereas, for instance, in Rwanda and Pakistan only about one third of NFP
participants is female, women are well over represented in countries like Peru (60%), Surinam
(67%) and Thailand (82%).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

39

NFP grants per type of institute
In the new policy framework for the NFP that was accepted in 2001 it was decided that besides the
international education institutes, also other Dutch higher education institutes (academic
universities and universities, universities for applied sciences and commercial education providers)
were admitted to provide education and training under the NFP. The impact of this policy shift is
clear from Table 2.1 presenting the division of NFP grants per type of education provider. For a
general overview and indication of the trends the situation in 2003 and 2010 is shown.
Between 2003 and 2010 the percentage of courses provided by universities, universities of applied
sciences and other institutes increased, whereas the share of the international education institutes
decreased. The international education institutes kept a strong position on the market for short
courses and refresher courses, whereas they clearly lost the lead in PhD courses. According to
Nuffic the change towards universities is a real change, not being caused by mergers between
international education institutes ad universities.20 Commercial education institute have a modest
position, especially providing short courses and refresher courses.
Table 2.1 Division of grants per type of education provider in the Netherlands
MA

International
Education institutes
Universities
Universities of applied
sciences
Other institutes
Total

SC

PhD

RC

2003

2010

2003

2010

2003

2010

2003

2010

75%

48%

100%

88%

100%

20%

100%

75%

25%

32%

0%

5%

0%

80%

0%

18%

0%

19%

0%

1%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

1%

0%

7%

0%

0%

0%

7%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

NFP grants per country
Although about 60 countries are eligible for the NFP programme, the participation in the NFP shows
a clear focus on a limited number of low income countries, with almost 50% of the grants being
awarded to participants from eight countries, with Ethiopia (1147) and Tanzania (1020) being the
largest beneficiary countries (see

20

40

Interview with Nuffic.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Figure A2.7 in the annex). According to the management of Nuffic this skewed distribution of NFP

fellowships over the countries can largely be explained by historical patterns that have grown in the
demand for NFP fellowships, and also by the policies of the Dutch education institutes.
NFP grants by discipline
NFP courses are provided in many different disciplines. Figure 2.6 shows the main disciplines per
modality. Irrespective of the course modality agricultural sciences, business administration and
social sciences are the most popular disciplines in the NFP. In particular agricultural courses are
strongly represented among the Short Courses, the other NFP modalities showing a more equal
distribution over the various disciplines.

Figure 2.4 NFP grants by discipline (2003-2010)

2.6

Reconstruction of the intervention logic
What were the rationale and objectives of the NFP as formulated in 2002 and reformulated in 2008, and
are these still valid?

The overall aim of the NFP is to help alleviate qualitative and quantitative shortages of skilled
manpower, within the framework of sustainable capacity-building directed towards reducing poverty
in developing countries. In the tender documents of the Ministry the intervention logic is described
along broad lines, as follows:
“The aim of the NFP, as mentioned above, is ‘to help alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of poverty
reduction in developing countries’. NFP specifically aims to address the needs for training in the short-term,

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

41

focusing on capacity building in a broad spectrum of governmental, private and non-governmental
organizations (educational institutes, planning institutes, ministries, private companies, etc.) (Policy
framework 2001). The need for training has to be evident within the context of an organization. This
implicates that applicants have to be nominated by their employers. By addressing these shortages, the
Programme is expected to contribute to qualitatively better functioning organizations, companies, etc. and
thereby aims to give a qualitative impulse to society.”

In the Memorandum of assessment (Beoordelingsmemorandum) the intervention logic is briefly
formulated as follows:


Mid-career professionals become better educated by following an education or course (Master,
Short Course, PhD or refresher course) at a Dutch education institute;
… therefore the employers involved (government, private and non-governmental organisations
and business) in developing countries get better educated staff;
… therefore organisations will improve their functioning.



50% of the fellows will be women, and people from deprived groups and regions will have more
chances to participate in the programme.

This intervention logic was put into a result oriented NFP Framework for outcomes, result areas and
result indicators at policy level as well as on programme level, which was formally agreed between
the Ministry and Nuffic (see Table 2.3 and Table 2.4).

42

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Table 2.2

Policy level: Overview of goals, outcomes and performance indicators

Goals

Outcomes

Result indicators

Capacity building at individual level

Fellow develops more and better



Number of fellows that

applicable knowledge, skills and

completed their NFP education

attitude.

or training;



More promotion possibilities
within the organisation.

Capacity building at organisational

Fellow is capable to apply the

The organisation where the alumni

level

learned knowledge and skills within

work improve their functioning,

the organisation.

products and services as a result
of the NFP education and training
of their employees.

50% of the grants go to women

At least 50% of the NFP fellows is

Percentage and number of women

female.

that completed an NFP education
or training.

50% of the NFP budget is granted

At least 50% of the NFP budget is

Percentage and number of mid-

to candidates from Sub-Saharan

spent on fellows from Sub-Saharan

career professionals from Sub-

Africa

Africa.

Saharan Africa that completed an

More NFP grants are made

Share of grants for disadvantaged

Increase in number of mid-career

available for disadvantaged groups

groups and areas has considerably

professionals from disadvantaged

and areas

increased. For each country

groups or areas that completed

disadvantaged groups and areas

their NFP education or training.

NFP education or training.

are defined in advance.
Courses/modules performed in the

Demonstrable active involvement

Increase in courses/modules

NFP countries

of local experts in the education

regionally performed:

and training.



Number of MA courses with a
regional performed module;



Number of short courses with a
regional performed module.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

43

Table 2.3

Programme level: overview of performance based agreement between DCO/ministry and
Nuffic

Goal

Performance criteria

Performance indicator

Efficiency

Number of programme outputs that



Number of applications and

has been agreed in the annual

granted fellowships, broken

plan/reports.

down in various back ground
characteristics;



Number of produced
programme descriptions,
guidelines, documentation,
information systems etc.,
composition and changes in
het NFP course list, selection
procedures;



Number of implemented
monitoring and evaluation
activities.

Efficiency

Exhaustion of programme budgets

Budget versus spending regarding

in relation to achieved results.

implementation and management
within the agreed policy
framework.

Advices embassies

Embassies demonstrably make

Timely communication on priority

use of their knowledge and insight

policies. Active involvement in

to advice on the applicants for the

selection procedure based on

NFP.

concrete advices (only in the new
selection procedure SOL).

Adaptive power /responsiveness

Capability of the NFP management

Changes and improvements as a

to change management and

result of internal and external M&E

implementation periodically.

activities.

Based on these documents and interviews with the ministry and Nuffic we formulated a
comprehensive intervention logic to ensure that all stakeholders have a common understanding of
what it is meant to achieve and how this is to be done.

44

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Figure 2.5 Intervention logic NFP

The building blocks of the intervention logic as detailed in Figure 2.5 contain a series of underlying
assumptions relating to the mechanisms according to which the NFP is assumed to achieve its
outputs and results. If an activity is started in the sense of one of modalities in the programme
(Master, Short Course, PhD, Tailor Made Training or Refresher Course), and if certain assumptions
are met, then it can be expected that the programme will reach its expected output in the form of:21


Number of graduates /degrees/certificates (PhD, MA, short courses);



Number of participants in refresher courses.

Moreover, it is assumed that these outputs, under certain conditions will reach the expected
outcomes. At the individual level the (main) expected outcomes are:


Improved knowledge and skills, including training skills;



Involvement in professional networks with fellows/colleagues abroad, i.e. in Netherlands;



Improved job performance/working practice;



Improved career and employability prospects.

21

The outputs and outcomes in italics were specifically mentioned in an internal policy note by the ministry of Foreign affairs
regarding the result indicators for the NFP programmes.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

45

At the level of the organisation the (main) expected outcomes:


Improved quality of staff/ Reduced shortages of skilled manpower;



Improved quality of services and products;



Improved functioning of the organisation.

At the national level of a country the (main) expected outcomes (and impacts) are:


Improved quantitative and qualitative skilled manpower;



Reduced shortages of skilled manpower;



Improved economic and social development, i.e. for deprived regions and target groups;



Poverty alleviation (longer term impact).

Although not explicitly mentioned in the programme documentation it was frequently mentioned in
the interviews with various stakeholders that the NFP should also be seen as a political instrument
in building and retaining good relationships with strategic partner countries.
Remarks concerning the intervention logic
From a general perspective the intervention logic is reasonable, focusing on the individual
employees developing new skills and knowledge, eventually leading to better quality products and
services. The linkages between the activities and outcomes and impacts depend on a number of
assumptions which are essential to the chain of relations.
At the level of the individual candidate it is essential that good quality candidates are selected, that
do have the right base of knowledge and competences to successfully follow an NFP education or
training, which will return to their organisation after they have finished their education or training. To
improve their functioning they should be given possibilities to apply their newly learned skills and
knowledge.
For the organisation to improve it’s functioning it is necessary that candidates are selected that are
at least likely to have an impact on the quality of goods and services of the organisation, allowing
the fellow to apply and transfer the skills and knowledge (s)he acquired during the NFP education
or training. The organisation must show ‘openness to new knowledge and skills’, and must be
willing to support the utilisation of new skills and knowledge in daily work practice; merely
fellowships are not sufficient to improve the functioning of organisations. Moreover, logically NFP
fellows are more likely to have an impact on the organisation if there are more of them, relative to
the size of the organisation.
Of course, It is self-evident that to improve skills and competences at the individual level and to
improve the delivery of products and services at the level of the organisation the education and
training provided under the NFP must be of good quality.
Since the general objective of the NFP is set at the level of organisations, impacts beyond the level
of the organization are largely beyond outside the scope of this evaluation.
In the intervention logic obvious differences between the NFP modalities (e.g. short courses versus
Master Courses) are mostly neglected, whereas it can be assumed that the underlying assumptions
regarding their effectiveness might be different.

46

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

2.7

Interests of NFP stakeholders
Although the individual fellows and the organisations they work for are the central beneficiaries of
the NFP, there are also other stakeholders who do have a special interest in the NFP.
An element that also seems to be beyond the scope of the intervention logic is the impact of
international education on the Dutch HE institutions. In various documents it can be found that in
the past decade internationalisation has become a goal of growing importance for Dutch higher
education and the programme, referring to inter alia the impact it can have on the quality of regular
courses, generating income from foreign students, higher standing of the organisation, and
contributing to international networks. It should also be mentioned that especially the international
education institutes in the Netherlands to a certain degree economically depend on the enrolment
of international fellows, inter alia the NFP fellows.
Table 3.1 provides an overview of the NFP stakeholders and their main rationale for being involved
in the NFP based on the interviews with stakeholders and a review of documentation. From this
overview it can be concluded that the opinions of the stakeholders do not differ a lot, especially
regarding the main rationale of the NFP being the qualitative and quantitative training needs of
countries. However, it is also clear that some (important) stakeholders do have specific motives that
might not be congruent with the main rationale of the NFP, for instance regarding the political or
economic networks that are expected from the NFP.
Moreover, some stakeholders do have other, perhaps more or less implicit, strategic reasons
related to the NFP. An example of this, which was frequently mentioned in the interviews with the
various stakeholders, is the expected impact on political or economic networks for Dutch policy or
business. Another example of this is the internationalisation and international profiling of the Dutch
HE institutions, for which the NFP can be beneficial. Moreover, a small group of International
education institutions in the Netherlands is very much depending on the NFP for its existence.
Table 2.4

Overview of interests of NFP stakeholders in the NFP

NFP Fellows

Employers of NFP fellows/alumni



Improved knowledge and skills;



Improved job performance/working practice;



Improved career and employability prospects.



Improved quality of staff;



Improved quality of services and products;



Improved functioning of the organisation;



Involvement in international professional
networks.

Recipient country



Improved quantitative and qualitative skilled
manpower (related to development agenda);



Reduced shortages of skilled manpower;



Improved economic and social development;



Poverty alleviation (longer term impact).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

47

Netherlands government/ ministry of Foreign affairs



Contributing to capacity building in partner
countries;



Contributing to sector development related to the
thematic directorates of the ministry;



Contributing to poverty alleviation;



Political diplomacy;



Economic diplomacy/ involvement of Dutch
industries;

Dutch embassies



Profiling of the Netherlands (public relations).



Contributing to capacity building in priority
sectors/organisations;



Developing/maintaining networks (i.e. alumni) for
political/economic reasons.

Dutch higher education institutions



Contributing to development cooperation /
contributing to knowledge and skills development
of NFP fellows;



Cross-fertilisation with other students at the home
institution (exchanging knowledge);



Potential to generate knowledge products
(research outputs, PhDs, new educational
programmes);

2.8



Profiling of the institution (internationalisation);



Mission of the institute/ core of existence.

Comparison of NFP policies with policies of other key players
1.4 a) How do the developments in Netherlands international fellowship policies compare with the policies
of other key players and the resources they have available? 1.4 b) What are the explanations for the main
commonalities and differences observed?

The information on developments in the policies of other key players is based on the interviews with
respondents during the field visits and available documents (evaluations). The table below provides
a comparison of the NFP policies and policies of other key players offering similar programmes.
Information was collected on the following fellowship programmes: JICA fellowship programme,
Fellowships and Scholarships of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Danida
Fellowship Programme (DFP) Denmark, Australian Development Scholarships (ADS), US –
Fulbright Fellowship programme, Noma (Norad Fellowship programme) and Norhed Norway, VlirBelgium, Austrian Fellowship programme and the Chevening Fellowship programme (British
Council).

48

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Table 2.5

Comparison of NFP and policies other key players

Policy

NFP

Other Players

Fellowship/

Provides full fellowship for

US - requires cost sharing for PhD Studies (only two-

Scholarship

PhD, Masters and Short

three years are paid for);

Courses

DAAD, VLiR – provide additional fellowship support for
families;
Norway (quota fellowships) – 70% of fellowship is loan to
be paid back if alumni do not return to their country.

Target groups

Focus on staff at mid-

Most donors focus similarly on professionals with some

career level. Almost no

years of work experience;

limitations with regard to

Danida, Norad (Noma), JICA and British Council - focus

employer organisation

at practitioners (not for education institutes);
JICA - focus on governmental organisations;
AusAID – ADS has three categories: 1) ADS public for
public sector employees to be nominated by their
employers, 2) ADS open for anyone who meets the
eligibility criteria and 3) ADS target for applicants from
areas which are identified as development priorities or
from specific civil society organisations;
Danida - focus at partner organisations.

Course offer

Few restrictions regarding

Other donors –a limited number of courses or disciplines

courses which are eligible

are earmarked for fellowships. The composition of the

for fellowships and to a

courses and disciplines is regularly adjusted on the basis

large extent in NL

of changing demands or policy priorities;
Norad (Norhed) – focus on areas Norway has a strong
comparative value, can make a strong contribution;
British council - Limited to focus areas foreign policy;
Danida, JICA – courses are also offered in country/
region or in third countries.

Involvement of

NFP focuses on individual

Danida and JICA work in close collaboration with

organisations in

staff, organisations need

organisations throughout the application process and for

application process

to support the application

follow up after training.

and write a letter of
recommendation
Application process

Application process to be

Danida, JICA - the application process is managed by the

initiated by the applicant.

organisation;

Selection based on

Daad – selection done at the education institute level.

scores HEI and
recommendations/ scores
RNE
Review of candidates

Based on application form

British Council, Danida, Daad - shortlisted candidates are
locally screened (and interviewed) including language
test for non native speakers and shortlisted, final
selection lies with HQ by either selection committees or
receiving institutes. AusAid - if deemed necessary a 6months pre-course English is provided.

Objective setting

Objectives are not set by

JICA - pre-action plan/ intervention are developed to be

many of the applicants/

implemented by the alumni upon return.

employers before they
leave for training

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

49

Policy

NFP

Other Players

Follow up

Some funds available for

DAAD – a considerable remittances programme has

refresher courses and

been set up to make return easy including technological

alumni activities

support, refreshment courses/ workshops and possibility

Tracer studies

to return to Germany for further studies;

End of course

JICA – implementation of work plan and progress alumni

questionnaire (for

is monitored by fellowship officer and implementation

fellowship holders and

report is requested;

Dutch HE institutions)

Danida – started to monitor performance and progress
upon return;
British Council – tracks the alumni via its database.

Budget and funding sources
The NFP awarding on average over 1500 fellowships per year over the period 2003-2010 appears
to be one of the larger fellowship programmes. Exact budget information for the different
programmes is not available but based on information about number of fellowships and other
resources available the DAAD programme appears to be the largest by far. Other programmes
such as the Danida Fellowship Programme (DFP), the JICA and AusAID programmes appear to
have a smaller budget. In recent years for instance, DKK 60 million (about 8 mln. EUR) has been
allocated from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the DFP in addition to co-financing by
Danida programmes related to specific courses and activities. This has in 2010 been reduced to
DKK 45 million.
The source of funding of the programmes define partly the interests which the scheme(s) should
serve. The Chevening programme explicitly promotes the UK’s long-term political, economic and
commercial interests. This explains the large effort made by the British council to track and inform
the alumni of the programme. In other programmes such as the VLIR programme and DAAD three
interests play a role: the capacity needs of partners in developing countries, the policies of the
funding Ministry, and the interest of the education and training institutions in the host countries22.
The Danida Fellowships Programme includes fellowships funded from Danida project and
programme funds (particularly MA) as well as centrally-funded fellowships which are reserved for
short trainings, serving the interest of capacity development (for sustainability) and the development
cooperation policies.
Course offer
Compared to all other programmes analysed the NFPs course offer has few restrictions, only the
JICA programme offers also up to 400 courses, although limited to 7 sectors, of which the recipient
country has a choice up to between 200 and 250 courses. Most of the other players included
however earmark a limited number of courses or disciplines for fellowships. The composition of the
courses and disciplines is regularly adjusted on the basis of changing demands or policy priorities.
Some of the programmes such as the DFP decided to branch out its capacity development support
to take place in developing countries, in order to align more closely to the capacity needs and
capacity development policies of the countries and for efficiency reasons. A variety of activities
(primarily interdisciplinary courses) are now carried out in developing countries through cooperation
with partner institutions.

22

50

A Bird’s eye view, Ad boeren, Nuffic, May 2005.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Eligibility criteria and application process
Many of the other key players made a specific choice to focus on ‘practitioners’ because (staff from)
academic institutions have different opportunities through other cooperation programmes. The
Danida Fellowship Programme is the only programme which explicitly links (part of) its fellowships
to bilaterally supported sector programmes. Fellowships can only be granted to local counterparts
or candidates affiliated with Danish-funded programmes/projects. The other programmes do not
have this direct relation with other development schemes or programmes.
In order to further ownership the DFP and JICA programme request organisations to select
candidates for the fellowships. Other programmes similar to NFP require that employers authorize
the application of the candidate and declare that they will retain the candidate in the organisation
after his or her return in order to encourage training to benefit the organisations.
The first screening of candidates is in most cases done locally and includes different from NFP a
language test for non native English speakers. In all cases the final selection lies with HQ by either
a selection committees, including the ministry of Foreign affairs or receiving institutes.
Follow- up
As mentioned above the German DAAD programme has considerable resources available and
includes a considerable remittance programme to facilitate a smooth return of the alumni to their
home country, including technological support. It is felt that the low level of brain drain experience
by the programme is a consequence of this.
Also the JICA programme and DFP make resources available to follow-up with the organisation and
alumni after their return in order to increase the organisational effects of the training/ education and
sustainability of effects.

2.9

Synergy with NPT/NICHE

In some of the interviews during the field visits it was indicated that in various cases the distinction
between the NFP and NPT/NICHE is unclear. In Ethiopia for instance, a reasonable number of
university staff (25% of all fellowships) received fellowships in cases in combination with
NPT/NICHE projects or similar cooperation programmes of other donors that could have provided
for these fellowships as well. In those cases where fellowships are part of wider capacity building
initiatives such as NPT and NICHE, fellowships could be provided in another way.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

51

3

Relevance

3.1

Introduction
The core question relating to the relevance of the NFP is whether there is still a need for the
external support the NFP is providing in order to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of
poverty reduction in developing countries’.
To answer this question information is needed on the manpower needs in the eligible countries.
Quantitative and qualitative skills shortages, however, are difficult to assess, even in developed
countries. Many countries do not have official statistics indicating vacancies or future skills needs.
Also for the countries visited for this evaluation there is little empirical evidence on the skills gaps by
types and levels of expertise and sector. During the country case studies the topic of skills
shortages was discussed in-depth with representatives of the embassies, the national ministries,
NGOs, and with alumni and their employers, giving a qualitative picture of the labour market
situation in the countries visited by the evaluators.

3.2

Labour market needs of developing countries
Is there still a need for external support to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled
manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction
in developing countries’?

Based on the interviews with embassies, NFP fellows, alumni employers and national ministries
during the country study visits, we have strong indications that there are still structural needs on the
labour market, although it proved difficult to get a detailed and comprehensive overview of this. It is
noted that the NFP course list is based on information of the Dutch education institutes elaborating
on the (assumed) relevance of their courses for developing countries, so not based on a
comprehensive analysis of labour market needs. Moreover, the interviewees pointed to structural
shortcomings in the (higher) education systems in their countries, not allowing for appropriate
responses to demands of the labour market, leading to structural mismatches between the
education system (qualifications taught) and the labour market (skills and knowledge requested by
employers)
As far as specific skills shortages were identified during the country visits these were in the field
of environment, climate or in general technically oriented. The NFP courses that were followed
were mainly in the field of agriculture, business administration and social sciences, with
engineering sciences only having a share (around 10%) in master courses and refresher
courses (see section 2.5). This information however does not allow for far-reaching conclusions
regarding the match (or mismatch) of the supply of NFP courses in relation to demands or
needs for education and training.
In Bangladesh there is among others clear need for knowledge and skills related to acute environmental
and climate change threats.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

53

In Ethiopia, according to the priority areas of the five year Growth Transformation Plan (2005-2010), there
is a special need for knowledge and skills in science and technology. The present increase in enrolment of
graduate and post graduate is in line with the ratio of 70:30 which means that 70% of the intake will be or
science and technology and 30% will be in the areas of social science.
In Uganda the Strategic Plan for Higher Education calls for a reform of the curricula that will link them more
23

closely to Uganda’s national development needs and those of the labour market.

The mismatch between higher education and the labour market can be explained by various
structural shortcomings of the education system, as our interviewees indicated:
Quality of higher education is lacking behind, also due to a rapid expansion of higher education.
Interviewees in Ethiopia and Ghana indicated that the present quality of education in many cases does not
meet the demand of employers, often leading to a situation in which new employees need to be retrained
to meet the manpower requirements in the organisations.
In Ghana higher education suffers from poor quality due to poor education infrastructure, oversized
classes, outdated books and other teaching materials, leading to additional training needs in higher
education once graduates are being employed.
In Uganda the Higher Education Research Report indicated a number of constraints affecting the quality of
higher education severely, inter alia inadequate infrastructure and premises, brain drain to low
remuneration, shortage of technical staff, insufficient funding for research and updated study materials.
In Bangladesh the National Education Policy that was launched in 2010 recognised that the traditional
higher education system is not enough to fulfil the current need of the country. Restructuring of the
academic system is seen as essential in order to deliver higher quality education, especially in the areas of
science, technology and business studies.

The NFP makes use of accredited master courses in the Netherlands which in most cases are likely
to be of higher quality than the education supply at universities in the South. Related to the issue of
quality the interviewees noted that most higher education in their countries is very theoretically,
whereas the labour market is in need for more practice oriented knowledge and skills. The NFP
education and training were especially highly valued for the combination of theoretical and practice
oriented subjects.

A lack of capacity in higher education. In the countries visited enrolment in higher education
increased substantially in recent years:
In Ethiopia, the gross enrolment rate (GER) for higher education in Ethiopia increased from 3.6% in 1999
to 5.3% in 2008/09, just below the estimated African GER of 6%. Development of post graduate education
was a priority for the Education Sector Development Plan III (2005-2011). Accordingly, enrolment in postgraduate programmes was expected to increase from 3.884 to 26.000 in the year 2009/10.Due to capacity
problems, however, the total number enrolment in post graduate programmes reached only 13.481.

23

54

Owoey, J.S and S.A. Oyebade (2010), Higher Education Research in Uganda: Problems and Prospects, Kampala
International University.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

In Uganda only 2.7% of the youth cohort between 19 and 25 are enrolled in higher education, yet the
demand for access to higher education is much higher.
In Ghana private universities offer a potential viable alternative for expanding access to higher education
without incurring significant government costs. Public universities find themselves increasingly hard
pressed to absorb the rapidly increasing numbers of secondary school graduates.

In some countries the HE institutes are concentrated in the capital cities, for instance in Uganda. In
these cases there is especially a need for higher education in deprived or remote areas, which the
NFP tries to favour in the selection process. Furthermore, in general women do not have an equal
chance to participate in higher education. The NFP programme has a target of 50 per cent
enrolment of women. It is noted, however, that this target is set at programme level and not at the
level of eligible countries
Conclusion


So, due to little structured information on skills shortages it is difficult to asses the relevance of
the NFP in the context of labour market needs.



During the country visits, however, the interviews strongly indicated structural skills need in the
organisations and companies of which employees participated in the NFP, although these skills
shortages in most case could not be documented.



In general, the available higher education in the developing countries does seem not have the
right mechanisms to effectively respond to skills shortages. In this context, the NFP especially
highly valued because of a well-balanced combination of theoretical and practical content of its
courses.

3.3

Relevance of higher education for developing countries
Since NFP education and training cannot only be seen an as answer to specific labour shortages
but also as an investment in higher educated human resources we thought it useful to have a closer
look at the role of higher education in developing countries.
The World Bank broadly refers to tertiary education as all post-secondary education, including but
not limited to universities.24 According to various sources there is lots of recent research
underpinning the relevance of higher education in building the human capital that in turn builds the
very institutions that are regarded as an indispensable for development.25 More specifically, tertiary
education contributes to capacity development by training a country’s workforce in all fields relevant
to its development.26
More specifically, regarding the role of tertiary education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) the World
Bank argued that “there is an urgent need for countries in SSA to acquire the capabilities that will
spawn new industries that create more productive jobs, multiple linkages, and more diversified
exports. These capabilities derive from investment in physical assets, such as infrastructure and
productive facilities, and in institutions and human capital”.27 In the same study a more knowledgeintensive approach to development was presented as an attractive option for many African
countries, being possibly the only route that could permit sustained, outward-oriented development.

24
25
26
27

http://web.worldbank.org.
Kapur and Crowlley, 2008; R. Ravinder, Emerging trends in higher education in developing countries, 2010.
OECD/The World Bank/ CERI, Cross-border tertiary education. A way towards capacity development, 2007.
World Bank, Accelerating catch-up. Tertiary Education for Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2008.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

55

Along the same line another study of the World Bank on tertiary education in SSA argues that
higher-level education institutions that are equipped to deliver quality education and conduct
relevant applied research can play an important role in producing workers with the skills to
assimilate technology and help industry to diversify into a broader range of products.28 Although
other countries and regions might have different needs and opportunities the relevance of higher
education in general can be underpinned with more or less the same arguments, as the case of
East Asia illustrates.29
Key challenges for higher education in developing countries
As already became clear from our country case studies developing countries are facing various
serious challenges in higher education to which it has to respond in order to maximise its capacities
to its full potential. Based on various studies these challenges can be summarised as follows:30


Increasing number of students graduating from secondary school leading to corresponding
pressures in the demand for post-secondary education;



Globalisation: amongst others new information and communications technology (ICT) and the
emergence of an international knowledge network. The policies governments and universities
are implementing to respond to globalization typically include sending students to study abroad,
setting up setting up a branch campus overseas, or engaging in some type of inter-institutional
partnership;



Increasing student mobility: One of the most visible aspects of globalization is student mobility;



Ensuring academic quality: The need to respond to the demands of massification has caused
the average qualification for academics in many countries to decline, although it should be
acknowledged that there is a great diversity in the quality of tertiary education institutions;



Budget constraints and the economic crises: the economic crisis has implications for the HE
sector in various ways, amongst others: significant budget constraints affecting research
activities, maintenance and construction of new facilities, purchase of books and journals etc.;



Brain drain: There are valid concerns in developing countries that scarce public expenditures on
higher education may be lost through emigration. For example, the human capital shortage in
African countries has partly been exacerbated by brain drain. “Sub-Saharan Africa has the
world’s highest proportion of students studying abroad compared with those studying at home
(6%), and many of these highly educated students do not return after their studies”.31

Although the NFP cannot be seen as an answer to these challenges, it cannot be denied that these
to a certain degree determine the context in which the NFP operates.

3.4

The role of fellowships
From the above it has become clear that education, including higher education, can play a
significant role in fostering social and economic development of countries. The question is as to
what role fellowship programmes can play in this. For this we look at the results of some
evaluations of other fellowship programmes: the Norwegian Programme for Master Studies
(NOMA), the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), the former

28
29
30
31

56

World Bank, Financing Higher Education In Africa,, 2010.
For another example see: World Bank, Putting higher education to work. Skills and research for growth in East Asia, 2012.
Ravinder, 2010. Kapur and Crowlley, 2008.
Materu, P. (2006). “Re-visioning Africa’s tertiary Education in the Transition to a Knowledge Economy”, cited in Kapur and
Crowley, 2008.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

evaluation of the NFP programmes and the evaluation of the Commonwealth Scholarship and
Fellowship Plan from the UK.
NOMA
The Norwegian Programme for Master Studies (NOMA) is a scholarship programme by the
Norwegian government. The programme’s goal is to strengthen capacity in developing countries.
The programme is smaller than NFP and only offers Master courses. The evaluation of NOMA by
the Nordic Consulting Group, conducted in 2005, found very positive views of NOMA alumni and
their employers about effects of the courses on individuals and organizational performance.32
Despite this, little formal evidence could be found on the impact on poverty alleviation or on
improvements of sectors or the economy as a whole. The 2009 evaluation by COWI AS showed
more promising results for impact on the country level. The latter evaluation concluded that the
NOMA programme significantly contributed to capacity building in the South and, to some extent,
also in Norway.33 The conclusion was based on opinions of stakeholders of NOMA (alumni,
employers, policy makers, etc.).
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP)
The JJ/WBGSP programme is a large scholarship programme funded by the government of Japan.
It was initiated in 1987 to strengthen human resource development in developing countries. The
programme offers scholarships to individuals from one of the World Bank’s member states. With
this scholarship they can study at universities from a member country of the World Bank. The
impact of the JJ/WBGSP on the development of developing countries was measured by a three-fold
criterion: alumni’s residence status, their employment status and their link to development. It was
assumed that if all three criteria are fulfilled, alumni will have the largest impact on development.
The eighth (!) tracer study showed that a large majority (77%) of fellows returned to their home
country after completion of the scholarship programme.34 A large majority of alumni was employed
(88 per cent) or self-employed (6 per cent). The remainder was unemployed or still studying.
Results also indicated that the majority of employed respondents were in positions to influence their
countries’ policy and development programmes. Respondents also indicated that the acquired
knowledge is highly relevant to their countries’ needs, most likely impacting on its development.
NFP
In 2007 the NFP programmes were evaluated by Ecorys, in combination with an evaluation of
NFP.35 The evaluation covers the period from 2002 until 2005 and focuses on evaluating the policy
relevance, efficiency and initial effectiveness of the programme. Although 2007 was too early to
present definitive conclusions about the effects of the NFP, the study found strong indications that
NFP has the potential to be an effective contributor to the capacity building.
Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan
This programme provides different types of scholarships and fellowships for staff and students in
the commonwealth. Fellows can for example study in the UK or work at a UK higher education
institute. The main findings of the evaluation are, that:36


A high proportion of former Commonwealth scholars and fellows work in higher education;



The fellowships contribute to the career development of higher education professionals;



The programme enables individuals to acquire skills and knowledge and to pass them on;

32

Nordic Consulting Group, 2005.
COWI AS, 2009.
World Bank Institute (2010), Joint Japan/ World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program Tracer study VIII.
Ecorys (2007), Evaluation of the international education programmes NPT and NFP managed by Nuffic.
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission UK (2012), Evaluating Commonwealth Scholarships in the United Kingdom.

33
34
35
36

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

57



The programme does not lead to brain drain;



The fellowship activities can be linked to the introduction of new practices and innovation in
commonwealth HEIs.

NFP Tracer study
In 2009 Nuffic conducted a tracer study among 1,600 alumni of the various NFP modalities.37
Almost all respondents were very positive about the usefulness of the training for their work,
irrespective of gender, age, employing organisation or course modality attended. The influence of
the training on the work situation and career had been modest for a vast majority of the alumni,
approximately 10% of them reporting a change in position or responsibilities. A majority of alumni
was able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in their work situation, whereas also many
shared their knowledge with people beyond their work situation. Almost 90% of the alumni returned
to their employing organisations and previous position, although especially government officials
changed position to join international organisations or became self-employed.
The findings of these evaluations appear to be in line with an earlier overview of Boeren (2005)
reflecting the findings and conclusions of some former evaluation studies of fellowship
programmes, namely:38


High completion rates of fellows;



Exposure to a foreign society and education/training system is seen as a major added value.



The vast majority of candidates return to their home country and employer, but figures vary

For many candidates the study abroad opens their minds and changes their attitudes;
between programmes;


The integration of newly-acquired qualifications into the home organization depends to a high
degree on the readiness of the organization and not merely on the individual’s motivation and
efforts;



The institutional impact of individual training is usually modest when it is not embedded in a
manpower development plan of the organization which employs the candidate, and when the
candidate remains the only one who has been training in the subject;



Despite the positive accounts of alumni and employers about the effects of the training for
individuals and organizations, there is little formal evidence of the impact of training
programmes on poverty alleviation or improvements in sectors and the economy or society.

Conclusion
From evaluations of other fellowship programmes it can be concluded that there is empirical
evidence that individual fellowship programmes like the NFP are likely to provide benefits to
individual fellows in terms of increased competences and improved career opportunities. Also, there
seems to be a potential for stimulating organisational development provided that the organisation is
open to new skills and new knowledge. On the national level we conclude that there is little formal
evidence of the impact of training programmes on poverty alleviation or improvements in sectors
and the economy or society.

37
38

58

Nuffic, NFP Tracer Study 2009, Final report. November 2009.
Boeren (2005), A bird’s eye view.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

3.5

Motives of fellows to participate in the NFP
The motivation of fellows for participating in the NFP gives an indication of the perceived relevance
of the NFP education and training from an individual perspective.
The main reasons for fellows to apply for an NFP fellowship is a mixture of individual and
organisation oriented motives, which all are more or less equally important (see Figure 3.1).39 From
an individual perspective ‘improving competences’, ‘enhancing personal development’ and
‘enhancing one’s career opportunities’ are mentioned as prominent motives. A motive that is more
related to the functioning of the organisation is ‘improving the quality of the services of the
organisation’. All these motives were supported by a large majority (90% or more) of the NFP
alumni.40
Except for career opportunities all of these reasons can be called intrinsic, whereas extrinsic
reasons like ‘higher salary’, ‘opportunity to go abroad’, ‘requested by the employer’ are much less
important for fellows to apply for an NFP fellowship. 41 It should also be acknowledged that
following an NFP course abroad is also already an individual benefit. Especially, because almost all
expenses are fully covered and salary payments are continued.
Figure 3.1 Main reasons for fellows to apply for an NFP-fellowship
to improve specific competences
to enhance my personal
development
to help improve the quality of the
services of the organisation
to enhance my career
opportunities
to improve my general
knowledge
to get a (higher) degree in
education
it suited the HRM strategy of the
organisation
to get a higher salary
to be able to go abroad
my manager/employer requested
it from me
not amitted to other fellowship
programmes
0%

10%

20%

Not applicable

30%

40%

Slightly applicable

50%
Applicable

60%

70%

80%

Highly applicable

90%

100%

Do not know

There appear to be differences in motives between fellows of different NFP modalities:


MA fellows and PhD fellows much more than fellows for the other modalities refer to a ‘higher
degree in education’ as an important motive, which is not surprising for the type of course in
which they have been enrolled;

39

40
41

I should be noted that these motives were asked retrospective and could be affected by experiences and outcomes of the
fellowship course or education.
See answers to Q 20 in the Annex Results NFP alumni questionnaire.
Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the
individual rather than relying on any external pressure. Extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity in order
to attain an outcome. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards like money and grades, coercion and threat of
punishment.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

59



Fellows for a Master course or PhD course are more prone to emphasize a ‘higher salary’ and
‘career opportunities’ (especially MA Fellows) as important motives, which is in line with the
more extensive courses;



PhD fellows more frequently refer to the HRM ‘strategy of the organisation’ and ‘the role of the
management’ in applying for an NFP fellowship;



Fellows in short courses and TM courses more often emphasize ‘improving the quality of the
services of the organisation’ as one of their main motives.

From the above it can be concluded that the motives of the NFP fellows in general seems to fit
within the intervention logic of the programme, in which developing knowledge and skills at the
individual level will lead to improved competences and improved skilled manpower, which in turn
will lead to better outputs of the organisation the alumni work for. It is noted that this chain of
relations might be subject to many obstacles and hindering factors which are not structurally given
consideration in the implementation of the project.

3.6

Motives of employers to support NFP fellows
The main reasons for employers to allow or support staff to participate in NFP education or training
were to’ improve the quality of staff’ in the organisation, ‘improve the quality of services provided’ by
the organisation and to ‘enhance innovation in the organisation’ (see Figure 3.2). All these
arguments were supported by a vast majority of the employers that responded to our questionnaire
(95% or even more).42
Whereas ‘reducing shortages of relevant expertise in the organisation’ was also often mentioned as
one of the reasons for supporting staff to participate in the NFP, ‘reducing manpower shortages in a
specific position’ and ‘retaining staff for the organisation’ were less emphasised. The same goes for
‘developing an international network with institutions or colleagues abroad’.
The country studies revealed that the involvement of the employer in the NFP is not always fully
voluntarily and deliberately. Sometimes employers felt the need to support the fellowship
application of an employee in order not to hinder career perspectives, whilst the organisational
needs were less clear at the moment. This relates back to the assumed automatic link in the
intervention logic from better trained professionals to capacity building in a broad sense. From the
interviews in the country cases it also became clear that employers do not always prefer an
individual fellowship for further capacity building in their organisation, but sometimes prefer group
training or short courses.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the involvement of employers in the NFP in many cases seem to
be rather ad hoc or even indifferent than strategic. The multi year agreement that have been
applied in a limited number of countries are an exception to this. Especially in Uganda Multi Year
Agreements, including a longer term strategy on the HR development of one organisation, proved
to be successful.
The Soroti District Government in Uganda is a good example of a region where a needs analysis was
performed identifying gaps in knowledge and competencies among the local workforce, leading to a
multiyear human resource development strategy. This strategy consisted of a well-planned targeted

42

60

See answers to Q8 in Annex Results NFP Employers Questionnaire.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

approach through which a group of selected employees was enabled to participate in the NFP (various
modalities) during 3 to 4 successive years.

Examples like this, however, of a structured needs analysis and corresponding targeted HR
approach appear to be scarce. A substantial part of the interviewed employers in Uganda did not
have a clear strategy of how to use NFP to strengthen the organisation, but agreed to “back up”
individual employees with the idea of profiting from their professional development in the end.
Figure 3.2

Main reasons for employers to allow staff to participate in NFP education or training (181
employers)

To improve the quality of staff

To reduce manpower shortages
in a specific position

To retain staff for the
organisation

To reduce shortages of relevant
expertise in the organisation

To improve the quality of
services of the organisation
To (further) develop an
international network with
institutions and colleagues
abroad
To enhance innovation in the
organisation
0%

10%

20%

Not applicable

30%

40%

Slightly applicable

50%
Applicable

60%

70%

80%

Highly applicable

90%

100%

Do not know

Source: Ecorys NFP Employers questionnaire 2012.

From the above we conclude that the motives expressed by the employers fit in the intervention
logic as they primarily focus on the development of knowledge and skills of the employee, but also
with a clear perspective on improving the quality of services of the organisation and enhancing
innovation in the organisation.

3.7

Relevance of NFP for Dutch higher education
Although the NFP is primarily focused on alleviating quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled
manpower it was also noted in chapter 2 that the Dutch HE institutes themselves do have a special
interest in the NFP programmes, not only in providing education or training, but also relating to their
own organisation and their regular education.
In a recent discussion paper of the Platform for International Education (PIE) the interest of Dutch
HE institutes in the NFP was placed in a long tradition among European universities to contribute to
human development.43 “Many universities have relations with partner universities in the developing
world, often with a purpose of contributing somehow to development.” At the same time it is noted
that “university leaders and managers somehow seem to overlook or neglect powerful incentives to
engage in activities targeting human development issues”.
43

PIE (2009), Higher Education Development Cooperation: to a new vision on knowledge capacity building in higher
education for development.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

61

Aside from the fact that for HE institutes in the South linking up with Northern HE institutes is
essential because this may provide them with an entry to the global scientific community, it is
emphasised by PIE “that the interest of Northern institutes in cooperation with the South is strongly
related with its potential to generate knowledge products (research output, publication, PhDs, new
educational programmes, etc.).” Although the relevance of the NFP in this respect was confirmed in
the interviews with the Dutch HE institutes, little concrete information was collected on this.
In the interviews with the HE institutes in the Netherlands it was indicated that NFP fellows brought
in knowledge and experience of other countries and their educational systems. Also, having
students and colleagues of another culture sparked discussions on ways of learning and knowledge
concerning the subject matter. However, these didactical and pedagogical motives should not
disguise the fact that for part of the education institutes educating and training NFP fellows is their
core of existence.
Almost all Dutch knowledge institutes have been or still are in a process of developing educational
programmes and research activities as part of their globalisation agendas. The feeling, as it was
expressed by PIE (2009), is that the possible synergies between Dutch development cooperation in
HE and the relevant knowledge that is generated by Dutch knowledge institutes should be better
explored. Interestingly.

3.8

Conclusions
The core question as regards the relevance of the NFP is whether there is still a need for the
external support the NFP is providing in order to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of
poverty reduction in developing countries’. This question can be answered at various levels.
Labour market relevance


Due to a lack of labour market information (vacancies, future skills needs) the relevance of the
NFP proved difficult to assess.



During the country visits, however, the interviews indicated structural skills need in the
organisations and companies of which employees participated in the NFP. The interviews also
indicated that, in general, the available higher education in the developing countries does not
seem to have the right mechanisms to effectively respond to skills shortages. In this context, the
NFP is especially highly valued because of its well-balanced combination of theoretical and
practical content of the courses.

Relevance from an individual fellow perspective


The main reasons for fellows to apply for an NFP fellowship was a mixture of individual and
organisation oriented motives. Especially ‘improving competences’, ‘enhancing personal
development’ and ‘enhancing one’s career opportunities’ were mentioned as prominent motives.
Besides, fellows also stressed the importance of ‘improving the quality of the services of the
organisation’. All these motives were supported by a large majority (90% or more) of the NFP
alumni.



Especially with its supply of a wide variety of courses for mid-career professionals the NFP
seems to offer unique opportunities in higher education which might otherwise not exist for
many employees. Furthermore, the NFP makes use of accredited master courses in the
Netherlands which in most cases are likely to be of higher quality than the education supply at
universities in the South.

62

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Relevance from an employers perspective


In supporting the application of their employee(s) for the NFP the employers(also) have a clear
focus on the individual development of knowledge and skills of their employee(s), (also) with the
aim of improving the quality of services of the organisation and enhancing innovation in the
organisation.



It is noted that the perceived relevance of the NFP programmes as expressed by the employers
should be considered with care, because a relatively large number of employers were a NFP
fellow in the past, possibly having a positive bias towards the NFP. Furthermore, the country
studies indicated that if given the choice fellowships would not always be the first instrument
selected for capacity building.

The intervention logic reconsidered


Although, from the above it could be concluded that the assumed causal relations which are
part of the intervention logic seem to hold, it is noted that this chain of relations might be subject
to obstacles and hindering factors which might limit the perceived effectiveness of individual
education and training on the organisation; these issues are not given serious consideration in
the implementation of the programme

Relevance for Dutch Higher Education and the Dutch state


It is concluded that the NFP can be of relevance for the Dutch HE institutes for its potential to
generate knowledge products (research output, publication, PhDs, new educational
programmes, etc.), although the evaluation did not collect concrete information to underpin this
assumption.



The Netherlands as a state might potentially benefit of the NFP through improved bilateral
relation from the large network of alumni that followed a course in the Netherlands with NFP
funding.

Finally, from evaluations of other fellowship programmes it can be concluded that there is empirical
evidence that individual fellowship programmes like the NFP are likely to provide benefits to
individual fellows in terms of increased competences and improved career opportunities. Also, there
seems to be a potential for stimulating organisational development provided that the organisation is
open to new skills and new knowledge. On the national level, however, also based on earlier
evaluations, there is little formal evidence of the impact of training programmes on poverty
alleviation or improvements in sectors and the economy or society.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

63

4

Effectiveness

4.1

Introduction
This chapter analyses the effectiveness of the NFP i.e. the extent to which the programme
objectives have been achieved, based on an assessment of results at various levels (outputs,
outcomes and impact). For a detailed description of these objectives we refer to chapter 2.5. In this
chapter we first present the completion rate of the courses, followed by the benefits at the individual
level, utilisation of NFP expertise and benefits at organisational level, including conducive and
hindering factors. Effects at institutional and country level and wider socio-economic development
will be discussed in the next chapter.
In the introduction chapter (section 1.5) we commented on the extent to which results can be
measured. In fact a large part of the findings from the survey and interviews rely on self-reported
benefits by alumni and may have a positive bias and somewhat overstate the increase in abilities
associated with education and training. Through the employer survey and interviews during the
country visits we have made efforts to involve supervisors and more in-depth views of alumni to
validate these self-reported skill and behaviour assessments both at individual and organisational
level.
In general it is difficult to attribute observed results at individual and organisational level to
education and training activities. In cases it proved to be problematic to distinguish effects of NFP
support from particularly effects of other capacity development or fellowship programmes. In most
NFP partner countries many donors are active in the field of capacity building; organisations but
also NFP beneficiaries often benefit from different fellowship programmes. In these cases we had
to depend on the respondents to pinpoint the specific effect of the NFP support.

4.2

Completion rate of courses
To what extent did the NFP fellows complete their training and was this as planned and what factors
explain the rate of completion?

The completion rate of the NFP courses is very high. Of the survey respondents, less than two per
cent did not complete their education or course. Men (2.2%) slightly more often failed to complete
their NFP education or training than women (1.2%).This high completion rate is confirmed by the
information provided by Nuffic that about 98% of the fellows completes its education or training.
Estimations of the different HEIs interviewed are a bit lower and range between 90-95%.
The main reasons for drop out are personal circumstances such as homesickness, pregnancy and
family issues, and less of academic level. In some cases for example because of a pregnancy
students are allowed to extend their fellowship or return to the Netherlands at a later time to
complete their education. Table 4.1 presents the rate of completion of the alumni surveyed for all
modalities of the programme.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

65

Table 4.1 Rate of completion alumni surveyed (period 2002-2010)
SC

MA

PhD

TM

RF

Total

Finish

98.3%

96.6%

64.6%

96.4%

95.5%

96.8%

Did not finish

1.3%

1.8%

9.2%

3.6%

2.2%

1.7%

Still busy

0.4%

1.6%

26.2%

0%

2.2%

1.4%

Total number of respondents

1,669

822

65

89

2,700

55

The results per modality show a higher drop out percentage for PhD students. This outcome is to
be expected as PhD education also because of the length of the course is generally seen as the
most challenging of all modalities and in cases HEIs do not allow students to continue after the first
year because of academic reasons.
Two-thirds of the alumni surveyed completed their NFP education/ training with a certificate whilst
about 30 per cent received a Master or PhD degree (see Annex 4, Q16).

4.3

Benefits of the NFP at individual level
How do NFP alumni assess the value of the NFP fellowship and the training/ education provided and what
have been their perspectives in terms of career, increased responsibilities, increased possibilities to train
others, increased income, (academic) networking with peers, institutions in the Netherlands? Did this meet
their expectations?

4.3.1 Perceived value of NFP and education and training provided
All alumni interviewed identified the NFP fellowship to be an important aspect of their personal
development as well as their knowledge and skills development. Particularly students who obtained
a Master or PhD degree stressed that the financial support was essential to their studies and that
they would not have chosen to pursue their degree if the NFP or an alternative donor would not
have provided funding.
Alumni respondents are in general very positive about the education or training offered by NFP.
The quality of teachers/trainers is appreciated most as nearly all (98%) alumni surveyed judge this
element of the NFP education or training either as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. Figure 4.1 shows that there
are only minor differences between the categories apart from the two elements: possibilities to get
into contact (built relations) with Dutch organisations and preparation into Dutch culture and society,
which show less positive scores.

66

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Figure 4.1 Alumni assessment of elements of the NFP education or training?

Notably alumni who participated in a tailor-made course were most positive on the majority of the
elements while alumni of master courses were least positive on most elements44. During the field
visits in addition the international aspect ’learning from experiences in different countries and
cultures’ and the practical aspect ‘learning to do your own research and concrete experiences in the
working environment’ of the courses were mentioned. Nevertheless the practical aspect is also
criticised by alumni indicating that they would like to have had more practical experiences tuned to
their local/ regional context.
About 20 per cent of the alumni surveyed participated in a refresher course. From table 4.2 it can
be concluded that an upgrade of knowledge and skills acquired in the earlier NFP course but also
the possibility to catch up with the newest techniques and methodologies are seen as the most
important values of these courses. Also a large majority of the employers (31)45 of staff that
participated in refresher courses find that these courses are (very) useful and provide similar scores
to the different values.

44
45

See Annex 4. Q21.
See Annex 5, Q19.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

67

Table 4.2 Value of the NFP refresher course (maximum of three options possible)

46

Alumni
Upgrade of knowledge and skills acquired in my earlier NFP course

81.4%

Catching up with the newest technics and methodologies

67.9%

Discussing practical problems I encounter in my daily work

58.5%

Asking advice on practical problems I encounter in my daily work

31.7%

Strengthen business and academic contacts in the Netherlands

15.8%

Strengthen social contacts in the Netherlands

9.0%

Other, please specify

1.8%

Total

501

4.3.2 Effects on career development
The alumni have clearly benefitted from their participation in NFP. This overall positive picture is
evident from both the survey results and the field visits. Alumni respondents identified many direct
and indirect benefits of their experience in addition to their qualification. This is shown inter alia by
the survey results on competences developed, the impact of NFP on daily work, networking
contacts of the alumni and income changes. The findings in these areas will be presented
hereafter.
Professional performance
Respondents in general feel that they especially developed the following competences to a large
extent: in-depth subject knowledge (94%), a critical and analytical attitude (92%) and to work in
close collaboration with others (91%). These last two competences are seen as specific benefits of
studying in countries like the Netherland. One of the respondents stated in this respect: “In the
Netherlands you learn how to understand, in Africa you learn how to pass exams”.
Differences per modality can be linked to the nature (level and length) of the courses, e.g. alumni
who participated in a master course developed their critical and analytical attitude and computer
skills more than the fellows in the other modalities. Also, and not surprisingly, alumni who
participated in master and/or PhD courses learned more about new research methodologies than
participants in other modalities47.
Positive effects on everyday work were perceived in different areas including increased self
confidence, an increased quality of work, an increased working motivation and improved
competences in handling complex problems (See figure 4.2). A comparison between respondents
that completed their NFP education/ training before 2009 and respondents that finished in 2009 or
later years shows that impacts are perceived almost equally by ‘ older’ and ‘newer’ NFP alumni.

46

47

68

The difference with the number of Refresher Course respondents in table 4.1 can be explained by the fact that
respondents who participated in more than one NFP course, were asked to fill in the questionnaire for the highest level of
NFP education or training followed or if the courses followed were of comparable level the one with the longest duration. In
total 89 of the respondents filled out the questionnaire based on the refresher course followed. Table 4.2 is concerned with
all alumni surveyed (N= 501) that participated in a refresher course.
Annex 4, Q22.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Figure 4.2 Impact NFP education/ training on everyday work

Following differences which are to a large extent evident from the nature of the courses in
perceived impact between the modalities have been observed (see annex 4, Q3):


Master alumni feel that they have become more competent in handling complex problems than
other alumni;



Master and PhD alumni more often state that they increased their professional status among
colleagues than others;



PhD alumni but especially master alumni were more often promoted to a higher job position
than others;



Master alumni more often indicate that they have been given more responsibilities than other
alumni.

Evidence from both the alumni survey and field visits shows that a large majority of the alumni have
exchanged knowledge through training (on-the- job) and workshops. Over 90% of the alumni
surveyed (Annex 4, Q38) indicate in this respect that they shared important knowledge and skills
with colleagues whilst almost 80% of the alumni respondents feel that they have become more of
an advisor for their colleagues. Often this was however at their own initiative. Employers in general
tend not to have a policy in this respect.
Career development
Obtaining a higher degree of education led to a higher job positions and/ or increased responsibility
for about 70% of the alumni surveyed (see figure 4.2). This is especially the case for alumni who
completed a Master’s or PhD course. These findings are considerably more positive than the
results of the 2009 Tracer study by Nuffic which only showed a modest influence of the NFP
training on the work situation and career for the vast majority of the alumni. Approximately 10% of
them reported a change in position or responsibilities48. Nevertheless the field visits showed that
promotions, are often not related to having international experience and therefore also occur when
a Master or PhD is obtained through a local university. In education and research institutes this is in

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

69

most cases an automatic process. In other organisations promotion is often the result of either
having a vacancy at a higher level or a procedure for promotion that depends on competition, not
only requiring higher qualifications but also specific performances on the job (in terms of length and
quality of work). In only a limited number of visited organisations specific tasks or objectives were
agreed with the fellows to be performed upon the return to the organisation.
Findings from the field studies showed clear differences between the countries. In Bangladesh for
instance, contrary to the more positive career perspectives in the other three countries visited,
almost non of the alumni interviewed experienced increased perspectives or salary increase.
Income changes
Effects on income increase have been mixed. Salary increases after completion of the NFP
education or training are very much related to type of modality. As can be expected, alumni that
completed Master courses received more often a (higher) salary increase than alumni who
completed a short course, PhD course, tailor-made course or refresher course. Over 30% of Master
course alumni received even a salary increase of more than 25%. Table 4.3 presents the results of
the mutations in salary of alumni.
Table 4.3

Changes in salary after completion of the NFP education/ training
SC

MA

PhD

TM

RC

Total

Salary decreased

1.0%

2.2%

1.6%

0.0%

2.3%

1.4%

Salary did not really change

57.7%

24.8%

37.5%

60.4%

55.2%

47.2%

Salary increased by less than 5%

6.4%

6.7%

3.1%

7.5%

6.9%

6.4%

Salary increased by between 5% and 10%

12.3%

14.8%

15.6%

9.4%

12.6%

13.1%

Salary increased by between 10% and 25%

10.2%

15.6%

12.5%

7.5%

12.6%

11.9%

Salary increased by more than 25%

9.8%

30.1%

14.1%

13.2%

9.2%

16.2%

I do not know

2.6%

5.7%

15.6%

1.9%

1.1%

3.8%

Total number of respondents

1,635

803

64

53

87

2,642

49

About 30% of the alumni surveyed (38 % of the ‘older’ alumni that finished before 2009 and 22 % of
the alumni that finished in 2009 or later) have changed employer after they returned from the
Netherlands. Most important reasons for changing jobs after the NFP education or training are a job
offer from another organisation (41%) and an interest to work in another field or expertise (28%)
(see table 4.4) 50. There are some differences per modality. Intuitive appealing is the conclusion that
master and PhD alumni lost their position to another employee more often than alumni who
participated in other modalities. The course duration of master and PhD courses are longer than the
other modalities. Furthermore, an important reason for PhD alumni not to return to the organisation
they worked for is a low salary. Alumni of tailor-made courses are more often of the opinion that the
organisation has a lack or career opportunities and decided more other that they want to work in
another field or expertise.
Findings from the field visits show that most staff left their organisation to work for International
NGOs and other international organisations such as the Word Bank. In some countries (e.g.
Ethiopia, Uganda and Bangladesh) the high turnover of staff is very much related to the

49

50

70

As explained in chapter 1, the total number of respondents per question may differ because not all questions were
compulsory and some of the respondents have not filled out the whole questionnaire.
There is no sugnificant difference between the percentage of male and femal respondents that have changed employer.
Compared to male respondents, female respondents more often felt that there was a lack of caree opportunities in the
organisatio or were in a position that was taken over by someone else or became abundant because of organisational
changes.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

discrepancies in salaries between (semi-) government organisations and INGOs and private sector
which can be as high as 1:10.51 Findings form the 2009 tracer Study of NFP alumni showed that the
shift in employment of females had predominantly taken place out of the local NGO‟s and into
international organizations.
Table 4.4

Reasons why alumni did not return to the organisation they worked for (respondents had
more options)
SC

MA

PhD

TM

RC

Total

20.6%

26.9%

20%

38.5%

22.2%

23.8%

My position was taken over by someone else

2.7%

10.3%

13.3%

0.0%

0.0%

6.2%

I received a job offer from another organisation

42.2%

39.4%

40.0%

46.2%

38.9%

40.9%

The salary was too low

17.4%

21.6%

40%

23.1%

22.2%

20.0%

Due to organisational changes there was no

8.3%

15.3%

20%

0.0%

16.7%

11.8%

15.9%

7.8%

0%

7.7%

5.6%

11.5%

25.7%

31.9%

0%

38.5%

27.8%

28.2%

Other, please specify

38.1%

25.3%

40%

30.8%

44.4%

32.3%

Total

339

320

15

13

18

705

Lack of career opportunities for me in the
organisation

place for me any more
I decided to do another study after I completed
the NFP education or training
I decided that I wanted to work in another field or
expertise
52

Results from the alumni questionnaire show that over 90% of the respondents are currently working
in their native country. This implies a low level of brain drain to other countries. The country visits,
however, show remarkable differences in brain drain between countries as described in section
4.5.1. The main reasons for alumni to move to foreign countries are to continue further studies
abroad (47% of alumni working abroad) and to work for an international organisation (12%). Results
per modality show that alumni who participated in a master or PhD course have about twice as
much left their native country than alumni who participated in the other courses. Differences
between the results for male and female alumni show that male alumni are significantly more
working for an international organisation while female alumni are significantly more continuing
further studies (see Annex 4, Q27).
Networking
Alumni kept to a large extent in contact with fellow NFP students (77%), teachers (45%) and other
foreign students (45%) whom they had met during their NFP education or training. The main
contents of the contacts are socially (64%) or for sharing technical advice (61%). Specifically the
contacts of alumni who participated in a PhD course are more focused on future cooperation with
the organisation the PhD alumni works for which can be explained by the fact that these alumni
work more at universities.

51
52

Civil service Employment and Pay in Ethiopia, Mohammed Mussa, World Bank, 2005.
Most of the respondents who chose this category specified that they returned to the same organisation but are currently
working for another organisation.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

71

Table 4.5

Main content of networking contacts (respondents had more options)
SC

MA

PhD

TM

RC

Total

Socially / human interest

62.5%

68.2%

49.2%

56.3%

54.8%

63.5%

Sharing technical advice

62.5%

57.8%

52.5%

58.3%

64.3%

60.8%

Asking advice

40.8%

46.4%

45.9%

41.7%

40.5%

42.6%

Entrepreneurial opportunities

17.8%

17.6%

14.8%

18.8%

25%

17.9%

Work content related

44.3%

42.8%

34.4%

50.0%

46.4%

43.8%

37.5%

35.1%

47.5%

45.8%

42.9%

37.3%

Other, please specify

4.7%

5.3%

4.9%

2.1%

2.4%

4.8%

Total

1.577

773

61

48

84

2.543

Future cooperation with the
organisation you work for

After termination of the courses, the HEI continue to have contact with the alumni via newsletters,
Facebook and specific alumni-networks. The extent to which the different HEI keep in contact with
their alumni however differs. Alumni interviewed in general feel that the contacts and information
received through these channels contribute to updating of technical knowledge and continued
exchange of practises.
Satisfaction
The respondents in general indicated that their expectations with regard to the NFP education or
training were largely or fully met (89%). Of the alumni surveyed that felt that their expectations were
not fully met (59%), 34% are most disappointed in the possibilities to improve specific competences
and 23% about the possibilities to help improve the quality of the services of the organisation. Also
the possibility to get a higher salary and enhanced career opportunities are often a disappointment
but these possibilities are not determined by NFP. The results show differences in reasoning
between modalities, which could be explained by differences in goals and characteristics of
modalities. Alumni of tailor-made courses for instance note that their expectations are not met
because specific competences are not improved enough (48%) whereas their expectations with
regard to the enhancement of their personal development seem to be met. This result can be
explained by the characteristics of the tailor-made courses: they were designed to meet specific
needs identified by a requesting organization and were only of a brief duration.
Table 4.6 Expectations which were not fully met (respondents had more options)
SC

MA

PhD

TM

RC

Total

to improve specific competences

30.6%

39.3%

37.8%

48.3%

38.5%

34.1%

to improve my general knowledge

9.9%

13.5%

18.9%

6.9%

15.4%

11.4%

to enhance my personal development

12.4%

12.5%

16.2%

3.4%

21.2%

12.6%

23.7%

22.7%

32.4%

13.8%

21.2%

23.3%

to enhance my career opportunities

23.5%

24.8%

27%

24.1%

30.8%

24.2%

to get a higher salary

30.8%

30.1%

29.7%

20.7%

26.9%

30.2%

Total number of respondents

938

488

37

29

52

1,544

to help improve the quality of the services of
the organisation

All in all, the overwhelming majority of the alumni are (highly) satisfied with the NFP course they
followed (96%) 53 and would certainly advise a colleague to follow a NFP course. While comparing
the answers from men and women, we can conclude that the effects of NFP education and training
on women and men do not vary significantly.

53

72

Annex 4, Q44.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

4.4

Utilisation of NFP knowledge
Did the NFP alumni return to their employer and have they been able to utilize their new expertise,
knowledge, skills, aptitudes, etc. after returning to their employer? What have been the factors and
conditions that have made this (im)possible (both in relation to the training and the employer)? What
aspects/elements of the NFP fellowship have been considered most useful in this respect?

Most of the alumni surveyed (89%) returned to their employer after completing their NFP education
or training, whilst over 70% of the alumni surveyed are currently still working for the same employer
they worked for when they started their NFP education. Note however, that this number is
somewhat influenced by the bigger response rate from alumni that recently completed their
education/ training. Alumni who participated in a master or PhD course left their organisation more
frequently (respectively 42,6% and 27,7%). These findings correspond with the 2009 Tracer study,
performed by Nuffic, which showed a similar high percentage of alumni (90%) returning to their
employers This was particularly the case for alumni who were working for a government
organization.
The findings from both the survey and interviews show that the alumni who returned to their
employer are of the opinion that they have to a large extent been able to put (part of) their new
expertise and skills to work. These findings are supported by similar results in the 2009 Tracer
study in which a large percentage of the alumni that they have been able to apply the acquired
knowledge and skills in their work situation (77.8%) and also share this knowledge and skills with
people beyond their work situation (59.4%).
Figure 4.3 Utilisation of NFP knowledge and skills (Due to my NFP education or training…)
...the quality of services of the
organisation improved
...new ideas on the management
of the organisation were
introduced
...new technical skills were
brought into the organisation that
were not there before
...new ideas for commercial
activities for the organisation
were introduced
...I contributed to solving
complex problems in the
organisation
...I introduced new technics and
methodologies
...I contributed to a new strategy
for the organisation
...the international network with
institutions and colleagues
abroad improved
0%

10%

20%

Not applicable

30%

40%

Slightly applicable

50%
Applicable

60%

70%

80%

Highly applicable

90%

100%

Do not know

A comparison between the different modalities shows that alumni of PhD courses are less positive
than other alumni on the utilisation of NFP knowledge and skills due to the NFP education or
training (see annex 4, Q37).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

73

The positive picture (see figure 4.3) provided by the alumni surveyed is supported by multiple
concrete examples from the field study on the utilization of the NFP education or training. Several
alumni respondents from education institutes for instance indicated in the interviews that the
education and training in the Netherlands not only increased their technical knowledge but even
more changed their teaching skills.
A total of 10 staff within the Hawassa University (Ethiopia) followed NFP Master courses in the field of
environmental sciences as well as water management during the period 2002-2010. Five of these fellows
were interviewed. In terms of the effectiveness of their experience in the Netherlands, both the employer
and the alumni agreed that the most notable outcome of their education had in fact been that their teaching
skills had changed. They explained that the participative approach and interactive teacher-student
relationship, as is custom in the Netherlands, not only increased their technical knowledge in their field but
also taught them valuable pedagogical lessons. Although the class size at Hawassa University, which can
be over 100 students, is a significant obstacle for applying the newly learned teaching methods
consistently, it is applied where possible, for example, by splitting up classes in groups and assigning
group work. Although still an orthodox method for Ethiopian university level of teaching, the NFP alumni
indicated that they teach with more confidence in their approach and methodologies. This was very much
valued by their students. In addition to teaching, they noticed that their research work and management
role in the University had improved significantly through their increased analytical and communication
skills. They all stressed that they were now better able to work with different cultures and mind-sets. Being
part of a team of professionals with different opinions has become more natural, allowing them to more
freely express their opinion and interject when appropriate. A cultural change, all NFP alumni confirmed,
they would not have done before their time in the Netherlands.

Nevertheless a considerable number of alumni interviewed indicated that they encountered various
obstacles within the organisation that did not allow them to put (part of) their NFP education/
training into practice. The concrete examples were however in most cases provided off the record.
The extent to which NFP alumni have been able to utilize their newly gained expertise and skills
after returning to their employer varied tremendously depending on several influencing factors
which will be discussed in the next section.

4.4.1 Conducive and hindering factors and conditions
The alumni interviewed mentioned several conducive and hindering factors and conditions that
influenced the extent to which they have been able to make use of the gained knowledge, skills and
behaviour acquired via the NFP. These influencing factors relate to the work environment (lack of
the right infrastructure or equipment and organisational barriers) and to the task or position and
follow up upon return.
Responsiveness to organisational changes
Employers and/ or colleagues do not always appreciate behavioural changes. Conservative
leadership in particularly African and Asian but also East European organisations can make it
difficult to achieve (organisational) changes. According to a considerable number of the alumni
interviewed, neither their organisation nor their colleagues/managers were ready to understand or
adopt the changes they proposed, based on their gained insights from the NFP-programme. One of
the Ugandan respondents stated in this respect: “The (working) culture in my own country does not
encourage you to apply the lessons learned; especially being relatively alone as an NFP alumnus in
such an environment”. In the case of organisations with more NFP alumni, or other Western
educated staff, the organisational barriers were found to be lower. The field visits showed that
organisational obstacles appear to be smallest in those organisations where management itself
participated in education and training courses, whether funded through NFP or other programmes.

74

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

To overcome organisational obstacles, some of alumni encourage fellow colleagues to apply for
NFP with the hope to create a critical mass for change.
Follow up by employer
The support of superiors influences the extent to which alumni will be confident to propose and
apply new ideas. The field visits showed examples in which employers were very open to receive
new ideas and supported their staff to implement these whilst in other cases the initiative was very
much left to the alumni. A positive example in this respect is the Water Resource Commission in
Ghana. The Commission is a flat organisation and until a vacancy is created, there are no
promotions possible. The NFP alumni are allowed to be part of management meetings as an
incentive and motivation but also to receive their input and ideas.
Position upon return
The information from the survey (see table 4.2) as well as the interviews show that alumni not
always return to positions, or receive new tasks or responsibilities, in which they can fully
implement their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Specifically for alumni of master and PhD
courses a promotion to a higher (management) position can provide an opportunity to the alumnus
to implement (small) changes. The field visits showed that particularly governmental organisations
provided limited opportunities for promotion because political considerations, but also seniority and
sometimes family ties are decisive factors. The extent to which alumni returned in positions where
they could implement their acquired knowledge and skills will be discussed further in section 4.6.1.
Follow up by NFP
Several of the alumni felt that they were insufficiently supported and not given enough possibilities
to put their newly learned skills in practice. They felt that a follow-up by either Nuffic or the RNE
would increase the possibilities to utilise their skills and knowledge. Alumni in Bangladesh for
instance indicated that the launch of platform of Dutch alumni supported by the Netherlands
Embassy could serve as an advocacy tool for changing the prospects of alumni in the organisations
they are working for. The embassy of Japan in Bangladesh recently started such a platform for their
alumni to that effect.
Availability of resources
Courses are often finalised with the development of a specific plan or project to be implemented
upon return to their organisation. Alumni interviewed expressed their frustrations that upon return
neither funds nor human resources were made available by the organisation to implement these
plans.
The availability of resources is also an important factor for specifically staff who are involved in
more technical professions requiring expensive equipment such as environmental agencies,
research centres and universities. In many cases both funding for equipment were found to be
insufficiently available to apply the full knowledge learned through the NFP.
Useful elements of NFP
Related to the above mentioned factors and conditions several useful elements/ aspects of the NFP
are mentioned:


Attention for organisational management and change. Some of the HEI such as Van Hall
Larenstein pay attention to organisational change in their degree programmes. Alumni stated
that because of this they felt better prepared for the resistance they could expect from peers
and superiors;



Some HEI such as ITC-Twente provide alumni with relevant software programmes and updates
which enables them to use what they have learned also in the workplace;

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

75



Refresher courses were found to be a good opportunity to exchange practical experiences and
problems encountered in daily work.

4.5

Effects of the NFP at organisational level

4.5.1 Utilisation of NFP knowledge in the organisation
To what extent did the NFP alumni return to their employer at the time of application and did they return to
positions were they could implement their acquired knowledge and skills? Are there still qualitative and
quantitative vacancies within the organization concerned? What other measures did these organizations
take to fill these vacancies?

The NFP provides support for education and training to ensure that staff in organisations have the
necessary knowledge, skills and behaviour to improve the functioning of these organisations. An
evaluation of these activities needs to validate whether the organisations actually do benefit from
this capacity development investment i.e. whether the alumni actually were in a position to use the
skills and competences developed.
As shown in the previous section a high percentage of the alumni surveyed (almost 90%) did return
to their employer which supported their NFP application after they completed their education/
training. Nevertheless, findings from the field visits show clear differences between countries; and
for instance Ethiopian and Bangladeshi organisations experience quite a high turnover of staff.
Some of the selected employers indicated that over the years only 70% (or even less) of the alumni
returned to their organisation after they went abroad for further education/ training. On the other
hand, the selected organisations in Ghana did not experience much turnover.
In some cases alumni did not have an employer to return to. The interviews with current NFP
fellows revealed that some of them in reality did not work for the person and/ or organisation that
wrote their recommendation letter and which they referred to in their application.
Based on the feedback from the respondents it can be assumed that a considerable number of the
alumni returned in positions where they could use (at least a part of) their acquired knowledge and
skills. Findings from the survey show that the NFP education and training led to a higher job
position and/ or increased responsibility within the organisations for about 70% of the alumni
surveyed (see figure 4.2). Moreover half of the alumni surveyed54 felt that they became a leader in
the organisation and/ or a serious discussion partner for other staff (69%). Compared with other
modalities, alumni of PhD courses are less positive on these issues.
Shortages of qualified staff
About 70% of the employers surveyed felt that NFP helped the organisation to reduce shortages of
skilled manpower and to retain their staff (see figure 4.5). This is inline with the percentage (about
30%55) of employers indicating that staff turnover among NFP participants is above the average
staff turnover. A further 60% rate staff turnover of NFP alumni equal or even below the average
staff turnover.
Most employers however state that they still experience shortages of skilled manpower. Almost 80
per cent of the employers surveyed are of the opinion that further improvement of staff quality is
54
55

76

Annex 4, Q30.
Annex 5, Q16.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

required in all respects. The employer questionnaire also provides insights in the strategies that
organisations apply to respond to shortages in skilled manpower in the organisation. Most applied
strategies are in-company training of staff and facilitating on-the-job education or training as
respectively 86% and 78% rated this as (highly) applicable. Only a minority of the employers
surveyed indicate that they do actually cancel requests for (more) work.
Figure 4.4 Organisational strategies to respond to shortages in skilled manpower (184 respondents)
Recruitment of qualified staff
from outside the organisation

Incompany training of staff

Facilitating off-the-job education
or training

Outsourcing of work

More efficient organisation of
work

Cancelling requests for (more)
work
0%

10%

20%

Not applicable

30%

40%

Slightly applicable

50%
Applicable

60%

70%

80%

Highly applicable

90%

100%

Do not know

Most of the organisations have only a small (41%) or no budget (29%) for education and training of
staff. Based on the information provided by the employer respondents we can conclude that the
organisations in general actively encourage staff to obtain further education or training including
enrolment into international fellowship programmes. The fact that only the salary has to be paid, but
that NFP fellowships are provided for free might provide an extra incentive for organisations. One of
the selected organisations during the country visits even incorporated NFP in its staff development
plan by only allowing selected staff (based on internal prioritisation) to apply for a NFP fellowship.

4.5.2 Perceived benefits at organisational level
To what extent can it be established that the return of the NFP alumni has influenced the functioning of
these organizations. What have been the factors and conditions that have made this (im)possible?
Attention will be paid in this respect to the issue of ‘brain drain’.

The picture with respect to improved organisational functioning is complicated. Both alumni and
their employers in general felt that their return benefitted the organisations considerably,
nevertheless many of them (69%) also note that there could have been more impacts for the
organisation. This opinion is shared among all modalities but especially among alumni of refresher
courses (75%) and short courses (71%). Critical findings from the field visits showing often limited
possibilities to use the knowledge and expertise acquired modify the reported positive impacts even
further.
The evidence from the two surveys and field visits point to “introduction of new techniques and
methodologies”, “new technical skills were brought into the organisation” and “improved quality of
services of the organisation” as being the most important effects at organisational level (see figure
4.3 for scores alumni). The figure below shows that the employers surveyed provide similar or even
higher scores than the alumni themselves.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

77

Figure 4.5 How do you rate the impacts of the NFP education or training on the organisation? (179
employers)

Findings from the four field visits confirm that organisations have benefitted from the improved
technical skills of the alumni and the exchange effect on colleagues. This provided opportunities for
innovation and improved working methods and quality of services and products. It should be noted
however that in case of individual fellowships it proved to be difficult to pinpoint exactly how the
NFP education or training is linked to organisational improvements. The link to organisational
improvements can be more easily made in case of TM courses and MYA as is shown in the
following examples of governmental organisations in Uganda and Ethiopia:
In Uganda three Multiple Year Agreements (MYAs) were arranged by the Netherlands Embassy, with three
local governments: with the district local governments of Soroti, Arua and Lira. The Soroti case was
studied in-depth, by means of interviews with 6 alumni, the HRM officer, the Chief Administrator Office
(CAO) and the Deputy CAO / Principle Assistant Secretary of the Soroti District Local Government (SDLG).
The SDLG case indicated significant improvement of the organisation’s performance. All were very positive
about the impact NFP has had on the whole organisation. This was confirmed by the respondents of the
Netherlands embassy, although it should be kept in mind, that one crucial source of information about the
performance of SDLG could not be utilised: the inhabitants of the Soroti District. The vital positions for NFP
participation were identified on the basis of a needs assessment. The 6 interviewed alumni got all
promoted after participating in NFP, except for 1 (male). The main areas improved because of NFP were:
(a) conceptualising and writing multiple year policy plans, e.g. on the improvement of the quality and
access of primary education in the region; (b) implementation of complex projects, e.g. on the
strengthening of neighbourhood cooperation on social issues, including enhancing local support; (c)
internal management and communication of (parts) of divisions within SDLG.
The Bureau of Marketing and Cooperative Development in the SNNP region in Ethiopia is responsible
for the development of cooperatives across the region. Through a multi-annual agreement plan, 12 Master
courses were followed in the Netherlands and nearly all other bureau staff (54 in total) participated in shortterm courses, a further 20 staff received tailor made training. Due to the large number of bureau staff
members that were able to participate in the courses, a change in the organizational culture had been felt
after the programme ended. Particularly in terms of organizational structure and daily routines it was felt that
their efficiency had increased at head office. Through the training they had received, they were able to pass

78

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

on the acquired skills through further training. With their increased capacity, they have further been able to
support more cooperatives in new areas and participate in the design of new policy on cooperative
development. According to their own internal review, the multi-annual partnership provided the following
benefits:


The delivery system of support services to cooperatives and their members is strengthened;



The professional skills of 34 staff members to deliver support services to cooperatives and their
members are improved;



Market oriented business development for different types of cooperative;



Ability to design a feasible business plan for a cooperative in all its aspects;



Awareness of the factors that influence the functioning of the cooperative;



Awareness of the role of cooperatives within the chain and able to make use of opportunities regarding
chain development and management;



Ability to choose among different training techniques and aids and develop training materials.

Most of the staff who were employed at bureau level in 2012 had received the NFP training. The reason for
such low turnover is mostly due the nature of the profession as there are few other career opportunities for
those working in cooperatives. The effects of the programme are therefore long-lasting.

The visits revealed that NFP alumni and particularly Master and PHD course alumni have
influenced the strategy and/ or working culture of the organisations to a much lesser extent. One
however needs to be realistic in this respect as these effects in general are more difficult to achieve
and depend very much on the given possibilities within an organisation. Likewise the influence of
alumni in the cases studied depended very much on the extent in which a ‘critical (NFP) mass’
could be established and/ or the extent to which a more ‘open or conducive’ management culture
existed. In Bangladesh for instance but also in some the other countries visited findings show a
marked difference between the perceived effects on international institutes (UDDIPAN and the
Forum for public Health) visited and the Bangladeshi institutes (Water Board and the universities).
Alumni in the international institutes appear to have a greater influence on the strategy of these
organisations than those returning to the Bangladesh institutes.
The examples provided show that the degree to which the organisations have benefitted varies
across greatly as is indicated in section 4.5.1 and the next session on influencing factors at
institutional level.

4.5.3 Conducive and hindering factors and conditions at institutional level
In section 4.5.1 influencing factors at the individual level were discussed. These factors and
conditions in most cases also related to the institutional level. Lack of human and financial
resources for instance is also an obstacle for organisational change. Here we will not repeat these
factors but focus on factors that are specifically related to the employer.
Table 4.7 provides an oversight of answers of the employers (38%) and alumni (69%) surveyed
who indicated that the NFP education or training of their staff could have had more impacts on the
organisation to the question how organisational impact could have been further improved.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

79

Table 4.7 In what way/ when could the/ your NFP education or training (of your staff) have had more
impacts on the organisation? (Respondents had more options)
Employers

Alumni

If more staff of the organisation could attend the NFP programme

84.8%

60.7%

If more refresher courses were organized

51.5%

64.9%

If the education or training had been better tuned to the needs of the

50.0%

25.7%

43.9%

26.9%

34.8%

-

If the education or training had been more embedded in our training policy

34.8%

-

If the quality of the courses/ programmes would have been better

25.8%

11.8%

If the organisation had been more involved in the selection of candidates

22.7%

-

Other, please specify

12.1%

12.6%

66

1,767

organization
If the transfer of NFP knowledge to other staff in the organisation had been
better organized
If the NFP participant(s) would have communicated better on the content of the
course/ programme

Respondents

56

The influencing factors identified can roughly be grouped in conditions related to:


Availability of a critical mass;



Link NFP fellowship to strategic plan or staff development plan organisation;



Exchange effects on other staff;



Content of the education or training.

Availability of a critical mass
As becomes clear from table 4.7 a majority of both alumni and employers indicate that more
fellowships for staff of the organisation would have provided more impacts for the organisation. It
could be argued whether this is a wish list or reality. Nevertheless, findings from the field studies
showed that the organisational effects of NFP vary greatly depending on whether there is a critical
mass of alumni and whether the organisation is able to retain them. Although we find sufficient
evidence of brain drain on the level of the organisations (e.g. all of the alumni working for the two
NGOs visited in Ethiopia (5) had left the organisation), we need to bear in mind that trained staff will
seldom spend their entire career at a single institution The loss of trained employees to other
institutions (or an entirely different sector) can however be problematic in a short-term perspective
of institutional development.
Link to strategic plan or staff development plan of the organisation
An important influencing factor has to do with the link to the staff development plan or strategic plan
of an organisation. This relates to the assumed linkages between fellowships as an instrument of
capacity building. Education and training that are based on a need assessment and embedded into
organisational plans can be expected to have a larger support and follow-up from the organisation
as is shown in the positive examples of MYA presented above. The survey results show that about
85% of the employers indicated that the decisions about further education of staff are very much
based on education and training needs of the organisation. Nevertheless a considerable number of
employers commented that they would like to have a larger say in the selection of participants. This
would allow them to prioritise education and/ or training for their organisation as a whole. In the
case of the Hawassa University in Ethiopia for instance the agricultural faculty has a very (too) high

56

80

The aspects specified under other mostly relate to more training/ education for staff that already benefitted from NFP.
Mentioned were the opportunity to have another NFP education in a higher degree or a longer duration of the course.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

number of professional staff with a PhD (over 80%) because fellowship programmes in general57
tend to favour agricultural studies, whilst other faculties are much more in need of such positions.
The TM courses and MYA were not any longer included after 2008 provided the opportunity to link
the provided education to the development plan of an organisation. Currently the NFP does not
include any of such front-end mechanism apart from the letter of recommendation that needs to be
provided. The field visits however revealed that most organisations tend to allow (and write a letter
of recommendation for) all staff that qualifies to apply for fellowship programmes. Some of the
employers even mentioned that they feel almost forced to give recommendation because they do
not want to block any opportunity for their staff.
Exchange effects
Training and education can improve the functioning of the organisation from the individual
improvement and due to possible exchange (echo) effect on other staff. Findings from the field
visits show that the extent to which exchange with colleagues takes place varies between
organisations. This is also illustrated by the number of the employers (44%) and alumni (27%)
surveyed indicating that the impact of NFP could have been larger if the NFP fellow had shared
more of the gained knowledge and skills with colleagues. The case studies show that the initiative
for knowledge exchange is very much left to the alumni as most of the organisations do not have a
policy in this respect.
Content of the education or training
Although over 93% of the employers surveyed58 are of the opinion that the content of the NFP
education or training was (very) useful for their organisation, half of the employers and alumni
concerned are of the opinion that more refresher courses and a better quality of the courses/
programmes could have further increased the impacts on the organisation. Linked to this 25% of
alumni and 50% employers surveyed who indicated that the NFP education or training of their could
have had more impacts on the organisation (see table 4.7) felt that the education or training should
have been better tuned to the needs of the organisation. Compared to other modalities alumni59 of
PhD courses and refresher courses state more often (even almost twice as much for alumni of
refresher courses) that the impacts would have been larger if quality of education and training
would have been better. A number of the employers commented in this respect that they would like
to have (more) contact with the HEI in the Netherlands to provide feedback on the content of the
courses and link to practice and working process.

4.6

Conclusion
The alumni have clearly benefitted from their participation in NFP. Benefits were generated in
different areas such as increased personal and professional competences, career perspectives,
including promotions and- or increased responsibility and network opportunities. About 70% of the
alumni reported a higher job positions and/ or increased responsibility after they obtained a higher
degree of education.

57

58
59

This applies also to the NFP after 2010 as food security (agriculture) is one of the priorities of the RNE for development
coorperation.
Annex 5, Q15.
Annex 4, Q40.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

81

These benefits noticeably have led to better qualified staff for employers but not necessarily the
employers fellows were working for. However effects at the individual level seem to be much
greater than at the organisational level. Alumni who returned to their employer are of the opinion
that they have to a large extent been able to put (part of) their new expertise and skills to work.
Findings from the field visits confirm that organisations have benefitted from the improved technical
skills of the alumni and the exchange effect on colleagues. This provided opportunities for
innovation and improved working methods and quality of services and products. Nevertheless the
examples provided show that the possibilities to utilise the gained knowledge and skills varies
greatly across organisations and are influenced by factors and conditions such as the extent to
which organisations and superiors are receptive to new ideas and superior, the position of the
alumni upon return and the availability of resources.
At organisational level to a lesser extent the alumni have been able to influence the organisational
strategy or working culture. A substantial impact of the NFP education and training depends very
much on the critical mass within an organisation. Organisational barriers are found to be lower in
organisations where more NFP fellowships or fellowships from other programmes were awarded.
This could indicate more “readiness” within the organisation or be a result of a larger mass of
employees having been trained. Another factor that influences the development effects is the
embeddedness of the training or education of staff in a staff development plan of the organisation.
TM and MYA provided opportunities to link the fellowships to the development plan of an
organisation. In case of the individual fellowships utilisation of newly learned knowledge, skills and
competences is very much left to the individuals as NFP does not involve any strong front-end
mechanism to achieve effectiveness at the organisational level and this is one of the missing
linkages in the NFP intervention logic. Therefore, effects at the organisational level occur at an ad
hoc basis and are not necessarily the result of the link of training and education of staff with other
capacity building activities . As was indicated in chapter 2 the organisation must show ‘openness to
new knowledge and skills’, and must be willing to support the utilisation of new skills and knowledge
in daily work practice; merely fellowships are not sufficient to improve the functioning of
organisations. Most employers are satisfied with the content of the NFP education but would like to
have a larger involvement in the selection process.
The number of alumni that do not return to their employers or leave the country is relatively low but
differs per country. Notwithstanding the fact that most alumni do return to their employer after
completing the NFP education, the findings in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda provided evidence
of occasional considerable brain drain at the level of the organisations. The loss of trained
employees to other institutions can very much limit the momentum for institutional development
while possible being a brain gain for other organisations.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

5

Impact

5.1

Impacts on the wider socio-economic development
What is known about the indirect contribution made by the NFP (through better institutional capacity of
employers of NFP alumni) to the wider aims of socio-economic development, poverty alleviation and
gender equity? E.g. how do numbers and types of NFP trainees compare with the recipient countries’
quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, and their Education and
Human Resource policies? Has the selection of fellows corresponded with country-specific needs and
opportunities?

The complexity and nature of the NFP programme and its current way of recording and tracking
alumni does not facilitate data gathering necessary for the analysis of the possible effects on
institutional or sectoral performance and/or policies as well as wider implications. As mentioned in
chapter 2 the general objective of the NFP is set at the level of organisations and no intervention
logic or underlying assumptions and well-defined indicators have been formulated for the
contribution of NFP to the wider aims of socio-economic development. Based on the individual and
organisational outcomes there is however some indirect and anecdotal evidence on the likely
contribution of the NFP education and training to achievement of wider socio-economic impacts.
Nevertheless in general it is impossible to attribute any societal/ economic achievements to NFP.
The number of fellows and consequently the possible indirect contribution of NFP varies per
country from 1170 in Ethiopia to for instance only 15 in Cambodia. Of course this is not an one to
one relation as support to one fellow who is in the right position under the right conditions might
very much impact economic and social development. Results from the survey showed that about
10% of the alumni surveyed particularly master and PhD course alumni are currently abroad, half of
which for further studies (which is not really brain drain). Based on these figures brain drain to other
countries appears to be limited but it could be argued that this percentage is likely to be higher as
alumni who have left their country of origin are more difficult to trace and are consequently
underrepresented in the response population. However based on the present tracer study and
tracer study results of other similar programmes such as the Commonwealth programme60 one
could assume that brain drain to other countries is about 10-12%.
In particularly three of the countries visited, Ghana, Ethiopia and Uganda a considerable number of
fellows participated in the NFP in the period 2002-2010. Although all respondents in the field visits
state the large need for further education and training of staff at mid-career level, there are no
empirical data which allow comparison of the number of NFP trainees with the shortages of
qualified manpower at mid-career level for any of the countries.
In recent years the number of higher education graduates increased tremendously in particularly
the African countries, but quality of education has been lagging behind. Respondents interviewed
indicated that the present gap is more about the mismatch between the quality of graduates and the
skills as required.

60

Evaluation Commonwealth Scholarships in the United Kingdom, assessing impact in priority areas, Commonwealth
scholarship commission, 2009.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

83

In all four countries visited the largest number of fellowships were awarded in agricultural sciences.
Looking at the size and importance of this sector in the countries this appears to fit the education
and human resource agenda of the recipients countries. Also large number of fellowships were also
awarded for social science, business management and geography and geology studies but as was
mentioned above no data is available to make a comparison with the shortages in qualified staff in
the recipient countries. Moreover the NFP and the way the selection of NFP applicants was
organised in the period 2002-2010 was mainly linked to the demand at the individual level and not
directly to needs at the organisational level or country level as such. The involvement of the RNE in
the selection procedure in most cases was limited to a rough check on the eligibility and relevance
of the fellow for the priority sectors in the country.
Gender equity is a major issue in all countries visited. The NFP is valued by both employers and
alumni for providing equal opportunities to the population in rural areas and women. NFP is found
to be less dominated by participants from the main areas and capital cities than other fellowship
programmes. The current NFP practice to achieve the objective of 50% women participants for the
whole programme and not just per country implies that other countries such as Colombia and the
Philippines will need to compensate for the lower percentages in particularly the African countries.
In the period 2003/2010 respectively 60% and 80% of the participants from Colombia and the
Philippines were female. It appears the programme herewith does contribute to gender equity in
these countries. Moreover gender equity is more than just counting women (or men) and will also
need to influence course content. However it is outside the scope of the evaluation to take this into
account.
To what extent do the employers play an essential role in the socio-economic development in the country?

Training and education activities of individuals can contribute, at least in theory, to economic,
environmental and social developments through an improved functioning of organisations and due
to possible exchange effects on other workers. The effect of individual training would be reflected in
improved levels of services delivered by the organisation and/ or increased effectiveness of the
organisation.
The organisations visited appear to play an important role in the socio-economic development of
the countries, The potential contribution that an organisation may have on wider socio-economic or
environmental areas are likely to differ according to the position of the organisation being more or
less strategic. A successful programme at a university, for example, will likely have a more indirect
and long term effect on development through educating new generations of students, than for
example, an NGO or Government Bureau tasked with direct support to people and organisations. In
other organisations it is hard to link the effect of NFP to their overall performance as the
organisation experienced high turnover in staff or benefited from multiple capacity development
programmes.
The country visits provide several concrete examples on how individual and consequent
organisational outcomes have had some wider effects. In the case of Bangladesh NFP support to
staff from several organisations active in water management have made a considerable
contribution to the sector.
Water management is one of the major areas of relevance for Bangladesh. Alumni of the BUET, the
Bangladeshi Institute of Technology, involved in the study of water and land management report they have
effected major innovations in this area as a result of the NFP programme. One such innovation concerns
remote sensing software, which is meant for mapping surfaces (land and water). Mapping water surfaces
helps in disaster management when areas are flooded due to heavy rainfall, a situation that occurs

84

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

regularly in Bangladesh. The institute offers courses for professionals in the field, such as those involved in
rural and urban planning and the Bangladesh Water Board. Another innovation in the water management
area realised concerns hydro informatics which concerns simulation software and allows one to calculate
probable states of rivers and marine environments given certain interventions to control these. Using the
software, the alumnus is now in a position to advise the engineering board on effective interventions in this.
The respondents indicated: I used to receive orders from my employer, but now I tell them what to do”. The
employer mentioned: “With the computer technology introduced here we can feed decision making
processes on programmes to be launched to better counter flood risks, a major threat to Bangladesh”.

In many cases the effects at the individual level have trickled down to the wider environment. NFP
support to two female staff members of Menschen 4 Menschen an international NGO in Ethiopia
have inspired one of the alumni to introduce credit schemes for women and this supported regional
development.
Role of NFP in Menschen 4 Menschen, one of the largest NGOs in Ethiopia. Although only 2 staff
members obtained a Master through NFP, their education has had sufficient effect to be remembered by
the organisation. Two women staff Head of a project group in two different remote areas obtained their
Master degree in the Netherlands in 2005 and 2009. Both specialised in rural development with a
respective focus at health (female mutilation) and empowerment. According to the employer, these are the
kind of topics the projects work with and appropriate to the regional needs. The organization identified that
both degrees directly benefited the organization and the development of their work. Upon returning to the
organization, the two women trained their staff in the remote areas and the staff at head office. They
furthermore returned motivated to work and brought back new ideas and innovative approaches to
obstacles the organization had faced. For example, one of them returned with the idea that a credit facility
for women could work in her region of work. This was not considered before in that specific region. She
was provided with a starting capital of 500 000 birr (= about 22.000 EUR) from the organization, which was
used to lend money to 150 women. The programme worked and payments returned in such a way that two
years later the credit facility had reached 600 women and now contains 2.7 million birr. Other regions are
now learning from this example to set up a similar fund. The organization anticipated that the women would
eventually leave the organization, as raising a family in such remote areas is not popular amongst those
who are able to move to the city. Particularly highly educated women tend to leave the organization if they
are not able to work at the head office. Both women indeed have left the organization after completing their
obligatory one year of post-degree employment.

5.2

Impact on economic and political relations with the Netherlands
To what extent did the Programme contribute to positive economic and political relations for the
Netherlands?

A potentially strong network of NFP alumni comes across in countries that have a long history of
benefitting from NFP. In some countries NFP alumni are now in key positions. In Ethiopia for
instance, it was noted that the current President is a former fellow of the programme and both the
Embassy and alumni highlighted that the President has indeed been present at alumni gatherings
of the programme. Moreover, the Netherlands does build a lot of goodwill with the NFP programme.
Many alumni indicated that they feel themselves “ambassadors” of the Netherlands.
There is however no evidence to suggest that the programme has resulted in improved economic
relations for the Netherlands. Alumni and employers interviewed felt that the fellowship did not lead
to any effects on economical relations with Netherlands organisations. This is supported by the
survey results (see figure 5.1) that show that the large majority of employers surveyed have rarely

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

85

contact with public bodies, private companies and non-governmental organisations. Findings from
the field visit show that if economic relations do exist it is mostly the effect of other cooperation
programmes and not a result as such from the NFP programme.
Table 5.1

Contacts with Dutch HEI or training institute(s) or other organisations in the Netherlands?
(174 employer respondents)

with the NFP education or
training institute

with public bodies (ministries,
municipalities)

with private companies

with non-governmental
organisations in the Netherlands

with another university or
research institute in the
Netherlands
0%

10%

20%
Regularly

30%

40%

Occasionally

50%
Rarely

60%

70%
Never

80%

90%

100%

Do not know

Alumni data (received from the HEI) is only in a very limited number of cases used by the RNEs in
the countries visited to advance relations. No active or well established Netherlands alumni
association was present in any of the countries visited. The embassies visited have currently no
resources allocated to the monitoring or maintenance of contacts with either the employers or the
alumni. The RNE in Ethiopia as well as Uganda mentioned that they would like to have the alumni
data available to actively use this information. Due to the large size of the alumni group and
organisations in these countries as well as in Ghana, it is felt that this is a missed opportunity. The
British Council for instance keeps track of its alumni and specifically alumni in high positions as
much as possible. Alumni are informed about developments and invited to meetings etcetera.

5.3

Conclusion
Based on the present tracer study and similar studies it is likely that about 90 per cent of the alumni
is still working in their country of origin. Lack of empirical data however makes it difficult to compare
the numbers and types of NFP trainees with the recipients countries shortages of qualified
manpower and therefore to assess whether the NFP contributed to reduced staff shortages at
national level.
The broader societal and economic achievements are difficult to attribute to the NFP. There is little
formal evidence of contribution of the NFP to the socio-economic developments of the partner
countries. The field visits provided some anecdotal evidence of effects at the individual or
organisational level that trickled down from the individual to the organisational level, sector level
and wider socio-economic environment. These wider effects were either achieved through NFP
support to a larger number of trainees from a certain sector or through NFP support to an individual

86

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

who by her actions helped her organisation to develop activities that supported regional
development and specifically the position of women.
Based on the long NFP history and consequent large number of alumni in some of the countries it
can be assumed that the programme has benefitted bilateral relations with the NFP countries.
Nevertheless the country cases show that alumni information is not actively used to develop
relations between the Netherlands and the NFP countries. This is seen as a missed opportunity,
especially by RNEs.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

87

6

Efficiency

6.1

Introduction
Efficiency relates to what is obtained in relation to the inputs mobilised. An efficiency indicator is
therefore the ratio of two indicators: the measurement of the outputs produced and the
measurement of inputs mobilised to produce it.
The inputs for the NFP were delivered by various organisations and persons involved. The
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided inputs to the NFP in terms of budgets and staff
(including embassies and consulates), Nuffic provided management (paid by the ministry), Dutch
HE institutions provided management and education (subsidised by the ministry), fellows provided
their time and employers continued with salary pay of the fellows during the course period. The
latter should be put in perspective since not all employers fully meet their commitment tin this
respect. 61
It was not possible within the scope of this evaluation to come to a comprehensive overview of the
costs related to the inputs of all parties involved. The available information at the Ministry and Nuffic
relating to the costs of the programme was collected and analysed in order to get a general insight
in the height and cost structure of the NFP modalities and not to conduct a thorough efficiency
analysis. Regarding the HE institutions involved in the NFP it should be noted that some of these
institutions receive an institution grant from the Ministry of Education. This funding mechanism,
however, is under debate at the moment. This budget flow therefore has not been considered in the
efficiency analysis. Besides, it should also be taken into consideration that staff of the Ministry of
Foreign affairs, embassy staff and the employers of the NFP fellows also bear (salary) costs that
are easily overlooked. Also, on these costs no concrete information is available.

6.2

The NFP budget
The total budget for the NFP programme during the period 2003-2010 amounted to 244 million
euro, which is on average 30,5 million per year.

62

This is exclusive of the management and

implementation costs of Nuffic (see below).
Nuffic receives a yearly budget for the NFP programme. Based on this budget Nuffic makes funding
commitments. The yearly cash flow has been more or less similar in the period 2003 to 2010 (Table
2.2). In 2005 and 2009 the budget was under-utilized, in the other years there was a (small) budget
overrun.

61

62

In the case of the Short Courses (including TM courses) and Refresher Courses, almost 90% of the respondents had been
paid their salaries during the training period. This has been the case for approximately 60 percent of the respondents who
had attended a Masters Course. About 20% received part of their regular salary. Source: NFP Tracer Study 2009,
performed by Nuffic.
The overall cash flows of the NFP programme are € 244.842.702 over the period 2003-2010, which is on average €
30.605.338 per year.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

89

Table 6.1 Budget and cash flow of the NFP programme 2003-2010
Year

Budget

Cash flow

Difference between
budget and cash
flow

2003

13.200.000

13.226.979

2004

25.800.000

2005

25.100.000

2006
2007
2008
2009
2010

-26.979

Small budget overrun

25.807.911

-7.911

Small budget overrun

25.066.160

33.840

Under-utilization of budget

29.300.000

29.421.267

-121.267

Budget overrun

31.030.561

31.282.229

-251.668

Budget overrun

37.148.289

37.406.992

-258.703

48.100.000

43.934.325

4.165.675

38.600.000

38.696.839

-96.839

Budget overrun
Under-utilization of
budget*
Budget overrun

*) Underutilization is due to the fact that TMT and MYA were transferred to NPT/NICHE.
Source: NFP Kerncijfers 2003-2010.

6.3

Price regulation
In order to understand the development in the level of the NFP grants in the period under
evaluation it is necessary to provide some details on the price mechanisms that were applied
between 2002 and 2010. The available grants are meant to cover for full costs relating to tuition
fees, travel expenses, insurance, settling-in, subsistence, housing, books et cetera.
In the evaluation period the Ministry applied various regulations to keep a grip on the developments
of the tuition fees, in order to limit (the increase in) the costs of NFP grants
Regulation of tuition fees:


Until 2009 the 125%-rule was applied, meaning that HE institutions were not allowed to charge
a fee that exceeds the average fee level in the field of study concerned with more than 25%. In
case of a higher fee level, the institution was given the opportunity to be selected as an
education and training provider for the average fee level +25%;



Because of uncertainty of continuation of the NFP in 2008 the same course list was used as in
2007 with a 1,5% inflation correction;



From 2009 onwards the 125% rule was abandoned and fee levels were settled for a four year
period, meanwhile only allowing price indexation (inflation rate). This was applied for the first
time in 2011.

Regulation of PhD grants
For PhD grants a maximum of 85,000 euros was set by the Ministry of.
Regarding the tuition fees for master courses it is also noted that, because of regulation of the
Ministry of Education, these were substantially increased for non-EU residents over the past years.
Increased competition
Additional to changes in the price mechanism it is also noted that whereas under the previous NFP
(before 2002), there was only a limited number of institutes that were eligible to give education and
training under the NFP, over the years more education and training institutes have become eligible
for the NFP, allowing for more competition. At the moment (in 2012) the number of eligible institutes
in the NFP is 45. We do not have insight in the development of the number of eligible institutes over
the years.

90

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

6.4

Costs of the NFP

6.4.1 Expenditures by type of fellowships
Most NFP budget was spent on master courses (55%), and to a lesser extent on short courses
(22%) (see Figure 6.1). Support to the alumni initiatives was limited to 107 thousand euro for the
whole period (due to the limited amount not visible in the figure).
Figure 6.1 Budgets spent by NFP modality (2003-2010).

Source: Nuffic.

6.4.2 Management costs of NFP
Nuffic is in charge of the daily management and implementation of the NFP programmes. The costs
for this are on average € 1.26 million per year, which is about 4% of the programme costs.63 This
budget is spend on the composition of the course list, awarding fellowships, monitoring and
evaluation, financial management, providing information, regulation and communication and
general management. Without comparative information it is difficult to judge the volume of the
management costs. In 2008 a non-recurrent budget was made available for simplifying the
application and selection (A&S) procedure (828 thousand) and developing and implementing a
digital A&S (600 thousand).

6.4.3 Cost of grants per modality
What have been the costs (and cost components) of the different types of fellowships (at different
Netherlands training providers)?

In line with differences in type and duration of the education and training given the volume of the
available grants are different per modality. For reasons of comparison we converted the grants per
modality into average costs of grants per year.

63

This is based on the NFP annual economic reports of 2006 to 2010 and on data sent by Nuffic on the 2002 to 2005
figures.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

91

Figure 6.2 illustrates that MA courses are the most expensive NFP modality, with an average grant
of € 25,000 euro per year till 2007, showing a substantial increase in the followings years (€ 35,000
in 2010). PhD courses are less expensive, on average about 20,000 euro per year. It is noted that
these are the costs per grant per year. So, a PhD course with a duration of four years will cost in
total four times the average amount, with a fixed maximum of € 74,000 (85,000 as from 2010
onwards). It should also be taken into account that we calculated the average costs for refresher
courses (per participant) assuming that these courses were given to the possible maximum number
of fellows (20) in each course.64
Figure 6.2 Average costs per grant per year (2003-2010)

40.000
35.000
30.000
25.000

MA

20.000

SC
PhD

15.000

RC *

10.000
5.000
0
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Source: Nuffic.

6.4.4 Development of tuition fees
Tuition fees are one of the main cost components of the NFP budgets. For this reason we made an
analysis of the developments of tuition fees during the evaluation period. The available information
allowed us to do this only for master courses and short courses.
On average the tuition fee of master courses increased from around 10,000 euros in 2004 and
2005 to 15,000 euros in 2010, an increase of 50% (see Figure 6.3). This to a large degree also
explains the rise in costs of NFP master grants, as presented in Figure 6.2. The changes in tuition
fees of short courses are more modest, more or less fluctuating around 2,000 euros.
It is noted that the dispersion around the average prices for master as well as for short courses has
been quite large, indicating a wide variety of prices of the courses.65 Moreover, in 2010 the
dispersion around the average price remarkably increased for both master courses and for short
courses, apparently indicating the new price policy of the programme in which no longer maximum
prices exist, contrary to the period 2004-2010 when the 125% rule was applied (see section 6.2).
Recalling the price regulation that was discussed in section 6.2 it seems that this has worked for the
short courses whereas for master course this had not led to a moderate development of tuition
fees. This increase in tuition fees, is (mainly)due to policies of the Dutch Ministry of Education

64
65

92

Cost calculation is based on awarded grants.
For Master’s courses the standard deviation was at a minimum of 4,389 euros in 2006 and at a maximum of 6,885 euros in
2010. For short courses the standard deviation was at a minimum of 250 euros in 2004 and at a maximum of 1,167 euros
in 2010.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

regarding tuition fees for non-EER students, so including the NFP fellows, and the possibility given
to the education institutes to charge cost-effective tuition fees for NFP fellows. Nevertheless, the
NFP tuition fees are still below the ISPAC tuition fee level, 66 which is the fee Dutch HE institutes
charge for foreign (non-EER) students. For various reasons education institutes can decide to
charge a NFP fee that is lower than the ISPAC fee level. In 2007 NFP tuition fees were on average
€ 1.221 below ISPAC tuition fees, in 2009 € 597 and in 2010 € 337.
Figure 6.3 Development of tuition fees for master courses and short courses (2004-2010)

Source: Nuffic.

Differences in fee levels could reflect differences in course duration.67 Figure 6.3 presents the
average tuition fee for master courses (per month) for short courses (per week). In this way the
development in fee levels is adjusted for changes in course duration.
On average the fee levels for master and short courses have substantially increased. Between
2005 and 2010 the “fee level per month” for master courses increased with 46%, which is more or
less comparable to the average increase of 50% that was shown in Figure 6.3. In the same period
the average price of short courses showed an increase of 55%. The latter is remarkable since it
was noted before that the average fee level for short courses remained more or less the same,
fluctuating around 2,000 euros. But, whereas the price level of short courses remained the same in
nominal value, they substantially increased in terms of average price per week, due to a shortening
of the duration of the courses. Indeed, adjusting for course duration seems to indicate that the
increase in prices of short courses has been even more drastic than the price development of the
master courses. A more in-depth analysis of the NFP course list would be needed to assess
whether price-quality ratio has actually changed.

66
67

ISPAC stands for the International Study Programmes and Courses in Holland.
Of course also differences in quality can lead to difference in fee level. However, we do not have any information relating
to differences in quality of education or training, although we do know that the master courses are all accredited by the
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

93

Figure 6.4

Average tuition fees of NFP master courses per month and short courses per week
(2004-2010)

Source: Nuffic.

6.4.5 Cost calculation per modality
The cost components of the NFP programmes differ per modality. Based on information and some
examples provided by Nuffic we give a descriptive analysis of the cost components of the NFP for
Master courses, PhD courses and short courses. In general the main costs components are the
tuition fees and the allowances for subsistence and housing
Example of costs of NFP- PhD
In table 6.1 the various cost components of the NFP are presented for a PhD course. The table
provides information on the cost components of three examples of PhD fellows with ‘more or less
comparable’ PhD subjects. The last column in the table shows the maximum amounts which are set
by the programme management.
The maximum available budget for NP grants is set at 85,000 euro (in 2009). On average the
duration of a PhD course is 48 months, of which approximately 18 months are spent in the home
country and 30 months in the Netherlands (which is not the case in the examples presented in the
table).
From the table some observations can be made:


All PhD’s receive the maximum budget, although there are notable differences in the relative
share of the various cost components;



The maximum amount for a stay in the home country may not exceed 595 per month. The
presented allowances in the table cannot be easily compared due to differences in periods at
home;



There are large differences in tuition fees between various PhDs, which is due to the fact that
universities are allowed to set their own prices for students coming from outside the European
Union;



There are large differences in ‘other costs’ and ‘field research’ of which we did not have any
detailed information.

94

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Table 6.2

Budget for NFP PhD courses in 2009

Items

Uganda *

Palestine **

Kenya ***

Maximum
amounts

Audit report

500

500

500

500

Book allowance

310

310

310

310

Copying

800

1,100

500

Field research

18,500

4,500

16,000

Handling fee

455

455

455

455

Insurance costs

800

1,390

1,000

On average
1.30/ day

Personal allowance

275

275

275

275

Monthly allowances in NL

19,040

35,700

11,900

1,190 per month

Monthly allowances in home

9,000

3,600

22,610

595 per month

Public defence

2,500

400

2,000

Thesis costs

1,500

1,500

4,000

Travel costs

7,000

4,400

7,500

Tuition fee

13,600

28,500

14,000

Visa/ work permit etc.

438

1,188

1,000

Others

10,600

1,182

2,600

Items

Tape recorder,

Laptop

Laptop, printer,

country

camera,

audio tape

consumables, 2

recorder, scan,

visits NL and

3G card for

supervisor to

internet

UG
Total

85,318

85,000

84,650

85,000

Source: Nuffic.
*) PhD Education for rural development in Uganda: towards new intervention programmes for early school leavers.
**) PhD Impact of business incubators on local economies.
***) PhD Use of Islamic teaching in HIV and Aids.

From the above we conclude that there appear to be large differences in the relative share of cost
components between different NFP-PhD fellows. Although a maximum budget of 85,000 is set for
PhD doctorates the NFP rules and regulation seem to offer trade-off possibilities between the tuition
fees, research costs and thesis costs. A more detailed analysis would be needed to get a better
understanding of the underlying factors that could explain differences in the costs per PhD.
Example of costs for an NFP master course
Table 6.2 presents information on the budget items that are financed by NFP for a master course.
The example mentioned in the table is not a real fellowship grant, but is an illustration of what the
budget looks like for an imaginary MA course of 16 months. The format of the information is
different from the information provided for NFP-PhD above. The column on tariffs indicates the
available budget per item.
The largest share of the NFP grants for master fellowships is spent on tuition fees and subsistence
allowances. It is noticed that the monthly allowance for MA fellows is about 200 euros lower than for
PhD fellows, reflecting differences in age, labour market position or family context. To assess
whether the implementation of this cost regulation may lead to inefficiencies we would need to have
more information on the actual differences in costs between MA fellows.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

95

Table 6.3

Budget items and example of a budget for a master course of 16 months in 2009

Budget items

Tariffs

Budget (example)

Tuition fee

12,000

12,000

Handling fee

455

455

Audit report

500

500

Institution related costs

Participants related costs
Allowance (including accommodation
costs)

970 (per month)

15,520

Personal allowance

275

275

Study materials

310

310

International travel expenses

2,000

2,000

Travel expenses Schiphol

25

25

Other travel expenses

0

0

Insurance

40 (per month)

640

Legal fee/ residence permit

438

438

Extension residence permit

52

52

850

850

Contribution to master’s theses
research in home country or other
NFP country
Total costs

33,065

Source: Nuffic.

Example of costs for an NFP short course
The NFP short courses are relatively the cheapest modality, with an average of approximately
7,000-8,000 euro per fellow. In the example below (provided by Nuffic) the tuition fee for an
imaginary course is set at 3,500 euro, which is also the main cost component.
Table 6.4

Budget items and example of a budget for a short course of 21 days and a marge of 6 days
(This is an estimation of a budget and not the final expenses)

Budget item

Tariffs

Tuition fee

Budget
3,500

Handling fee

365

365

Allowance

17 (per day)

469

Accommodation

15 (per day)

406

Additional housing allowance

50 (per day)

1,350

Personal allowance

17 (per month)

17

Study materials

17 (per month)

17

International travel

1,250

1,250

Daily travel

81

Travel costs from airport to training

25

site
Other travel costs (with Nuffic

50

consent)
Insurance

1.24 (per day)

33.48

Residence permit

450

100

Audit costs

500

500

Total

8,152

Source: Nuffic.

96

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

6.5

Cost inefficiencies
Are there indications of extra costs/inefficiencies as a result of the programme being covered by Dutch
training institutions? Were any measures (such as joint degree or double degree programmes) taken to
minimalize fellowship costs? If so, why and have these been effective? Were any measures taken to
increase the efficiency of the courses in terms of teaching methodology, implementing modules in partner
countries, making use of ICT technology (e-learning)?

All NFP courses are followed in the Netherlands, with in some case a regional component (e.g.
research for a MA or PhD theses). Consequently the costs for tuitions and subsistence in the
Netherlands are relatively high. Although the location of courses in the Netherlands is highly
appreciated by all participants and quality arguments for this location are presented, it is likely that
alternative supply structures could reduce the costs of the programme. At the moment there are no
incentives in the programme for cost reduction. Moreover, the institutions are free to set their tuition
fees within certain boundaries for price setting and development. Furthermore, there are vested
interests among higher education institutions that seem to prevent an alternative supply of NFP
education and training. Of course, this is also due to the fact that the NFP is bound to the Dutch
education providers. Nevertheless, their expertise and capacity could perhaps be used in
alternative ways, allowing for a more efficient use of resources.
In the interviews also other options were mentioned, as co-financing, regional education and
allowing students to enrol in foreign/regional fellowships. These options are not possible at the
moment, but would deserve serious attention if the programme is to be made more efficient.
As was already mentioned in the previous evaluation of NFP (2007) e-learning could also be seen
as an interesting option for cost reduction, although only under certain conditions of infrastructure,
quality and supervision. According to Nuffic there is little interest from the South to participate or to
be involved in distant learning. At the moment only IHE and ITC make use of e-learning, although
limited to part-time studies, also asking a lot of supervision and support from the education
institutes. Indeed, the NFP course list 2009-2010 contained various e-learning courses. In general
the NFP might profit from good practices related to more cost-efficient supply of education and
training, be it through e-learning or other course modalities.
No joint degree or double degree programme or so-called sandwich programmes by partner
countries and Netherland HEI institutions have been established.

6.6

Comparison with similar fellowships
How do the costs of NFP compare with a similar training/education offer provided elsewhere in Europe, the
eligible NFP countries and/or countries in the region?

During the evaluation period it proved to be very difficult to get hold of detailed information on the
costs of other fellowship programmes. To present a comparative perspective on the costs for the
NFP with other fellowship programmes we made use of a study by Boeren et al. (2008) into the
cost composition of some comparable fellowship programmes.68 In this study a comparison was
made with the Australian programme ADS and the VLIR-UOS master programme. The main
findings of this study are presented in the table 6.4.
68

Boeren, A. Bakhuisen, K., Christian-Mak, A., Musch, V., Pettersen, K. (2008) Donor policies and implementation
modalities with regard to international postgrafuate programmes targeting scholars from developing countries.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

97

The Australian programme ADS provides opportunities for people from developing countries to undertake
full time undergraduate or postgraduate study at participating Australian universities and Technical and
Further Education (TAFE) institutions.
The VLIR-UOS master programme and short courses programme provides individual scholarships that
include tuition fees and living expenses. For the masters programme the lowest tuition fee rate are charged
of € 80 which is paid for by the scholarship allowance of VLIR-UOS. In the short courses programme the
institutes can not charge tuition fees.

All three programmes(NFP, ADS and VLIR-OS) pay for travel costs, tuition fees, monthly
allowances, insurance costs and a onetime fee for settling in and books etc. The ADS programme
additionally finances assistance (English course, tutorial assistance and an introductory
programme).
From the comparison by Boeren et al we conclude that the NFP is comparable to similar fellowship
programmes regarding various cost components. For a more detailed and updated analyses on
differences in costs and cost components we think it would be useful if the Ministry would consider
a more specific study in this direction to get a better understanding of the pricing mechanisms and
costs of the NFP.
The family context and the standard of living is not taken into account in this, as is the case in other
fellowship programmes. In Ethiopia it was found that individuals prefer a fellowship of DAAD or
VLIR above an NFP fellowship because of the possibility of family allowances.
Table 6.5

Comparison of costs component of ADS, VLIR-UOS and NFP

ADS

VLIR-UOS

NFP

Return air travel (one single return)

International travel of the scholar

International travel;

(a reunion airfare may also be

(the flight to Belgium and the return

Travel from Netherlands airport to

available

flight after the end of the

destination in the Netherlands and

programme);

back;

One airplane ticket for the travel of

Daily travel between place of

the scholar back home between

residence and training site. Other

the First and the second year.

travel costs in connection with the
research programme.

Establishment allowance (paid

A once-only installation fee

Personal allowance, one time

once 2,981 euro as a contribution

A fee for learning materials per

allowance for settling in and

towards expenses such as rental

academic year

sending luggage;

bonds, text books, study materials,

Allowance for study materials (for

additional health Insurance, home

PhD and masters a onetime

contents Insurance, excess

allowance for short courses it is

baggage upon return home etc.

paid per month);
Handling fee;
Residence permit;
Audit costs.

Full tuition fees

98

Annual tuition fee.

Tuition fee.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

ADS

VLIR-UOS

NFP

Contribution to living expenses

A monthly allowance covering

A monthly allowance (for parts of

(11,698 per year in 2007).

board and lodging, individual

PhD research in native country an

transport and personal expenses

adapted amount);

of the scholar;

This includes accommodation

A monthly allowance for the

costs. For short courses a

spouse and each child.

separate housing allowance is
provided.

Introductory academic programme
(4-6 week programme covering
information on life en study in
Australia)
Overseas student health cover

The Insurance of the scholar

Insurance.

(medical, accident, third liability,
travel and repatriation).
Pre-course English fees (if
necessary)
Supplementary academic support
(Tutorial assistance) if essential to
improving the performance of the
students to ensure their academic
success
Fieldwork (for research students

Fieldwork (for PhD and masters

only).

students only).
Thesis costs (for PhD students
only).

Source: Boeren et al (2008).

6.7

Role of the alumni networks and alumni offices
What role have the Holland Alumni network and the alumni offices at the Netherlands training providers
played?

In chapter 5 it was concluded that alumni information is not actively used to develop relations
between the Netherlands and the NFP countries. This is seen as a missed opportunity, especially
by RNEs. The available NFP budget for the alumni associations is limited. Most alumni associations
are not very active.
The Holland Alumni Network could contribute to an active network of NFP fellows. The available
information from the interviews with the Dutch HE institutes indicates that this network is being
used, but in a more general way and not specific in line with the objectives for the NFP and the
economic and political relations it would like to establish, although not explicitly formulated.
There is however no evidence to suggest that the programme has resulted in improved bilateral
relations for the Netherlands. Alumni and employers interviewed felt that the fellowship did not lead
to any effects on bilateral relations with Netherlands organisations. This is supported by the survey
results (see figure 5.1) that show that the large majority of employers surveyed have rarely contact
with public bodies, private companies and non-governmental organisations. Findings from the field
visit show that if economic relations do exist it is mostly the effect of other cooperation programmes
and not a result as such from the NFP programme.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

99

6.8

Division of responsibilities
What has been the actual division of responsibilities between the NFP stakeholders in NFP design and
implementation (i.e. from the identification of NFP candidates to the return of the fellows to their home
country)? Did this division effectively address efficiency concerns? In what manner has this division of
responsibilities been arranged? Have the arrangements been efficient and effective? Did implementation of
the Programme meet conditions made in the different agreements?

In chapter 2 of this report the tasks and responsibilities of the main stakeholders of the NFP and
their position within the Programme were described. The division of tasks and responsibilities as
they were introduced in 2002 were changed in 2010, mainly relating to the selection procedure of
applicants.
Regarding the selection process it was concluded in the former evaluation of the NFP in 2007 that
the application procedure for NFP participants at that time was assessed as inefficient.69 The twostep selection process created an unnecessary workload for the RNE, Nuffic, the participants and
the education institutes in the Netherlands. Moreover, the system created an incentive for the Dutch
HE institutes to get as many admissions as possible and do the critical selection only at the end.
Therefore it was recommended to the Ministry and Nuffic to revise the application and selection
process. It was suggested by the evaluators that the process could be made more efficient, for
instance, by giving the RNE a stronger role in the selection process on the basis of some additional
criteria to make a more critical selection possible, such as work experience and relevance of the
employer from the development perspective. This recommendation was followed up and led to the
introduction of a new online application and selection procedure SOL (Scholarship OnLine) in 2010.
Although the introduction of SOL formally is no part of the current evaluation, taking place after the
evaluation period (2002-2010), it was inevitable to discuss the experiences with this new procedure
when discussing the division of tasks and responsibilities. In the text below we give the main
outcomes of this tentative assessment of the introduction and use of SOL.
Introduction of and experiences with SOL
In order to decrease the administrative burden for the NFP applicants, the RNEs and Nuffic and to increase
the efficiency of the whole process the new (online) application and selection procedure (Scholarship
OnLine) was introduced in 2010. In assessing the introduction of SOL and its impact on the efficiency of
the selection process there are various perspectives, relating to the administrative part as well as to the
tasks and responsibilities of the embassies and the HE institutions involved.

Simplified application procedure
Due to the introduction of SOL in 2010 the process of application was simplified for applicants as well as
for the Embassy. For the embassy staff the administrative work indeed significantly reduced. Also there
were not any longer long queues within the embassy of applicants handing in their application form.
Despite this clear progress various fellows indicated that the new process has made it more difficult to
approach the embassy with questions regarding the application form, which appears not be fully clear in all
respect. Also Nuffic receives a lot of questions on the application form. Nuffic developed a manual in order
to better clarify the application form.

Increased accessibility

69

100

Ecorys, Evaluation of the international education programmes NPT and NFP, Rotterdam, 2007.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Due to the simplified procedure via internet the accessibility of the NFP increased, at least for the
application phase, resulting in considerably higher number of applicants. This has led to a more severe
selection process of new NFP fellows, in which only those applicants are selected that are given a high
score by both the embassy and the HE institution. On average, at least in theory, this could lead to a higher
quality of new entrants in the NFP. It was noted by various embassy staff, however, that the information on
the application form might not always be fully true, for instance regarding one’s competences, possibly
leading to a higher score than objectively would be valid. In some cases HE institutions in the Netherlands
use online tools to assess and check the competences of applicants on specific issues, for instance
statistics (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen). Regarding accessibility it was noted that in remote areas internet
connections might be scarce or less reliable hindering accessibility of specific groups, although use of hard
copy application forms still is possible. Problems with the internet connection were mentioned for Ethiopia,
Uganda and Afghanistan.

Role of the embassy
With the introduction of SOL the selection procedure has been standardised across all NFP countries,
including the role of the embassies. Whereas in the old selection procedure the embassy was responsible
for checking the eligibility of applicants and recommending Nuffic on good candidates, the new system
requires a more active role of the embassy, i.e. scoring the applicants on a scale of 1-10, indicating their
relevance for the priority areas and the sector development policy of the Netherlands Embassy. The
scoring criteria, however, are very general, for which the embassies did not receive any special guide lines,
although an information meeting for RNE fellowship officers was organised a few years ago.

Although with the new A&S selection procedure the embassies are required to play a more active
role, there are still large differences between the embassies. Whereas in one country the embassy
expressed its disappointment of a diminished role in the whole selection process (Uganda), the
other country does not really fill in its required role (Tanzania) more or less “forcing” Nuffic to take
up this role because otherwise the application would not be eligible. According to Nuffic most
embassies take their role in the selection process serious. In the interviews with embassy staff it
was noted that the relation between the NFP and the overall development cooperation of the
embassy is not always very well articulated. In this context also information on alumni and their
position in organisations would be useful to include or consult in the selection process.
Lack of transparency
Although the new selection procedure should be more transparent, almost all stakeholders
complain about a lack of transparency regarding the outcome of the selection process, which
frequently was even qualified as a “black box” in which communication and feed back to all involved
are severely missing. More specifically:


For the HE institutions in the Netherlands it is often not clear how the score of the applicant by
the embassy is motivated. Whereas in the past the embassies motivated their preferences for a
specific candidate, this is no longer the case in the new system. Furthermore, whereas in the
past the selection of the embassies was done in advance, it is now done afterwards.



For the embassies it is not clear how the scoring by the HE institutions takes place.



Not admitted applicants nor their employers receive information about the reasons for not being
selected.



Under SOL various HE institutions are confronted with strong fluctuating or decreasing
enrolment in their courses without knowing the reasons for it. To make decisions regarding
promotion and networks for recruiting new fellows, the institutes would like to have better insight
in the available budgets per country. According to Nuffic, it is known to the HE institutes that the
NFP budget is distributed based on the number of eligible application en granted fellowships of
the year before. Based on this, it is also publicly known that Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

101

already for years have been the most beneficiary countries considering the number of fellows
from these countries.
The Ghanaian counterparts and applicants expressed criticism on the selection process which is seen as a
black box. The criticism is related to what is felt to be a lack of transparency in the selection procedure as
well as to the limited information that is provided. Applicants indicated that they would like to get more
feedback on the reasons why they have not been selected. The MOFED complained that they would
expect to receive information from either Nuffic or the RNE of the different fellowships that are awarded,
organisations felt that also the employers (contact persons) should get feedback on the fellowships that
were awarded to their staff. The employers interviewed indicated that the other fellowship programmes give
a larger role to the organisations / ask them to make recommendations/ selection (JICA, Chinese, Thai,
Korean, Danida).

Based on the interviews with Dutch education and training institutes and with the embassies there
seems to be an imminent tension in the NFP between the selection criteria used by the embassy,
focusing on target groups and priority areas in development cooperation (if any) and the criteria
used by the HE institution which are academically oriented. Valuing both criteria equally (relevance
for development cooperation vs. academic relevance) seems to lead to a selection of fellows which
from both sides appear to be sub-optimal for the goal both parties are trying to achieve (effective
development cooperation and academic performance). A more grounded conclusion, however,
would require a thorough analysis of the outcomes of the new selection procedure compared to the
former one.
On the basis of this assessment it can be concluded that the SOL potentially reduces the
management time of the selection period. It should be checked whether this has reduced or will
actually reduce the management costs. There have been and still are serious criticisms on the lack
of transparent selection procedures in the past and it cannot be assessed whether the new
procedures have solved this problem.

6.9

Conclusions
The total budget for the NFP programme during the evaluation period 2002-2010 amounted to 244
million euros, excluding the management and implementation costs, which amounted to 12.5 million
euros, being about 5% of the programme costs. Most budget was spent on master courses (55%),
and to a lesser extent on short courses (22%).
Only reviewing the costs, it is clear that the costs for Master’s courses and PhDs are much higher
due to personal allowances and other costs – around 25,000 euros for a one-year Master’s course
and approximately 85,000 euros (74,000 euros till 2010) for a four-year PhD course. Obviously,
short courses are much cheaper, with an average price of 7,000 to 8,000 euros.
Between 2005 and 2010, the average tuition fee of Master’s courses increased by 50%. Since on
average the tuition fees form one third of the NFP Master’s grants it is not surprising that the rise in
tuition fees also led to a considerable increase in total costs of NFP Master’s grants. At the same
time it is noted that on average the NFP tuition fees are still below the ISPAC tuition fees, which is
the fee that Dutch HE institutes charge for foreign (non-EER) students.
The changes in tuition fees of short courses have been more modest, more or less fluctuating at
around 2,000 euros. Adjusted for course duration however, it was found that the prices of short
courses per week have increased even more (55%) than the prices of the Master’s courses per

102

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

month, A more in-depth analysis of the NFP course list would be needed to assess whether pricequality ratio has actually changed.
From the above we conclude that the “125% rule” of the Ministry seems to have had a limited
impact on price setting of NFP courses, which is (mainly) due to policies of the Dutch Ministry of
Education regarding higher tuition fees for non-EER students, so including the NFP fellows, and the
possibility given to the education institutes to charge cost-effective tuition fees for NFP fellows.
Nevertheless, the NFP tuition fees are still below the ISPAC tuition fee level, which is the fee Dutch
HE institutes charge for foreign (non-EER) students, although the difference has become smaller
every year. From 2010 onwards tuition fees were settled for a period of four years, in the mean time
only allowing price indexation (inflation). The effectiveness of this measurement is outside the
scope of this evaluation.
The programme seems to have few incentives for cost reduction. All NFP courses are followed in
the Netherlands, with in some cases a regional component (e.g. research for a MA or PhD theses).
Consequently the costs for tuition fees and subsistence are relatively high.
It seems likely that alternative supply structures could reduce the costs of the programme, and at
least should be seriously considered. Also other options for cost reduction could be considered,
such as co-financing, using regional institutes and allowing students to enrol in foreign/regional
fellowships. These options are not possible at the moment, but deserve serious consideration from
a perspective of efficiency. Also the possibilities of e-learning could be more explored, including the
reasons why the available options on the NFP course list are not or very limited used. In general
the NFP could use good practices related to a more cost-efficient supply of education and training.
Regarding the introduction of the new application and selection procedure it is concluded that this
potentially reduces the processing time of the selection period. It should be closer examined
whether this has reduced the implementation costs of the programme. Furthermore, the available
information from the interviews indicated that there are still serious criticisms on the lack of
transparency in the selection procedures which were also already expressed in the previous
evaluation.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

103

7

Conclusions and options for the future

7.1

Conclusions
We present the conclusions of this evaluation of the NFP (2002-2010) in line with the evaluation
questions that are linked to the main evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, impact and
efficiency. We also present options for the future.
Relevance
The core question relating to the relevance of the NFP is whether there is still a need for the
external support the NFP is providing in order to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of
poverty reduction in developing countries’.
The conclusion regarding relevance is that from an individual employee perspective as well as from
an employers perspective the NFP education and training are (still) seen as relevant for increasing
knowledge, skills and competences as well as career opportunities of individual employees, and in
the view of employers and fellows are also expected to contribute to the quality of the services of
the organisation and innovation of the organisation. The relevance of the NFP was underpinned
with concrete information from the country studies, although in most cases the shortages could not
be documented.
It is noted that the perceived relevance of the NFP programmes as expressed by the employers
should be considered with care. First of all, because a relatively large number of employers (about
one third) were a NFP fellow in the past, possibly having a positive bias towards the NFP.
Furthermore, the country studies indicated that if given the choice fellowships would not always be
the first instrument selected for capacity building.
The relevance of the NFP is also clear in the context of local (higher) education systems which to a
large degree does not allow for appropriate responses to demands of the labour market, leading to
structural mismatches between the education system (qualifications taught) and the labour market
(skills and knowledge requested by employers. Not surprisingly, the NFP is especially highly valued
by alumni and employers because of its combination of theoretical and practical content and the
high quality of its courses. From this it is also concluded that the assumed causal relations which
are part of the intervention logic seem to hold. In practice, however, there might obstacles and
hindering factors limiting the perceived effectiveness of individual education and training in the
organisation, which in general are not given serious consideration in the implementation of the
programme.
It is also concluded that the NFP can be of relevance for the Dutch HE institutes for its potential to
generate knowledge products (research output, publications, PhDs, new educational programmes,
etc.), although additional information would be needed to underpin this claim. The same applies for
the Netherlands as a state which might potentially benefit through improved bilateral relation from
the large network of alumni that followed a course in the Netherlands with NFP funding.
Finally, also earlier evaluations of other fellowship programmes indicate empirical evidence that
individual fellowship programmes like the NFP can benefits to individual fellows in terms of
increased competences and improved career opportunities. Also, there seems to be a potential for

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

105

stimulating organisational development provided that the organisation is open to new skills and new
knowledge. On the national level, however, also based on earlier evaluations, there is little formal
evidence of the impact of training programmes on poverty alleviation or improvements in sectors
and the economy or society.
Effectiveness
Outputs
During the period 2002 and 2010 the NFP succeeded in establishing about 12.750 fellowships for
mid-career professionals. The main focus of the NFP has been on Short Courses (58% of the NFP
fellows) and Master Courses (38% of the NFP fellows). With 47% of the participants being female,
the programme target of 50% female participants was almost met. There are, however, large
differences in the share of female fellows per country, obviously reflecting different social positions
of women in these countries.
Although about 60 countries have been eligible for the NFP programme, the participation in the
NFP show a skewed distribution towards a limited number of (mainly low income) countries with
almost 50 % of the grants being awarded to participants from eight countries, with Ethiopia
(1.147 fellows) and Tanzania (1020 fellows) being the largest beneficiary countries.
Although the total number of NFP fellows is quite substantial also in comparison with other
fellowship programmes of other donors, it seems obvious that even with a concentration on a small
number of countries the number of fellows is limited at national level. This sets clear limits to the
ambitions of capacity building and alleviating skills shortages.
Outcomes
At individual level the NFP fellows clearly benefitted from their participation in NFP. Benefits were
reported regarding increased personal and professional competences, career perspectives,
increased responsibility and network opportunities. About 70% of the alumni reported a higher job
positions and/ or increased responsibility after they obtained a higher degree of education.
Alumni are of the opinion that they to a large extent have been able to put (part of) their new
expertise and skills to work. Findings from the field visits confirm that organisations have benefitted
from the improved technical skills of the alumni and the exchange effect on colleagues. This
provided opportunities for innovation and improved working methods and quality of services and
products. Nevertheless the examples provided show that the possibilities to utilise the knowledge
and skills gained vary greatly across organisations and are influenced by factors and conditions
such as the extent to which organisations and superiors are receptive to new ideas, the position of
the alumni upon return and the availability of resources.
At organisational level the benefits noticeably have led to better qualified staff for the employers.
This created the conditions for, and according to the employers actually improved the quality of
products and services of the organisation. It should be noted however, that these effects are difficult
to measure. The effects on the organisation were reported subjectively by the employers, of which
a considerable number themselves participated in the NFP, which might have influenced their
opinion and view on the effectiveness of the NFP.
Furthermore, various serious obstacles were (subjectively) reported by employers and alumni,
hindering an optimal use of learned skills and knowledge at the level of organisations.
Organisational barriers were found to be lower in organisations where more fellowships were
awarded. This could indicate more “readiness” within the organisation or be the result of a larger

106

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

mass of employees having been trained. Another factor influencing organisational performance is
the integration of the training or education of staff in a staff development plan of the organisation.
The number of alumni that do not return to their employers or leave the country is relatively low but
differs per country. Notwithstanding the fact that most alumni do return to their employer after
completing the NFP education, there is evidence of occasional considerable brain drain at the level
of the organisations. The loss of trained employees to other institutions can limit the momentum for
institutional development while possibly being a brain gain for other organisations.
The overall conclusion is that there is more evidence for positive effects of the NFP at the individual
level than at the organisational level.
Impact
There is little formal evidence of contribution of the NFP to socio-economic developments in the
regions or countries the fellows reside. Nevertheless, some anecdotal evidence was collected
during the country case studies on wider impact.
Based on the long NFP history it is plausible that the programme has benefitted bilateral relations of
the Netherlands with the NFP countries. This was also indicated in interviews with policy officers of
the Dutch of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The country cases showed that alumni information is not
actively used to develop relations between the Netherlands and the NFP countries. Especially the
latter can be seen as a missed opportunity of the Programme to contribute to positive public
relations for the Netherlands. The limited budget and the lack of a clear strategy for alumni activities
is not supportive to a sustainable alumni network.
Efficiency
The total budget for the NFP programme during the evaluation period 2002-2010 amounted to
244 million euro, which is on average approximately 31 million euro per year, excluding the
management and implementation costs which for the implementation period amounted to
12.5 million, which is about 5% of the programme costs.
The conclusion regarding efficiency is that, contrary to the policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
tuition fees have increased considerably in the period 2002 – 2010. This increase in tuition fees, an
important part of the NFP grants, is (mainly) due to policies of the Dutch Ministry of Education
regarding higher tuition fees for non-EER students, so including the NFP fellows, and the possibility
given to the education institutes to charge cost-effective tuition fees for NFP fellows. Nevertheless,
the NFP tuition fees are still below the ISPAC tuition fee level, which is the fee Dutch HE institutes
charge for foreign (non-EER) students. From 2010 onwards tuition fees were settled for a period of
four years, in the mean time only allowing price indexation (inflation). The effectiveness of this
measurement is outside the scope of this evaluation.
It is also concluded that alternative supply structures could reduce the costs of the programme, and
should be seriously considered. Options for cost reduction which could be considered are cofinancing, using regional institutes and allowing students to enrol in foreign/regional fellowships.
Also the possibilities of e-learning could be more explored, including the reasons why the available
options on the NFP course list have not or have only very limited been used so far. In general the
NFP could use good practices related to a more cost-efficient supply of education and training.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

107

7.2

Options for the future
The current NFP is torn between various policy objectives related to development cooperation,
foreign policy and Dutch education that hinder the effectiveness and efficiency of the programme.
This is especially the case because the intervention logic shows flaws. Also the changing
international context asks for changes in intervention strategies. While in the Netherlands it is
discussed whether Dutch students should receive any study grants at all, a financial contribution of
NFP fellows to their education or training could be considered.
On the basis of this evaluation clear policy choices should be made regarding the future of the
programme in relation to the main objectives, the number of countries, types and location of
courses, and funding options. Of course different combinations are possible.


Main policy objective: this choice relates to the relative emphasis on the various objectives. The
ministry should decide on the importance of the various policy objectives related to the
improvement of bilateral relations (foreign policy), capacity building (development cooperation)
and the internationalisation of Dutch education and to what extent these objectives can be
combined in a single programme. This choice very much influences the three other choices.



Number of countries: this choice relates to the number (concentration vs. enlargement) and type
of countries (low income vs. middle income) and who to focus on in these countries.



Types and location of courses: this choice relates to the course supply (restricted or almost no
restrictions) and location where the courses are provided (the Netherlands, in partner countries
or third countries).



Management and cost reduction: this choice relates to the way the programme is managed and
the attention given to economy and cost reduction.

The evaluation team has identified three ‘extreme’ options:
1

Continuation of the programme with an emphasis on improvement of bilateral relations and
internationalisation of Dutch higher education

This option takes the Dutch bilateral relations and the internationalisation of higher education in the
Netherlands as its point of departure. To a large extent the NFP would be used as a strategic
instrument to improve bilateral relations (economic and public diplomacy) in the long run. At the
same time, the programme would put a greater emphasis on the interests of the Netherlands
education institutes
The focus of the programme will be on capacity building on individual level, but there would not be
an explicit focus on capacity building of organisations. Specific organisations which are of interest
to the Netherlands (Foreign Policy) could be approached to propose staff for the programme.
The consequence of this would be that the NFP would remain a relatively open programme with the
aim of reaching a large variety of potential candidates from countries that are of interest to the
Netherlands. It could even be decided to increase the number of countries, for instance also
involving upcoming market countries. Also a larger focus of the course supply to areas which are of
specific interest to the Netherlands business community, such as water management could be
considered.
Whether such a programme should be completely funded from the development cooperation
budget is an issue. Considering the main policy objectives (to promote political and economic
interests and internationalisation of Dutch education) it would not be logical to finance the
programme from Development Cooperation funds . l. Also the funding policy should be revised,

108

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

because next to grants also loans could be considered. If the programme is to serve also the
interests of Dutch HE institutes, it should be considered to look for synergies in policy and budgets
between the NFP and the internationalisation policy of the Dutch ministry of Education. In this
option the embassies should play an active role in advising on selection and in making use of
alumni networks. But also tracking and informing the alumni of the programme.
Clear choices at the start should be made, in principle, management costs and programme costs
may be considerably lower than at present is the case. In fact, this option could be considered as a
return to the origins of the programme when there was no explicit focus on capacity building, but it
emphasises more the Dutch interests.
2

Continuation of the programme with a clearer emphasis on capacity building (development
cooperation)

In this option, the main focus of NFP on capacity building of organisations and development
cooperation policies is further enhanced. This would require that fellowships would be combined
with other capacity building activities. The organisations would become the main focus rather than
the individuals, as is currently the case. Therefore, front end mechanisms to link fellowships to
other capacity building activities in line with well-known capacity building strategies should be
envisaged.
The present evaluation has shown that such a focus cannot realistically be realised in a large
number of countries and a limitation of the number of countries (e.g. to partner countries) would be
required. The course offer should not be limited to courses in the Netherlands, but the possibility of
also having offering them in country courses and in the region should be considered. The use of
more local training and education opportunities will provide the opportunity to align more closely to
the capacity needs and capacity development policies of the countries and limit the costs of the
fellowships provided
The development sections of embassies would need to see the NFP as an integral instrument in
their development cooperation strategies. A pro-active role of the embassy would be required
The programme would need to make a link to the organisations involved (universities, government
organisations or business). This can either be upfront (similar to MYA), involvement of
organisations in selection process (agreed number of fellowship to be awarded to the organisationsector) or through follow up after the return of the alumni (JICA, Danida)
Even with a limitation to considerably less countries, the management costs of the programme are
likely to increase, because selection requires considerable attention, just as more guidance during
implementation, follow-up and strengthened monitoring and evaluation. Even with a focus on low
income countries, contributions of fellows and/or organisations should not be excluded beforehand.
This option is a step further on the way towards more focus on capacity building. The main
challenge is to reorient an essential supply-driven programme to a real demand-oriented
programme that is still manageable.
3

Phasing out of the programme

With a strong focus on capacity building and development cooperation policies it might be
questioned whether a separate fellowship programme should be maintained. Fellowships can also
be provided through other capacity building programmes such as NICHE but also through sector
support programmes.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

109

As a consequence of the phase-out of the programme possible benefits for Dutch economic and
public relations will diminish. It will also have consequences for Dutch HEI specifically for those
institutes for which NFP educating and training is their core business. On the other hand
continuation of the Niche programme will still further the internationalisation of Dutch education.

110

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

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Interviews in the Netherlands
Stakeholders NFP
Name of Institution

Name of interviewee

Position

Nuffic

N. Barata

Project manager

V. Dassen

Communication

B. Vos

Team Coordinator NFP

M. Gondwe

Senior Policy Officer

A. Moesman

Head of department fellowships

J. Houterman

Director NFP

Platform for International

M. van der Kooij

Secretary PIE

Education (PIE)

J. van Dijk

Head Office of Research, Projects and Advisory
Services (ISS)

E. Ploeger

Head of the Education Bureau (UNESCO-IHE)

Netherlands Ministry

J. de Graaf

Policy officer NFP

Foreign Affairs

L. Anten

Head of Education and Research division

J.W. Oosterbroek

Policy Adviser Education and Research Division

M. van Aalst

Administrator Education and Research division

C. de Nie

Education expert at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

C. Sips

Senior policy advisor Education

F. van Doornik

Senior policy advisor Education

D. Adema

Thematic Expert

W. van IJssel

Policy Advisor, Dept. for Sustainable Economic
Development

Higher Education Institutions in the Netherlands
Name of HE Institution

Name of interviewee

Position

Saxion

Alice te Winkel

Policy Co-operator International Office / Coordinator

Koninklijk Instituut voor de

Mevr. Zwanikken

Head Master Public Health, Area Head Education

Scholarships
Tropen
MDF

Hanneke Spaans

Trainer / Consultant, NFP contact person for Nuffic

PTC Plus

Francien Trapman

Co-operator International Office

Rijks Universiteit Groningen

Anneke Toxopeus

Team leader mobility and scholarship desk

Coby Evers

Study advisor Master of Science of Education

Peter P. de Gijsel

Dean Director

Institute for Housing and

René van der Zwet

Head of course bureau

Urban Development Studies

Jan. Fransen

Maastricht School of
Management

(IHS)

70

Alonso Ayala

Deputy director / Head of the education programme
Master programme manager

ITC Twente

70
71

71

John Horn

Senior Project Officer

A group interview with 6 fellows took place.
A group interview with 4 fellows took place.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

117

Name of HE Institution

Name of interviewee

Position

Adrie Scheggetman

Student Recruitment, Registration and Selection

Fred Paats

Officer

Bert Boerrigter

Policy Advisor

Jeroen Ouburg

Team Leader International Office

Wieke Blaauw

Deputy Academic Registrar

Nynke Jo Smit

Academic Registrar

Ank van den Berg,

Head Student Office

Institute for Water Education

Ineke Melis

Fellowship and Admission Officer

74

(UNESCO-IHE)

Erwin Ploeger

Head of the Education Bureau

Van Hall Larenstein

Ben Schulte

Senior Policy Advisor

Robert Baars

Master programmes course director

Head of Education
72

Wageningen University

Institute of Social Studies
(ISS)

72
73
74

118

73

Two fellows were interviewed.
A group interview with 8 fellows took place.
A group interview with 7 fellows took place.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Annex to chapter 1

Table 1 Overview of evaluation questions
Criteria

Evaluation Question

Relevance

1.1 a) What were the rationale and objectives of the NFP as formulated in 2002 and
reformulated in 2008, and are these still valid?
1.1 b) Is there still a need for external support to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative
shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within
the framework of poverty reduction in developing countries’?
1.2 a) What have been the NFP policies in the period between 2002 and 2010?
1.2 b) What explains the changes that may have been made to these policies over these
years? How do they relate to the overall development policies pursued by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs?
1.3 How have general policies been operationalized in inter alia the selection of NFP
countries, selection criteria for applicants, NFP modalities and the selection of NFP courses?
1.4 a) How do the developments in Netherlands international fellowship policies compare
with the policies of other key players and the resources they have available? What are the
explanations for the main commonalities and differences observed?

Effectiveness

2.0 a) Which concerns about programme effectiveness have influenced the design of NFP in
2002, and in 2008? Have they been addressed effectively?
2.1) To what extent did the NFP fellows complete their training and was this as planned?
What factors explain the rate of completion?
2.2 a) How do NFP alumni assess the value of the NFP fellowship and the training/education
provided? What have been their perspectives in terms of career, increased responsibilities,
increased possibilities to train others, increased income, (academic) networking with peers,
institutions in the Netherlands? Did this meet their expectations?
2.3 a) Did the NFP alumni return to their employer and have they been able to utilize their
new expertise, knowledge, skills, aptitudes, etc. after returning to their employer?
2.3 b) What have been the factors and conditions that have made this (im)possible (both in
relation to the training and the employer)?
2.3 c) What aspects/elements of the NFP fellowship have been considered most useful in
this respect?
2.4 a) To what extent did the NFP alumni return to their employer at the time of application
and did they return to positions were they could implement their acquired knowledge and
skills?
2.4 b) Are there still qualitative and quantitative vacancies within the organization
concerned?
2.4 c) What other measures did these organizations take to fill these vacancies?
2.5 a) To what extent can it be established that the return of the NFP alumni has influenced
the functioning of these organizations?
2.5 b) What have been the factors and conditions that have made this (im)possible?
Attention will be paid in this respect to the issue of ‘brain drain’.

Impact

3.1 a) What is known about the indirect contribution made by the NFP (through better
institutional capacity of employers of NFP alumni) to the wider aims of socio-economic
development, poverty alleviation and gender equity?
3.1 b) E.g. how do numbers and types of NFP trainees compare with the recipient countries’
quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, and their
Education and Human Resource policies?

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

119

Criteria

Evaluation Question
3.1 c) Has the selection of fellows corresponded with country-specific needs and
opportunities?
3.2 a) To what extent do the employers play an essential role in the socio-economic
development in the country?
3.3 To what extent did the Programme contribute to positive economic and political relations
for the Netherlands?
4.1 What were problems of efficiency that featured at the basis of the design of NFP in 2002,

Efficiency

and in 2008?
4.2 a) What has been the actual division of responsibilities between the NFP stakeholders in
NFP design and implementation (i.e. from the identification of NFP candidates to the return
of the fellows to their home country)?
4.2 b) Did this division effectively address efficiency concerns?
4.3 a) In what manner has this division of responsibilities been arranged?
4.3 b) Have the arrangements been efficient and effective?
4.3 c) Did implementation of the Programme meet conditions made in the different
agreements?
4.4 a) What have been the costs (and cost components) of the different types of fellowships
(at different Netherlands training providers)?
4.4 b) How do these compare with a similar training/education offer provided elsewhere in
Europe, the eligible NFPcountries and/or countries in the region?
4.4 c) Are there indications of extra costs/inefficiencies as a result of the programme being
covered by Dutch training institutions?
4.5 What conclusions can be drawn as regards the most efficient fellowship modality?
4.6 a) Were any measures (such as joint degree or double degree programmes) taken to
minimalize fellowship costs? If so, why and have these been effective?
4.7 Were any measures taken to increase the efficiency of the courses in terms of teaching
methodology, implementing modules in partner countries, making use of ICT technology (elearning)?
4.8 What role have the Holland Alumni network and the alumni offices at the Netherlands
training providers played?
Description &

5.1 What has been the financial contribution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to NFP in the

analysis of

period 2002 and 2010?

budget

5.2 a) In the period 2002-2010, what has been the utilization of the NFP budget by year,
country, number and types of fellowships awarded, sectors covered, and by institution in the
Netherlands? What resources have been made available for NFP alumni associations
(overall and local organizations?
5.3 In addition to the financial contribution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under evaluation
question 5.1, what other costs have been incurred in the same period by the different
stakeholders for the implementation of the NFP and how have these been financed?

Lessons

6.1. Based on the findings of the evaluation, what lessons can be drawn that are relevant to
policy and policy implementation, taking into account also recent changes in the overall
Netherlands development cooperation policies?

120

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Table 2 Comparison of the response group in the tracer study to the NFP fellow population as
registered by Nuffic (%)
NFP alumni in tracer study

NFP alumni population

Male

54.6

53.3

Female

45.5

46.7

27.76

32.5

NFP modality (multi response)
Master
Short course

55.18

70.6

PhD

0.81

2.6

Tailor made

5.22

3.1

Refresher course

11.04

20.3

2003

1.9

1.7

2004

4.5

7.2

2005

7.7

10.7

2006

8.7

13.6

2007

11.7

16.4

2008

14.3

14.8

2009

23.6

18.4

2010

27.7

17.2

Total (number =100%)

2,960

11,325

Completion year

*) differences between the response group and the alumni population are statistically not significant.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

121

Annex to chapter 2
Back ground characteristics of alumni in the NFP tracer study
Table A2.1 shows the key characteristics of the alumni who participated in the questionnaire of the
tracer study. The main features are:


A large majority of the respondents followed a short course (70,6%), a third participated in a
Master Course (32.5%), one fifth followed a Refresher Course (20.3%);



Slightly less than half of the respondents is female (45.5%);



By far most respondents are living in Africa (53,4%) or Asia (35,9%);



About half of the respondents completed their NFP education or training in the period between
2000 and 2008 (47.6%) and the other half in the period 2009-201;



Most respondents had a bachelor degree (46.9%) as prior education when entering the NFP,
42.2% had a master’s degree. When we distinguish between modalities we find that 69.2% of
the alumni that followed a PhD course had a master’s degree when they started NFP, but also
26.2% only had a bachelor’s degree. Of the alumni that followed a Master course, 69.2% had a
bachelor’s degree and 29.3% already had a master’s degree;



34.7% of all respondents had over 10 years of work experience when starting in the NFP,
34.6% had a work experience of 6 to 10 years, 25.8% 3 to 5 years. A small group had less than
3 years work experience, which is used by Nuffic as the minimum for a mid-career professional;



18.4% of all respondents worked less than 3 years for the organisation that filled in the
employer statement which is required for the NFP application procedure. 20.3% already worked
for more than 10 years for the organisation;



The four largest disciplines in which the alumni followed their education or courses were
agricultural sciences (20.6%), social sciences (13.1%), business administration (10.6%) and
natural sciences (9.2%) (not shown in the table);



Respondents followed their NFP education or training in a large variety of education institutions
in the Netherlands. Among the alumni the five largest institutions were Wageningen University
(16.3%), Maastricht School of Management (16.2%), ITC Twente (9.6%), UNESCO-IHE (9.0%)
and ISS (5.1%) (not shown in the table).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

123

Table A2.1 Main characteristics of alumni respondents that participated in the tracer study (N=2.700
alumni)

Modality *

Gender

Region (country of origin)

Year(s) of participation in NFP

Prior education before the NFP

Work experience before NFP

Years with employer
(supporting the NFP application)

Short Course

70.6%

Master course

32.5%

PhD Course

2.6%

Tailor-made Course

3.1%

Refresher Course

20.3%

Male

54.6%

Female

45.4%

Africa

53.4%

Asia

35.9%

Eastern Europe

3.0%

Latin America

5.7%

Other/unknown

2.0%

2000-2008

47.6%

2009-2011

49.3%

>2011

1.4%

Unfinished course

1.7%

Primary./Secondary education

1.1%

Post secondary (non-tertiary)

4.4%

Bachelor or equivalent

46.9%

Master or equivalent

42.4%

Doctoral or equivalent

5.8%

Unknown

0.4%

Less than 3 years

4.9%

3 to 5 years

25.8%

6 to 10 years

34.6%

More than 10 years

34.7%

Less than 3 years

18.4%

3 to 5 years

35.1%

6 to 10 years

26.1%

More than 10 years

20.3%

*) The figures add up to more than 100% since it is possible for an individual to have followed more than one course.

124

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Background characteristics of respondents in the NFP employers questionnaire
Table A.2.2 shows the key characteristics of the employers who participated in the employer’s
questionnaire. Key features are:


Most respondents to the employer questionnaire have a prominent position within their
organisation: 37.8% of the respondents is a director/CEO, 29.1% is a manager/head of unit and
14.5% is a senior staff member;



Most employers work for NGOs (39.0%), followed by a government or government funded
organisation (30.2%), a business / private company (17.4%) and a university or research
institute (9.3%);



For most organisations, the last time staff participated in NFP was recent: 71.9% of the
organisations was involved in NFP between 2009 and 2011; 19.8% was involved in NFP for the
last time before 2009;



Most organisations are located in Africa (54.1%), followed by Asia (29.1%), Eastern Europe
(9.9%) and Latin America (7.0%), which is comparable to the regions the alumni indicated as
their origin. The three largest countries among the employers are Nigeria (11.6%), Tanzania
(9.3%) and Nepal (7.6%);



According to the answers of the employers in total 674 staff in their organisations has been
involved in NFP education or training, with an overrepresentation of short courses (274 staff),
master courses (151) and tailor made training (181). About one third of the employers had staff
involved in more than one NFP modality;



One third of the employers (31%) participated in NFP education or training themselves;



The five largest sectors in which the employer’s organisations are active are Non-governmental
organisation (37.2%), Agriculture, forestry and fishing (34.3%), Education (24.4%), Consultancy,
research and other specialised business services (19.8%) and Water supply; sewerage, waste
management and remediation activities (18.6%) (not shown in the table).

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

125

Table A2.2

Main characteristics of respondent in the NFP employers questionnaire (N=220
employers)

Position in the organisation

Type or organisation

Minister/State secretary

1.2%

Director/CEO

37.8%

Manager/Head of unit

29.1%

Senior staff member

14.5%

Professor

0.6%

Teacher/trainer

1.7%

Owner of the company

1.2%

Other

13.4%

NGO

39.0%

Government or government funded
organisation

Region (country of origin)

Year(s) of participation in NFP

Number of staff involved in NFP

30.2%

University/research institute

9.3%

Business/private company

17.4%

Other/unknown

4.1%

Africa

54.1%

Asia

29.1%

Eastern Europe

9.9%

Latin America

7.0%

2000-2008

19.8%

2009-2011

91.7%

Short courses

274

Master courses

151

PhD studies

9

Tailor made training

181

Refresher courses

32

Yes

31%

Number of NFP alumni among
employers

126

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Educational background and employment status of parents of NFP alumni
The NFP intends to have a special focus on employees among deprived groups. Therefore the
education back ground and the employment status of the parents were asked.
A majority of the mothers of NFP alumni completed primary or secondary education as highest level
of formal education (36%+ 19%). Fathers of alumni are more educated with one third of them
having a degree in higher education (bachelor, master or doctorate) only completed primary or
secondary education. Among the mother the share of higher educated is 20%. The share of higher
education seems relatively high compared to on average a gross enrolment rate of 5% in higher
education in many African countries.
Looking at the employment status we conclude that at the time of participation in the NFP only a
minority of the parents of the alumni was full-time or part-time employed.
Figure A2.1 Educational background of parents of NFP alumni

Figure A2.2 Employment status of the parents of NFP alumni

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

127

Figure A2.3 Division of NFP Master Courses by gender (2003-2010)

Master courses
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Women

50%

Men

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Figure A2.4 Division of NFP short courses by gender (2003-2010)

Short courses
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Women

50%

Men

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2003

128

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

2010

Figure A2.5 Division of NFP PhD grants by gender (2003-2010)

PhD
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Women

50%

Men

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Table A2.3 Distribution of fellows by discipline for NFP Master Courses (2003-2010)
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

17%

20%

22%

25%

36%

18%

17%

18%

Architecture

6%

3%

0%

10%

12%

11%

9%

8%

Arts

0%

0%

3%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

4%

9%

10%

13%

13%

13%

14%

16%

Communication

0%

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Education

2%

1%

2%

2%

2%

2%

1%

1%

14%

15%

20%

8%

7%

6%

8%

8%

Geography

12%

16%

14%

13%

0%

18%

18%

16%

Humanities

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

1%

Languages

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Law

3%

3%

5%

3%

3%

3%

3%

3%

0%

0%

0%

1%

0%

0%

0%

0%

4%

4%

5%

5%

6%

6%

6%

5%

23%

14%

2%

3%

4%

4%

3%

6%

Agricultural
Sciences

Business
Administration

Engineering
Sciences

Mathematics
and Computer
Sciences
Medical
Sciences
Natural
Sciences
Other

1%

1%

1%

0%

0%

0%

1%

1%

Social Sciences

14%

14%

16%

16%

16%

16%

17%

16%

0%

0%

0%

1%

0%

1%

0%

1%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Transport and
communications
Total

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

129

Table A2.4 Distribution of fellows by discipline for NFP Short Courses (2003-2010)
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Agricultural
Sciences

58%

43%

32%

33%

43%

50%

40%

51%

Architecture

0%

0%

0%

10%

8%

6%

5%

4%

Arts

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Business
Administration

2%

14%

20%

28%

27%

24%

27%

18%

Communication

0%

11%

9%

6%

7%

6%

5%

6%

Education

0%

0%

2%

2%

4%

3%

5%

4%

Engineering
Sciences

0%

3%

4%

2%

2%

3%

2%

1%

Geography

4%

19%

20%

12%

0%

0%

6%

7%

Law

5%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Mathematics/
Comp. sciences

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Medical
Sciences

2%

2%

2%

3%

1%

1%

2%

1%

Natural
Sciences

0%

0%

1%

0%

2%

1%

1%

0%

Other

3%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

1%

Social Sciences

26%

8%

10%

4%

5%

5%

7%

7%

Transport and
communications

0%

0%

0%

1%

1%

0%

0%

0%

Total

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Table A2.5 Distribution of fellows by discipline for NFP PhD course (2003-2010)
2003

130

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Agricultural
sciences

0%

0%

12%

30%

32%

19%

9%

19%

Architecture

0%

0%

0%

2%

0%

0%

2%

2%

Business
administration

8%

0%

15%

2%

11%

10%

6%

11%

Communication

0%

0%

0%

2%

0%

0%

0%

2%

Education

0%

0%

6%

11%

0%

13%

6%

5%

Engineering
sciences

0%

0%

12%

0%

4%

0%

3%

11%

Geography

17%

0%

6%

0%

0%

0%

3%

0%

Law

0%

0%

3%

2%

7%

7%

2%

2%

Mathematics
and computer
sciences

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

2%

0%

Medical
sciences

0%

0%

3%

6%

4%

10%

8%

13%

Natural
sciences

33%

50%

15%

23%

14%

23%

20%

17%

Other

0%

0%

3%

4%

0%

0%

15%

0%

Social sciences

42%

50%

27%

17%

29%

19%

22%

20%

Total

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Figure A2.6 Division of grants (Short Courses, Master Courses and PhD grants) among women and men, per country for the period 2003-2010
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Women
30%
20%
10%
0%

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Men

Figure A2.7 Division of NFP grants (short courses, master courses and PhD grants) per country for the period 2003-2010
1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

Annex 4 Results of the NFP alumni
questionnaire per modality
Q1. In which country do you live?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course
Afghanistan

91,7

8,3

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Albania

60,0

40,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Armenia

62,5

33,3

0,0

0,0

4,2

100,0

Territories

75,0

25,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

Bangladesh

49,1

45,3

0,0

0,0

5,7

100,0

Benin

75,0

16,7

8,3

0,0

0,0

100,0

Bhutan

61,2

25,4

1,5

0,0

11,9

100,0

Bolivia

22,2

70,4

3,7

0,0

3,7

100,0

Bosnia-Herzegovina

0,0

100,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Brazil

83,3

8,3

8,3

0,0

0,0

100,0

Burkina Faso

92,3

0,0

0,0

0,0

7,7

100,0

Burundi

75,0

25,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Cambodia

100,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Cape Verde

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Colombia

25,0

64,3

3,6

3,6

3,6

100,0

Costa Rica

22,2

66,7

0,0

0,0

11,1

100,0

Cuba

50,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

50,0

100,0

Autonomous Palestinian

100,0

Democratic Republic of

100,0

the Congo

100,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

Ecuador

28,6

66,7

0,0

0,0

4,8

100,0

Egypt

80,0

10,0

5,0

5,0

0,0

100,0

El Salvador

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Eritrea

12,5

37,5

37,5

0,0

12,5

100,0

Ethiopia

43,6

48,1

4,4

0,6

3,3

100,0

Georgia

57,9

34,2

2,6

2,6

2,6

100,0

Ghana

61,4

33,7

1,8

2,4

0,6

100,0

Guatemala

60,0

40,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Guinea-Bissau

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Honduras

28,6

71,4

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

India

70,8

19,1

1,1

2,2

6,7

100,0

Indonesia

81,0

7,9

4,0

2,4

4,8

100,0

Iran

66,7

25,0

0,0

0,0

8,3

100,0

Ivory Coast

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Jordan

68,8

31,3

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

133

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Kenya

68,5

24,5

1,5

2,5

3,0

100,0

Kosovo

100,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Macedonia

40,0

40,0

0,0

20,0

0,0

100,0

Mali

100,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Moldova

100,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Mongolia

68,8

25,0

0,0

0,0

6,3

100,0

Mozambique

28,6

57,1

0,0

14,3

0,0

100,0

Namibia

50,0

50,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

Nepal

56,1

35,5

3,9

1,3

3,2

100,0

Nicaragua

0,0

0,0

0,0

100,0

0,0

100,0

Nigeria

83,8

13,5

0,0

0,5

2,2

100,0

Pakistan

71,1

24,4

2,2

2,2

0,0

100,0

Peru

35,3

50,0

2,9

2,9

8,8

100,0

Philippines

76,9

19,5

0,0

1,8

1,8

100,0

Rwanda

44,8

44,8

3,4

3,4

3,4

100,0

Senegal

88,9

0,0

0,0

0,0

11,1

100,0

South Africa

66,7

20,0

3,3

10,0

0,0

100,0

Sri Lanka

72,1

23,5

0,0

0,0

4,4

100,0

Sudan

55,6

33,3

7,4

3,7

0,0

100,0

Surinam

62,5

25,0

12,5

0,0

0,0

100,0

Tanzania

63,2

31,4

1,3

2,2

1,8

100,0

Thailand

63,6

24,2

9,1

0,0

3,0

100,0

Uganda

39,8

46,0

6,2

6,2

1,8

100,0

Vietnam

63,5

23,0

8,1

1,4

4,1

100,0

Yemen

50,0

41,7

0,0

0,0

8,3

100,0

Zambia

52,3

39,8

0,0

1,1

6,8

100,0

Zimbabwe

69,4

25,9

0,0

3,5

1,2

100,0

Other

43,6

43,6

3,6

5,5

3,6

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Total

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Q2. Are you male or female

Course

134

Male

53,1

56,2

56,9

63,6

58,4

54,6

Female

46,9

43,8

43,1

36,4

41,6

45,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q3. Age?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course
<30

6,2

7,8

3,1

0,0

9,0

6,6

31-40

46,4

59,7

49,2

47,3

29,2

50,0

41-50

34,8

27,3

38,5

30,9

43,8

32,8

>50

12,5

5,2

9,2

21,8

18,0

10,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Q4. What was the highest level of formal education you had completed when you started
with your NFP education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Primary education

,0

,0

,0

,0

1,1

,0

Secondary education

1,2

,4

,0

,0

7,9

1,1

Post secondary (non-tertiary)

4,6

,6

1,5

3,6

4,5

3,3

Bachelor or equivalent

38,0

69,2

26,2

36,4

29,2

46,9

Master or equivalent

47,2

29,3

69,2

54,5

47,2

42,4

Doctoral or equivalent

8,5

,4

3,1

5,5

7,9

5,8

Do not know

,5

,1

,0

,0

2,2

,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Q5. What is the highest level of formal education that your parents completed: Mother
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Primary education

37,0

34,4

40,0

32,7

36,0

36,2

Secondary education

19,4

18,4

16,9

16,4

18,0

18,9

Post secondary (non-tertiary)

14,9

15,5

20,0

21,8

16,9

15,4

Bachelor or equivalent

14,4

15,3

10,8

16,4

11,2

14,5

Master or equivalent

3,1

4,3

7,7

,0

2,2

3,5

Doctoral or equivalent

1,1

1,2

1,5

,0

,0

1,1

Do not know

10,2

10,9

3,1

12,7

15,7

10,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Course

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

135

Q6. What is the highest level of formal education that your parents completed: Father
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Primary education

23,1

24,0

20,0

20,0

25,8

23,3

Secondary education

20,1

17,6

24,6

20,0

22,5

19,6

Post secondary (non-tertiary)

18,5

14,7

10,8

25,5

13,5

17,1

Bachelor or equivalent

21,4

24,0

30,8

20,0

18,0

22,3

Master or equivalent

7,6

9,5

3,1

5,5

7,9

8,0

Doctoral or equivalent

2,8

3,9

7,7

,0

,0

3,1

Do not know

6,5

6,3

3,1

9,1

12,4

6,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Total

Course

Q7. What employment status do your parents have? Mother
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Full-time employed

15,0

17,2

15,4

10,9

11,2

15,5

Part-time employed

1,3

2,4

3,1

3,6

4,5

1,9

Studying

,1

,0

,0

,0

,0

,1

Volunteer/unemployed

14,7

13,3

16,9

12,7

11,2

14,1

Self-employed

26,8

26,5

26,2

32,7

24,7

26,7

Other

23,4

23,7

16,9

23,6

29,2

23,5

Do not know / not applicable

18,7

16,9

21,5

16,4

19,1

18,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Tailor-

Refresher

Total

made

Course

Course

Q8. What employment status do your parents have? Father
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Course

136

Full-time employed

27,9

27,5

24,6

25,5

22,5

27,4

Part-time employed

2,6

2,2

3,1

5,5

,0

2,5

Studying

,1

,0

1,5

,0

1,1

,1

Volunteer/unemployed

4,2

4,4

6,2

7,3

3,4

4,3

Self-employed

25,3

22,7

26,2

20,0

32,6

24,7

Other

19,8

22,6

23,1

23,6

25,8

21,0

Do not know /not applicable

20,1

20,6

15,4

18,2

14,6

19,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q9. In what sector does your mother work?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

1,4

3,2

3,4

7,7

5,6

2,3

25,8

26,4

24,1

11,5

16,7

25,4

University or research institute

4,4

4,0

6,9

,0

2,8

4,2

Business / Private company

34,2

33,0

31,0

38,5

30,6

33,7

Do not know / Not applicable

8,9

10,8

6,9

,0

8,3

9,2

Other, please specify

25,3

22,7

27,6

42,3

36,1

25,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

720

379

29

26

36

1190

Total

Course
NGO (non-governmental
organisation)
Government or government
funded organisation

Number of respondents

Q10. In what sector does your father work?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Course
NGO (non-governmental

2,1

4,6

2,9

,0

4,1

2,9

32,8

32,7

34,3

28,6

30,6

32,7

University or research institute

4,7

4,9

5,7

3,6

2,0

4,7

Business / Private company

35,2

32,7

37,1

28,6

26,5

34,1

Do not know / Not applicable

5,0

5,8

,0

3,6

4,1

5,1

Other, please specify

20,1

19,3

20,0

35,7

32,7

20,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

932

431

35

28

49

1475

organisation)
Government or government
funded organisation

Number of respondents

Q11. How many years of work experience did you have when you started your NFP
education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

< 5 years

15,2

33,8

20,0

7,3

16,9

20,9

5-9 years

35,1

37,6

40,0

47,3

27,0

35,9

10-14 years

21,1

17,4

27,7

14,5

24,7

20,1

15-19 years

15,4

8,0

4,6

10,9

18,0

12,9

>19 years

13,2

3,2

7,7

20,0

13,5

10,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Course

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

137

Q11. How many years of work experience did you have when you started your NFP
education or training?
Mean
Years

9,87

Q12. How many years did you work for the employer who filled in the employer statement of
NFP when you started your NFP education?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
< 5 years

38,5

54,9

43,1

36,4

33,7

43,4

5-9 years

31,9

28,1

38,5

43,6

27,0

31,0

10-14 years

14,1

10,6

15,4

5,5

14,6

12,9

15-19 years

8,1

4,6

,0

10,9

15,7

7,2

>19 years

7,4

1,8

3,1

3,6

9,0

5,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Q12. How many years did you work for the employer who filled in the employer statement of
NFP when you started your NFP education?
Mean
Years

7,12

Q13. What type of NFP education or training did you participate in? (multiple response)
Total
Short Course

70,6

Master course

32,5

PhD Course

2,6

Tailor-made Course

3,1

Refresher Course

20,3

Number of respondents

2700

Q14. Please indicate for what type of NFP education or training you will fill in this
questionnaire.
Total

138

Short Course

61,8

Master Course

30,4

PhD Course

2,4

Tailor-made Course

2,0

Refresher Course

3,3

Total

100,0

Number of respondents

2700

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q15. In which year did you start your NFP education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

2000

1,6

5,0

3,1

3,6

4,5

2,8

2001

1,0

1,3

,0

3,6

,0

1,1

2002

,7

1,9

,0

1,8

3,4

1,2

2003

1,9

7,2

4,6

1,8

3,4

3,6

2004

4,0

7,4

3,1

1,8

6,7

5,1

2005

6,7

8,5

10,8

14,5

6,7

7,5

2006

8,1

12,2

18,5

14,5

9,0

9,8

2007

11,2

15,3

13,8

23,6

15,7

12,9

2008

12,8

16,1

12,3

10,9

12,4

13,7

2009

24,0

19,5

13,8

18,2

24,7

22,3

2010

26,2

4,1

15,4

1,8

10,1

18,2

2011

1,8

1,5

4,6

3,6

3,4

1,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Course

Q16. In which year did (or will) you complete your NFP education or training? If you did not
complete your NFP education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

2000

1,2

1,8

1,5

1,8

3,4

1,5

2001

1,0

2,3

,0

5,5

,0

1,4

2002

,7

1,2

,0

1,8

2,2

,9

2003

1,8

1,8

1,5

,0

,0

1,7

2004

3,5

5,0

3,1

1,8

5,6

4,0

2005

6,5

7,1

6,2

14,5

9,0

6,9

2006

7,8

7,7

6,2

10,9

9,0

7,8

2007

10,2

10,9

4,6

20,0

10,1

10,5

2008

12,5

14,1

3,1

10,9

15,7

12,8

2009

24,0

16,5

16,9

16,4

16,9

21,2

2010

26,5

23,8

16,9

9,1

18,0

24,8

2011

2,6

4,3

4,6

3,6

5,6

3,3

2012

,3

1,3

10,8

,0

1,1

,9

2013

,1

,2

3,1

,0

,0

,2

2014

,0

,0

6,2

,0

1,1

,2

2015

,1

,0

6,2

,0

,0

,2

Did not complete

1,3

1,8

9,2

3,6

2,2

1,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Course

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

139

Q17. Did you complete your NFP education or training with a certificate or degree?
Total
PhD degree

,5

Masters degree

29,1

Certificate

66,9

I did not receive a certificate or degree

2,1

Still busy with my NFP course

1,4

Total

100,0

Number of respondents

2700

Q18. In what discipline was your NFP education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course
Agricultural Sciences

24,3

12,0

24,6

21,8

25,8

20,6

Architecture

,4

,4

1,5

3,6

,0

,5

Arts

,1

,5

,0

,0

1,1

,2

Business Administration

10,2

12,0

7,7

7,3

7,9

10,6

Communication

5,9

1,0

1,5

,0

3,4

4,1

Education

5,4

1,8

6,2

5,5

2,2

4,2

Engineering Sciences

5,3

13,7

9,2

5,5

3,4

7,9

Geography

1,9

3,4

1,5

1,8

3,4

2,4

Humanities

1,4

1,1

3,1

,0

1,1

1,3

Languages

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

Law

,9

3,4

,0

1,8

1,1

1,7

Mathematical and Computer

1,2

,5

1,5

,0

,0

,9

Medical Sciences

1,9

4,7

3,1

3,6

1,1

2,8

Natural Sciences

8,2

11,6

6,2

9,1

7,9

9,2

Other

20,9

16,1

15,4

29,1

28,1

19,7

Social Sciences

11,3

17,3

16,9

7,3

10,1

13,1

Transport and

,4

,2

,0

,0

,0

,3

,6

,2

1,5

3,6

3,4

,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Sciences

Communications
Don’t know

140

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q19. What was the name of your host educational institution in the Netherlands? We only
present the top 5 educational institutions.
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course

WU

18,9

11,7

24,6

3,6

13,5

16,3

MSM

20,9

7,8

9,2

16,4

11,2

16,2

ITC

6,3

15,8

6,2

9,1

15,7

9,6

UNESCO-IHE

6,7

14,1

13,8

5,5

4,5

9,0

ISS

2,2

11,1

9,2

1,8

3,4

5,1

Other

45,2

39,5

36,9

63,6

51,7

43,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Q20. What were the main reasons for you to apply for an NFP-fellowship?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course

to improve specific competences
Not applicable

,7

,9

,0

,0

2,2

,7

Slightly applicable

2,0

3,5

1,5

1,8

5,6

2,6

Applicable

19,8

20,8

21,5

20,0

25,8

20,4

Highly applicable

77,2

74,8

76,9

78,2

65,2

76,1

,3

,0

,0

,0

1,1

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Do not know

to improve my general knowledge
Not applicable

2,8

2,1

4,6

1,8

1,1

2,5

Slightly applicable

7,1

7,4

4,6

5,5

6,7

7,1

Applicable

30,6

28,2

36,9

30,9

30,3

30,0

Highly applicable

59,3

62,0

53,8

61,8

61,8

60,1

,2

,2

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Do not know

to get a (higher) degree in education
Not applicable

49,5

3,4

6,2

54,5

40,4

34,2

Slightly applicable

16,1

4,6

6,2

3,6

19,1

12,2

Applicable

18,5

18,1

26,2

25,5

21,3

18,8

Highly applicable

15,1

73,5

61,5

14,5

16,9

34,0

,8

,4

,0

1,8

2,2

,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Do not know

to enhance my personal development
Not applicable

1,6

,5

,0

,0

1,1

1,1

Slightly applicable

4,9

2,2

3,1

3,6

3,4

4,0

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

141

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Applicable

23,9

17,5

33,8

21,8

20,2

22,0

Highly applicable

69,4

79,6

63,1

74,5

75,3

72,6

,2

,2

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Do not know

to help improve the quality of the services of the organisation
Not applicable

1,3

1,2

1,5

,0

1,1

1,3

Slightly applicable

3,4

5,2

13,8

3,6

2,2

4,1

Applicable

21,7

27,1

21,5

18,2

28,1

23,5

Highly applicable

73,2

65,3

63,1

78,2

67,4

70,5

,4

1,1

,0

,0

1,1

,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Not applicable

47,0

33,2

46,2

60,0

27,0

42,4

Slightly applicable

25,2

29,8

23,1

16,4

32,6

26,6

Applicable

16,8

22,7

21,5

10,9

23,6

18,9

Highly applicable

9,8

13,0

9,2

12,7

15,7

11,0

Do not know

1,1

1,2

,0

,0

1,1

1,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Do not know

to be able to go abroad

to enhance my career opportunities
Not applicable

5,5

,7

1,5

3,6

1,1

3,8

Slightly applicable

8,7

2,7

6,2

9,1

7,9

6,8

Applicable

27,4

19,2

26,2

27,3

18,0

24,6

Highly applicable

57,9

76,5

66,2

60,0

73,0

64,3

,4

,9

,0

,0

,0

,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Not applicable

56,8

16,7

23,1

60,0

41,6

43,3

Slightly applicable

21,9

24,8

38,5

14,5

25,8

23,1

Applicable

14,6

33,7

23,1

16,4

20,2

20,9

Highly applicable

6,2

23,5

13,8

7,3

11,2

11,8

Do not know

,5

1,3

1,5

1,8

1,1

,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Do not know

to get a higher salary

my manager/employer requested it from me

142

Not applicable

66,3

64,7

49,2

56,4

58,4

64,9

Slightly applicable

14,4

16,4

15,4

20,0

13,5

15,1

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Applicable

12,6

11,3

20,0

14,5

19,1

12,6

Highly applicable

5,5

6,0

12,3

9,1

7,9

6,0

Do not know

1,3

1,6

3,1

,0

1,1

1,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

it suited the HRM strategy of the organisation
Not applicable

28,9

29,3

18,5

27,3

19,1

28,4

Slightly applicable

17,7

21,4

13,8

7,3

20,2

18,6

Applicable

27,4

27,3

29,2

29,1

37,1

27,8

Highly applicable

23,0

19,8

38,5

36,4

19,1

22,6

Do not know

2,9

2,2

,0

,0

4,5

2,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

not admitted to other fellowship programmes
Not applicable

83,0

77,4

67,7

80,0

67,4

80,3

Slightly applicable

5,3

10,6

6,2

10,9

15,7

7,4

Applicable

4,9

5,8

12,3

5,5

3,4

5,3

Highly applicable

3,2

3,5

12,3

,0

5,6

3,5

Do not know

3,6

2,7

1,5

3,6

7,9

3,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1669

822

65

55

89

2700

Not applicable

57,5

63,4

26,3

59,1

43,3

57,9

Slightly applicable

1,7

,9

,0

,0

3,3

1,5

Applicable

6,6

5,7

21,1

,0

6,7

6,5

Highly applicable

20,6

15,9

10,5

22,7

26,7

19,3

Do not know

13,6

14,1

42,1

18,2

20,0

14,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

515

227

19

22

30

813

Other, please specify

Number of respondents

Q21. How do you judge the following elements of the NFP education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course

Quality of the teachers/trainers
Poor

,1

,2

3,1

,0

,0

,2

Average

,9

2,6

1,5

,0

1,1

1,4

Good

20,5

32,1

24,6

14,8

20,2

24,0

Very good

78,5

64,8

70,8

85,2

78,7

74,3

Do not know

,1

,2

,0

,0

,0

,1

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Total

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

143

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Match with my knowledge level prior to the NFP course
Poor

,9

1,5

1,5

,0

,0

1,0

Average

5,5

7,2

9,2

1,9

3,4

6,0

Good

40,0

43,6

38,5

44,4

49,4

41,4

Very good

52,7

46,1

49,2

53,7

44,9

50,4

Do not know

1,0

1,6

1,5

,0

2,2

1,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Poor

,0

,9

1,5

,0

,0

,3

Average

2,9

5,3

4,6

1,9

3,4

3,7

Good

27,7

33,7

33,8

22,2

29,2

29,6

Very good

69,2

59,9

60,0

75,9

67,4

66,2

Do not know

,2

,2

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Poor

,0

,5

1,5

,0

1,1

,2

Average

2,3

4,4

7,7

1,9

,0

3,0

Good

28,6

38,3

29,2

18,5

33,7

31,5

Very good

68,9

56,6

61,5

77,8

65,2

65,0

Do not know

,1

,2

,0

1,9

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Poor

,2

1,8

,0

,0

,0

,7

Average

3,7

6,6

4,6

5,6

3,4

4,7

Good

25,8

33,3

32,3

18,5

22,5

28,0

Very good

70,1

57,9

63,1

74,1

74,2

66,4

Do not know

,1

,4

,0

1,9

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Match with my training needs

Teaching methods used

Teacher - student relations

Preparation into Dutch culture and society
Poor

4,7

7,5

9,2

9,3

4,5

5,7

Average

19,2

25,6

27,7

20,4

22,5

21,5

Good

40,6

36,3

35,4

33,3

33,7

38,8

Very good

31,9

29,1

26,2

27,8

30,3

30,8

Do not know

3,7

1,5

1,5

9,3

9,0

3,2

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Total

144

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Quality of guidance by Dutch teaching staff
Poor

,9

2,6

3,1

1,9

,0

1,5

Average

5,6

11,7

12,3

,0

7,9

7,6

Good

35,3

38,9

32,3

31,5

37,1

36,3

Very good

56,1

44,9

50,8

61,1

51,7

52,6

Do not know

2,1

2,0

1,5

5,6

3,4

2,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Quality of student facilities (ICT, library, buildings)
Poor

,5

,2

1,5

1,9

2,2

,5

Average

3,0

3,3

6,2

9,3

3,4

3,3

Good

26,4

22,3

18,5

16,7

31,5

25,0

Very good

69,1

73,5

73,8

64,8

61,8

70,2

Do not know

1,0

,6

,0

7,4

1,1

1,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Quality of the course material used
Poor

,1

,5

1,5

,0

1,1

,3

Average

2,0

4,2

3,1

,0

1,1

2,6

Good

28,7

31,4

30,8

25,9

32,6

29,6

Very good

69,0

63,6

64,6

72,2

65,2

67,2

Do not know

,1

,4

,0

1,9

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Possibilities to get into contact with Dutch organisations
Poor

8,6

16,6

13,8

14,8

7,9

11,2

Average

22,8

31,3

29,2

20,4

21,3

25,4

Good

36,5

30,4

35,4

42,6

39,3

34,9

Very good

28,2

18,7

18,5

18,5

27,0

24,8

Do not know

3,9

3,1

3,1

3,7

4,5

3,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1662

815

65

54

89

2685

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

145

Q22. Which of the following competencies did you develop in the NFP course?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course

I developed in-depth subject knowledge in my field of expertise
Not applicable

,4

1,0

1,5

3,7

1,1

,7

Slightly applicable

5,5

3,6

3,1

1,9

3,4

4,7

Applicable

36,4

34,0

27,7

37,0

36,4

35,5

Highly applicable

57,6

61,3

67,7

57,4

59,1

59,0

,0

,1

,0

,0

,0

,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I developed a critical/analytical attitude
Not applicable

1,3

,7

1,5

1,9

2,3

1,2

Slightly applicable

7,7

3,0

1,5

3,7

4,5

5,9

Applicable

42,8

31,9

33,8

44,4

52,3

39,6

Highly applicable

48,0

64,3

63,1

50,0

40,9

53,1

,2

,1

,0

,0

,0

,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I developed my computer skills
Not applicable

29,9

7,5

12,3

42,6

20,5

22,6

Slightly applicable

24,3

21,8

27,7

29,6

17,0

23,5

Applicable

28,7

37,1

36,9

16,7

35,2

31,4

Highly applicable

16,8

33,3

23,1

11,1

26,1

22,1

,4

,4

,0

,0

1,1

,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I learned how to coach, teach and train others
Not applicable

7,5

6,7

6,2

7,4

10,2

7,3

Slightly applicable

19,7

16,7

10,8

20,4

14,8

18,4

Applicable

38,6

44,2

50,8

42,6

35,2

40,5

Highly applicable

34,0

32,3

32,3

27,8

38,6

33,4

,3

,1

,0

1,9

1,1

,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I learned to work in close collaboration with others
Not applicable

2,0

1,8

1,5

1,9

1,1

1,9

Slightly applicable

7,6

6,5

9,2

11,1

10,2

7,5

Applicable

38,0

34,5

43,1

37,0

36,4

37,0

Highly applicable

52,3

57,0

46,2

50,0

52,3

53,5

,1

,1

,0

,0

,0

,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

146

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course

I learned about new teaching methods
Not applicable

6,2

3,3

4,6

1,9

5,7

5,2

Slightly applicable

13,3

12,7

13,8

11,1

9,1

12,9

Applicable

36,7

39,3

32,3

33,3

26,1

37,0

Highly applicable

43,5

44,5

49,2

53,7

59,1

44,7

,2

,2

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I learned about new research methodologies
Not applicable

11,2

2,3

4,6

13,0

2,3

8,1

Slightly applicable

19,4

6,2

4,6

14,8

22,7

15,0

Applicable

36,1

31,0

24,6

48,1

35,2

34,5

Highly applicable

32,9

60,2

66,2

24,1

39,8

42,0

,5

,2

,0

,0

,0

,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I learned to value other cultures
Not applicable

2,4

1,4

3,1

5,6

3,4

2,2

Slightly applicable

10,0

5,3

7,7

20,4

8,0

8,7

Applicable

38,4

31,0

43,1

31,5

36,4

36,1

Highly applicable

48,9

61,9

46,2

42,6

51,1

52,8

,2

,4

,0

,0

1,1

,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I learned to plan and coordinate activities
Not applicable

2,3

2,0

1,5

,0

2,3

2,1

Slightly applicable

9,6

7,8

12,3

11,1

17,0

9,4

Applicable

38,3

37,6

36,9

44,4

31,8

38,0

Highly applicable

49,6

52,5

49,2

44,4

48,9

50,4

,1

,2

,0

,0

,0

,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Do not know

I learned how to develop commercial activities
Not applicable

27,4

20,6

26,2

24,1

14,8

24,8

Slightly applicable

25,8

31,8

32,3

24,1

29,5

27,9

Applicable

29,2

30,0

21,5

31,5

29,5

29,4

Highly applicable

16,4

16,5

18,5

20,4

23,9

16,8

Do not know

1,2

1,1

1,5

,0

2,3

1,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1652

812

65

54

88

2671

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

147

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course

Other competencies I developed, such as
Not applicable

30,7

31,0

11,5

5,6

20,5

29,3

Slightly applicable

3,9

6,1

3,8

5,6

,0

4,4

Applicable

14,5

14,6

26,9

16,7

35,9

15,8

Highly applicable

39,0

33,0

42,3

50,0

28,2

37,1

Do not know

12,0

15,3

15,4

22,2

15,4

13,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

567

261

26

18

39

911

Tailor-

Refresher

Total

made

Course

Number of respondents

Q23. What is your current employment status?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Course
Full-time employed

89,7

84,1

78,5

90,7

89,7

87,8

Part-time employed

3,6

3,5

4,6

1,9

3,4

3,5

Still studying

3,3

5,2

10,8

3,7

,0

3,9

Volunteer/unemployed

,5

2,7

3,1

,0

,0

1,2

Self-employed

2,3

3,1

1,5

1,9

6,9

2,7

Not applicable

,6

1,5

1,5

1,9

,0

,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1647

810

65

54

87

2663

Q24. Are you currently working for the same organisation you worked for when you started
your NFP education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Yes

76,9

55,1

69,2

70,4

78,2

70,0

No

22,5

42,6

27,7

25,9

21,8

28,8

,7

2,3

3,1

3,7

,0

1,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1647

810

65

54

87

2663

Not applicable

Q25. Why did you not return to the organisation you worked for when you started your NFP
education of training? (Multiple response)
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

20,6

26,9

20,0

38,5

22,2

23,8

2,7

10,3

13,3

,0

,0

6,2

42,2

39,4

40,0

46,2

38,9

40,9

Course
There was a lack of career
opportunities for me in the
organisation
My position was taken over by
someone else
I received a job offer from
another organisation

148

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
The salary was too low

17,4

21,6

40,0

23,1

22,2

20,0

Due to organisational

8,3

15,3

20,0

,0

16,7

11,8

15,9

7,8

,0

7,7

5,6

11,5

25,7

31,9

,0

38,5

27,8

28,2

38,1

25,3

40,0

30,8

44,4

32,3

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

339

320

15

13

18

705

Total

changes there was no place
for me any more
I decided to do another study
after I completed the NFP
education or training
I decided that I wanted to
work in another field or
expertise
Other, please specify
Not applicable
Number of respondents

Q26. For what type of organisation do you work?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

16,1

15,6

9,1

19,6

11,5

15,7

46,5

45,1

34,5

35,3

40,2

45,4

University or research institute

22,4

20,8

43,6

31,4

27,6

22,8

Business / Private company

9,7

11,7

10,9

11,8

9,2

10,3

Other, please specify

5,3

6,8

1,8

2,0

11,5

5,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1574

732

55

51

87

2499

Tailor-

Refresher

Total

made

Course

Course
NGO (non-governmental
organisation)
Government or government
funded organisation

Q27. Are you currently working in your native country?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Course
Yes

93,0

85,1

84,6

92,6

94,3

90,4

No

7,0

14,9

15,4

7,4

5,7

9,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1644

808

65

54

87

2658

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

149

Q28. If you are not working in your native country, what was the main reason for you to
move?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Did not find a suitable position

4,3

8,4

10,0

,0

,0

6,3

Continuing further studies

58,3

38,7

20,0

50,0

20,0

46,6

Representing public/private

,9

,8

,0

,0

,0

,8

5,2

16,8

10,0

25,0

40,0

11,9

2,6

,0

,0

,0

,0

1,2

Not applicable

7,0

10,1

30,0

,0

20,0

9,5

Other, please specify

21,7

25,2

30,0

25,0

20,0

23,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

115

119

10

4

5

253

organisation from your native
co
Working for an international
organisation
Working for a regional
organisation

Number of respondents

Q29. How do you assess the impact of your NFP education or training on your everyday
work?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Very positive

68,3

72,1

73,8

74,1

60,9

69,5

Positive

29,7

24,8

23,1

25,9

35,6

28,1

Neutral (positive nor negative)

1,8

2,7

1,5

,0

2,3

2,1

Negative

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

Very negative

,1

,0

1,5

,0

1,1

,1

Do not know

,1

,4

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1642

807

65

54

87

2655

Course

Q30. In what way did your NFP education or training impact your everyday work?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course

I was promoted to a higher job position
Not applicable

48,5

25,1

26,6

51,9

35,6

40,5

Slightly applicable

16,4

12,5

18,8

18,5

20,7

15,5

Applicable

20,0

26,8

26,6

14,8

31,0

22,5

Highly applicable

14,5

34,5

28,1

14,8

12,6

20,9

,5

1,0

,0

,0

,0

,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

I have been given more responsibilities

150

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Not applicable

14,9

8,9

10,9

18,5

12,6

13,0

Slightly applicable

15,8

9,7

15,6

14,8

11,5

13,8

Applicable

34,2

31,3

32,8

29,6

42,5

33,5

Highly applicable

34,9

49,3

40,6

37,0

33,3

39,4

,2

,7

,0

,0

,0

,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

The NFP course increased my working motivation
Not applicable

1,5

2,4

4,7

,0

,0

1,8

Slightly applicable

5,0

5,8

7,8

7,4

4,6

5,4

Applicable

34,4

32,7

26,6

37,0

33,3

33,7

Highly applicable

58,9

58,8

60,9

55,6

62,1

59,0

,1

,4

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

The quality of my work increased
Not applicable

1,1

2,0

1,6

1,9

2,3

1,4

Slightly applicable

4,1

3,5

1,6

3,7

6,9

4,0

Applicable

33,9

26,1

34,4

31,5

31,0

31,4

Highly applicable

60,8

67,8

60,9

63,0

59,8

63,0

,1

,6

1,6

,0

,0

,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

My long term career perspectives increased
Not applicable

4,4

2,9

1,6

3,7

5,7

3,9

Slightly applicable

9,2

3,6

7,8

13,0

12,6

7,7

Applicable

35,1

27,2

32,8

37,0

29,9

32,5

Highly applicable

50,8

65,7

56,3

46,3

51,7

55,4

,5

,6

1,6

,0

,0

,6

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

My employer/boss appreciates me more
Not applicable

10,2

10,9

10,9

14,8

6,9

10,4

Slightly applicable

14,0

9,4

15,6

14,8

13,8

12,7

Applicable

38,2

34,9

32,8

29,6

40,2

37,0

Highly applicable

36,5

42,7

40,6

40,7

37,9

38,6

Do not know

1,1

2,0

,0

,0

1,1

1,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

My professional status among colleagues increased

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

151

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Not applicable

5,1

3,1

3,1

11,1

4,6

4,5

Slightly applicable

9,7

5,6

4,7

14,8

11,5

8,5

Applicable

36,6

30,7

32,8

25,9

36,8

34,5

Highly applicable

48,0

59,5

59,4

46,3

44,8

51,6

,6

1,1

,0

1,9

2,3

,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

I have become more of an advisor for my colleagues
Not applicable

6,3

4,6

4,7

9,3

8,0

5,8

Slightly applicable

14,8

13,5

14,1

16,7

13,8

14,4

Applicable

38,4

34,4

37,5

25,9

36,8

36,9

Highly applicable

40,0

46,6

43,8

48,1

39,1

42,2

,5

,9

,0

,0

2,3

,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Not applicable

1,2

1,7

1,6

,0

,0

1,3

Slightly applicable

3,2

2,7

1,6

5,6

3,4

3,1

Applicable

27,8

20,9

20,3

29,6

24,1

25,5

Highly applicable

67,8

74,2

76,6

64,8

72,4

70,0

,1

,5

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

My self confidence increased

Do not know

I have become more competent in handling complex problems
Not applicable

2,2

,7

1,6

,0

2,3

1,7

Slightly applicable

6,3

3,4

9,4

7,4

9,2

5,6

Applicable

37,1

28,3

28,1

35,2

34,5

34,1

Highly applicable

54,0

66,6

59,4

57,4

51,7

57,9

,4

1,0

1,6

,0

2,3

,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1641

805

64

54

87

2651

Do not know

Q31. Did your experience one or more of the following drawbacks because of your
participation in the NFP programme(s)?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course

I have become too highly educated for the job

152

Not applicable

62,7

58,7

57,8

77,8

59,8

61,6

Slightly applicable

15,1

13,4

10,9

5,6

9,2

14,1

Applicable

13,7

16,7

12,5

13,0

17,2

14,7

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Highly applicable

7,0

9,1

10,9

1,9

12,6

7,8

Do not know

1,5

2,1

7,8

1,9

1,1

1,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1638

804

64

54

87

2647

The work pressure for my colleagues increased during my absence for the NFP programme
Not applicable

52,4

44,7

42,2

55,6

44,8

49,6

Slightly applicable

28,1

28,0

28,1

31,5

28,7

28,2

Applicable

13,8

15,4

12,5

9,3

13,8

14,2

Highly applicable

3,7

7,2

9,4

3,7

8,0

5,0

Do not know

2,0

4,7

7,8

,0

4,6

3,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1638

804

64

54

87

2647

Not applicable

56,4

54,5

26,7

57,1

50,0

54,8

Slightly applicable

2,3

2,6

,0

,0

,0

2,1

Applicable

6,8

3,2

13,3

,0

7,1

5,9

Highly applicable

13,1

12,8

6,7

,0

17,9

12,8

Do not know

21,4

26,9

53,3

42,9

25,0

24,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

351

156

15

14

28

564

Other, please specify

Number of respondents

Q32 Do the impacts in general meet the expectations you had before starting the NFP
education or training?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Expectations were fully met

41,9

38,3

39,1

46,3

39,1

40,7

Expectations were largely met

48,2

46,6

45,3

46,3

50,6

47,7

Expectations were partially

8,9

12,3

9,4

7,4

9,2

9,9

,2

1,7

3,1

,0

,0

,8

,8

1,0

3,1

,0

1,1

,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1638

804

64

54

87

2647

Course

met
Expectations were largely
(not) met
Do not know

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

153

Q33. Can you please specify which expectations were not fully met?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

30,6

39,3

37,8

48,3

38,5

34,1

9,9

13,5

18,9

6,9

15,4

11,4

12,4

12,5

16,2

3,4

21,2

12,6

23,7

22,7

32,4

13,8

21,2

23,3

23,5

24,8

27,0

24,1

30,8

24,2

to get a higher salary

30,8

30,1

29,7

20,7

26,9

30,2

Other, please specify

16,3

15,6

18,9

6,9

17,3

16,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

938

488

37

29

52

1544

Course
to improve specific
competences
to improve my general
knowledge
to enhance my personal
development
to help improve the quality of
the services of the
organisation
to enhance my career
opportunities

Number of respondents

Q34. Compared with your salary right before you participated in the NFP education or
training, did your salary after completion of the NFP education or training change?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
My salary decreased

1,0

2,2

1,6

,0

2,3

1,4

My salary did not really

57,7

24,8

37,5

60,4

55,2

47,2

6,4

6,7

3,1

7,5

6,9

6,4

12,3

14,8

15,6

9,4

12,6

13,1

10,2

15,6

12,5

7,5

12,6

11,9

9,8

30,1

14,1

13,2

9,2

16,2

2,6

5,7

15,6

1,9

1,1

3,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1635

803

64

53

87

2642

change
My salary increased by less
than 5
My salary increased by
between 5 and 10
My salary increased by
between 10 and 25
My salary increased by more
than 25
I do not know

Q37. What kinds of impacts do you think your NFP education or training has had
on the organisation you work(ed) for? Due to my NFP education or training.
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course

...the quality of services of the organisation improved

154

Not applicable

7,5

13,1

15,6

5,8

8,1

9,4

Slightly applicable

17,4

15,5

17,2

13,5

17,4

16,7

Applicable

46,3

39,4

39,1

48,1

46,5

44,0

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Highly applicable

27,4

28,1

26,6

30,8

25,6

27,6

Do not know

1,4

4,0

1,6

1,9

2,3

2,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...new ideas on the management of the organisation were introduced
Not applicable

10,6

14,6

14,1

3,8

11,6

11,8

Slightly applicable

18,4

16,2

20,3

21,2

11,6

17,6

Applicable

40,5

37,7

40,6

46,2

45,3

39,9

Highly applicable

29,2

27,5

23,4

26,9

30,2

28,6

Do not know

1,2

3,9

1,6

1,9

1,2

2,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...new technical skills were brought into the organisation that were not there before
Not applicable

7,2

11,6

10,9

1,9

4,7

8,4

Slightly applicable

17,0

13,2

15,6

17,3

24,4

16,1

Applicable

41,6

37,5

35,9

36,5

40,7

40,1

Highly applicable

33,3

34,2

34,4

42,3

29,1

33,6

,9

3,5

3,1

1,9

1,2

1,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

Do not know

...new ideas for commercial activities for the organisation were introduced
Not applicable

32,8

32,2

29,7

21,2

26,7

32,1

Slightly applicable

25,8

27,2

23,4

23,1

16,3

25,8

Applicable

27,5

26,0

26,6

36,5

34,9

27,4

Highly applicable

12,1

10,2

15,6

15,4

20,9

12,0

Do not know

1,9

4,4

4,7

3,8

1,2

2,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...I contributed to solving complex problems in the organisation
Not applicable

8,7

10,3

7,8

1,9

8,1

9,0

Slightly applicable

19,5

14,6

12,5

19,2

20,9

17,9

Applicable

40,6

40,4

53,1

48,1

40,7

41,0

Highly applicable

30,1

31,1

23,4

28,8

27,9

30,1

Do not know

1,1

3,6

3,1

1,9

2,3

2,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...I introduced new technics and methodologies
Not applicable

5,1

10,8

6,3

1,9

9,3

6,9

Slightly applicable

15,8

11,6

14,1

21,2

14,0

14,5

Applicable

44,5

41,5

48,4

38,5

47,7

43,7

Highly applicable

34,0

33,1

29,7

36,5

29,1

33,5

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

155

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Do not know

,7

3,0

1,6

1,9

,0

1,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...I contributed to a new strategy for the organisation
Not applicable

10,2

14,8

10,9

5,8

10,5

11,5

Slightly applicable

21,4

18,4

20,3

28,8

20,9

20,6

Applicable

40,5

36,6

42,2

34,6

33,7

39,0

Highly applicable

27,1

26,7

23,4

28,8

33,7

27,1

,9

3,5

3,1

1,9

1,2

1,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

Do not know

...the international network with institutions and colleagues abroad improved
Not applicable

13,6

19,5

14,1

17,3

20,9

15,7

Slightly applicable

22,3

20,6

23,4

17,3

12,8

21,4

Applicable

34,3

32,6

28,1

32,7

31,4

33,5

Highly applicable

28,4

24,3

32,8

28,8

34,9

27,4

Do not know

1,4

3,0

1,6

3,8

,0

1,9

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...none, I left the organisation I worked for
Not applicable

87,0

73,8

65,6

94,2

86,0

82,6

Slightly applicable

3,0

4,9

7,8

,0

3,5

3,6

Applicable

3,2

6,7

6,3

1,9

2,3

4,3

Highly applicable

4,0

10,9

10,9

1,9

4,7

6,3

Do not know

2,8

3,6

9,4

1,9

3,5

3,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

93,5

90,2

79,7

96,2

91,9

92,2

Slightly applicable

,6

,6

1,6

,0

1,2

,6

Applicable

1,2

2,6

4,7

,0

2,3

1,8

Highly applicable

1,2

2,4

4,7

,0

1,2

1,6

Do not know

3,4

4,2

9,4

3,8

3,5

3,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1619

795

64

52

86

2616

...none, I am unemployed
Not applicable

156

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q38. What other impacts do you think your NFP education or training had on the
organisation you work(ed) for?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course

I introduced my colleagues to people I met during my NFP course
Not applicable

23,2

22,8

23,4

19,2

22,4

23,0

Slightly applicable

21,3

20,1

20,3

25,0

22,4

21,0

Applicable

32,4

34,3

32,8

26,9

24,7

32,7

Highly applicable

22,8

21,3

23,4

28,8

30,6

22,7

,3

1,5

,0

,0

,0

,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1615

793

64

52

85

2609

Do not know

I became a serious discussion partner for other staff
Not applicable

10,2

11,2

9,4

11,5

15,3

10,7

Slightly applicable

20,1

16,8

31,3

19,2

15,3

19,2

Applicable

42,6

43,3

34,4

44,2

43,5

42,7

Highly applicable

25,9

26,9

25,0

23,1

24,7

26,1

Do not know

1,3

1,9

,0

1,9

1,2

1,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1615

793

64

52

85

2609

I shared important knowledge and skills with my colleagues
Not applicable

,8

4,2

3,1

1,9

1,2

1,9

Slightly applicable

4,8

5,4

1,6

5,8

5,9

4,9

Applicable

37,2

38,1

35,9

40,4

43,5

37,7

Highly applicable

57,1

51,1

57,8

51,9

49,4

54,9

,2

1,3

1,6

,0

,0

,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1615

793

64

52

85

2609

Do not know

I became a leader in the organisation
Not applicable

23,6

19,2

15,6

25,0

21,2

22,0

Slightly applicable

25,9

26,0

39,1

25,0

24,7

26,2

Applicable

32,3

32,2

28,1

25,0

34,1

32,1

Highly applicable

17,5

20,4

15,6

25,0

20,0

18,6

,7

2,3

1,6

,0

,0

1,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1615

793

64

52

85

2609

Do not know

My NFP experience stimulated other staff to apply for NFP or other fellowships
Not applicable

4,1

6,9

6,3

11,5

10,6

5,4

Slightly applicable

10,5

9,6

7,8

15,4

17,6

10,5

Applicable

29,7

30,5

42,2

21,2

32,9

30,2

Highly applicable

54,8

51,2

43,8

48,1

38,8

52,8

,9

1,8

,0

3,8

,0

1,1

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Do not know
Total

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

157

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Number of respondents

1615

793

64

52

85

2609

Not applicable

58,9

61,4

21,1

80,0

66,7

59,4

Slightly applicable

1,6

2,4

10,5

6,7

,0

2,1

Applicable

8,0

5,7

5,3

,0

13,3

7,3

Highly applicable

15,3

12,9

21,1

,0

3,3

13,9

Do not know

16,2

17,6

42,1

13,3

16,7

17,3

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

438

210

19

15

30

712

Other, please specify

Number of respondents

Q39. Could there have been more impacts of your NFP education or training for the
organisation?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Yes

71,5

62,5

67,2

65,4

75,3

68,7

No

12,8

14,2

10,9

11,5

9,4

13,1

Do not know

15,7

23,2

21,9

23,1

15,3

18,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1615

793

64

52

85

2609

Total

Course

Q40. When could there have been more impacts for the organisation?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

24,4

27,4

26,2

8,8

44,4

25,7

10,6

13,6

28,6

5,9

11,1

11,8

26,7

26,7

40,5

14,7

28,6

26,9

64,8

64,6

50,0

64,7

77,8

64,9

61,6

60,5

52,4

64,7

50,8

60,7

13,0

12,6

11,9

5,9

9,5

12,6

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1142

486

42

34

63

1767

Course
If the education or training
had been better tuned to the
needs of the organisation
If the quality of the education
or training would have been
better
If I had shared more of the
knowledge and skills gained
with my colleagues
If more refresher courses
were organised
If more of my colleagues were
given the opportunity to attend
the NFP programmes
Other, please specify
Do not know

158

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q41. To what extent do you still maintain contact with people or organisations you
met or contacted during your NFP course?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course

With trainers/teachers/professors/supervisors
Not at all

15,8

10,1

9,4

23,1

14,1

14,0

To a limited extent

40,5

40,3

23,4

36,5

45,9

40,1

To a considerable extent

29,7

33,4

32,8

26,9

20,0

30,6

To a large extent

13,4

15,1

32,8

11,5

18,8

14,5

Not applicable

,6

1,1

1,6

1,9

1,2

,8

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

Not at all

3,3

1,5

3,1

9,6

3,5

2,9

To a limited extent

19,9

17,3

31,3

28,8

30,6

19,9

To a considerable extent

39,4

43,2

37,5

44,2

36,5

40,5

To a large extent

37,1

37,3

26,6

17,3

29,4

36,3

Not applicable

,4

,6

1,6

,0

,0

,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

Not at all

46,4

35,4

32,8

46,2

41,2

42,5

To a limited extent

24,6

31,6

34,4

19,2

18,8

26,7

To a considerable extent

12,7

20,5

21,9

15,4

21,2

15,6

To a large extent

4,8

6,6

4,7

5,8

7,1

5,5

Not applicable

11,5

5,8

6,3

13,5

11,8

9,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

With fellow NFP students

With other Dutch students

With other foreign students, other than NFP students
Not at all

27,2

15,6

7,8

40,4

29,4

23,5

To a limited extent

26,5

28,9

35,9

21,2

25,9

27,3

To a considerable extent

25,1

32,7

34,4

19,2

25,9

27,6

To a large extent

14,1

20,0

18,8

9,6

12,9

15,9

Not applicable

7,1

2,9

3,1

9,6

5,9

5,7

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

With other local people I met in the Netherlands
Not at all

37,2

22,0

21,9

36,5

32,9

32,1

To a limited extent

25,2

30,4

29,7

21,2

29,4

26,9

To a considerable extent

19,3

26,8

28,1

23,1

18,8

21,9

To a large extent

10,4

17,3

14,1

9,6

9,4

12,6

Not applicable

7,9

3,4

6,3

9,6

9,4

6,6

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Total

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

159

Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

With businesses I contacted during my NFP course
Not at all

61,6

56,2

51,6

57,7

60,0

59,6

To a limited extent

14,8

20,9

17,2

19,2

15,3

16,8

To a considerable extent

7,2

6,8

10,9

5,8

7,1

7,1

To a large extent

2,1

2,3

6,3

3,8

7,1

2,5

Not applicable

14,3

13,8

14,1

13,5

10,6

14,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

With government organisations I contacted during my NFP course
Not at all

50,5

51,0

43,8

40,4

42,4

50,0

To a limited extent

22,5

24,4

21,9

28,8

23,5

23,2

To a considerable extent

11,8

10,0

9,4

13,5

14,1

11,3

To a large extent

4,0

3,8

10,9

3,8

9,4

4,3

Not applicable

11,2

10,8

14,1

13,5

10,6

11,1

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

With other organisations I contacted during my NFP course

160

Not at all

46,9

43,0

34,4

34,6

48,2

45,2

To a limited extent

25,6

29,1

26,6

26,9

20,0

26,6

To a considerable extent

14,0

13,7

23,4

23,1

14,1

14,3

To a large extent

4,0

4,7

7,8

3,8

9,4

4,5

Not applicable

9,4

9,5

7,8

11,5

8,2

9,4

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1611

790

64

52

85

2602

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q42. What is the main content of these contacts? (Multiple response)
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Tailor-

Refresher

made

Course

Total

Course
Only socially / human interest

62,5

68,2

49,2

56,3

54,8

63,5

Sharing technical advice

62,5

57,8

52,5

58,3

64,3

60,8

Asking advice

40,8

46,4

45,9

41,7

40,5

42,6

Entrepreneurial opportunities

17,8

17,6

14,8

18,8

25,0

17,9

Work content related

44,3

42,8

34,4

50,0

46,4

43,8

Future cooperation with the

37,5

35,1

47,5

45,8

42,9

37,3

Other, please specify

4,7

5,3

4,9

2,1

2,4

4,8

Not applicable

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

1577

773

61

48

84

2543

organisation you work for

Number of respondents

Q43. Did you participate in a refresher course?
Total
Yes

19,4

No

79,3

Do not know

1,3

Total

100,0

Number of respondents

2601

Q44. What do you consider to be the main value of refresher course (Multiple response)
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

83,9

80,7

72,2

95,0

71,2

81,4

59,1

57,3

55,6

60,0

59,3

58,5

29,9

28,7

27,8

30,0

49,2

31,7

68,1

71,3

66,7

60,0

61,0

67,9

13,8

18,7

16,7

15,0

16,9

15,8

10,2

8,7

5,6

15,0

3,4

9,0

Other, please specify

,8

4,0

,0

,0

1,7

1,8

None of the above

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

254

150

18

20

59

501

Course
upgrade of knowledge and
skills acquired in my earlier
NFP course
discussing practical problems
I encounter in my daily work
asking advice on practical
problems I encounter in my
daily work
catching up with the newest
technics and methodologies
strengthen business and
academic contacts in the
Netherlands
strengthen social contacts in
the Netherlands

Number of respondents

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

161

Q45. All in all, how satisfied are you with the NFP course you followed?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Highly satisfied

68,1

64,0

60,9

65,4

57,6

66,3

Satisfied

29,0

31,6

28,1

34,6

36,5

30,1

Moderate satisfied

2,5

3,5

9,4

,0

4,7

3,0

Not at all satisfied

,1

,8

1,6

,0

1,2

,3

Do not know

,2

,1

,0

,0

,0

,2

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1608

789

64

52

85

2598

Course

Q46. To what extent is your employer satisfied with the NFP course you followed?
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-

Refresher

Course

Course

Course

made

Course

Total

Course
Highly satisfied

45,3

42,1

45,3

38,5

34,1

43,8

Satisfied

43,8

39,7

35,9

44,2

47,1

42,5

Moderate satisfied

4,6

4,2

7,8

1,9

12,9

4,8

Not at all satisfied

,2

,8

3,1

,0

,0

,5

Do not know

6,0

13,3

7,8

15,4

5,9

8,5

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1608

789

64

52

85

2598

Tailor-

Refresher

Total

made

Course

Q47. Would you advise colleagues of you to follow an NFP course?
Short

Master

PhD

Course

Course

Course

Course

162

Yes, certainly

96,5

92,8

85,9

100,0

92,9

95,1

Yes, probably

3,4

6,6

12,5

,0

7,1

4,6

No, probably not

,1

,4

,0

,0

,0

,2

No, definitely not

,0

,3

1,6

,0

,0

,1

Not applicable

,1

,0

,0

,0

,0

,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Number of respondents

1608

789

64

52

85

2598

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Annex 5 Results of the NFP employers
questionnaire
Q1. Do you know whether staff of your organisation participated in the Netherlands
Fellowship Programme (NFP)? (N=220)
% respondents
Yes, I am well informed about this

81,4

Yes, I have heard about it, but do not know the details

12,7

No, I am not informed about this

5,9

Total

100,0

Q2. To what extent was a manager in the organisation involved in the decision making of
staff to subscribe or enrol into the NFP programme? (N=201)
% respondents
(In general) Closely involved in the decision making

75,1

(In general) Only formally/indirectly involved

17,4

(In general) Informed after the decision was taken

6,0

(In general) Not informed at all

1,0

Do not know

,5

Total

100,0

Q3. In which NFP education and training did staff of your organisation participate? (multiple
options possible) (N=258)
% of Cases
Individual fellowships for master's degree programmes

35,2

Individual fellowships for PhD studies

4,0

Individual fellowships for short courses

73,9

Tailor made training course (group training)

7,5

Refresher courses (group training)

7,5

Do not (exactly) know

1,5

Q4. In the period 2002-2010: How many staff participated in the following NFP education or
training?
Short

Master

PhD

courses

course

course

Tailor-

Refresher course

made
training

1

67,2

51,6

80,0

28,6

58,3

2

12,5

18,8

,0

7,1

16,7

3

8,6

12,5

,0

,0

,0

4

2,3

4,7

,0

28,6

,0

>4

9,4

12,5

20,0

35,7

25,0

Total

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

100,0

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

163

Q4. In the period 2002-2010: How many staff participated in the following NFP education or
training? (Means)
Short

Master

PhD

Tailor-made

Refresher

courses

course

course

training

course

2,12

2,52

1,80

12,93

2,67

Staff

Q5. When was the last time staff of your organisation participated in an NFP education or
training? (N=192)
% respondents
2002

,5

2003

,5

2004

1,0

2005

2,1

2006

4,2

2007

3,6

2008

7,8

2009

21,9

2010

30,7

2011

19,3

2012

4,2

Do not know

2,6

Other, please specify

1,6

Total

100,0

Q6. What strategies does your organisation normally apply to respond to shortages in
skilled manpower in the organisation? (N=184)
Not

Slightly

Applicab

Highly

Do not

applicabl

applicabl

le

applicabl

know

e

e

58,7

22,3

11,4

1,1

6,5

100,0

7,1

13,6

51,1

23,9

4,3

100,0

Outsourcing of work

26,6

33,7

28,3

7,6

3,8

100,0

Facilitating off-the-job education

4,9

16,3

50,0

28,3

,5

100,0

In-company training of staff

3,3

9,8

44,0

42,4

,5

100,0

Recruitment of qualified staff from

9,8

18,5

47,3

23,9

,5

100,0

Cancelling requests for (more)

Total

e

work
More efficient organisation of
work

or training

outside the organisation

164

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q7. To what extent do the following statements apply to your organisation? (N=181)

Due to the salary levels in our

Not

Slightly

Applicab

Highly

Do not

applicabl

applicabl

le

applicabl

know

Total

e

e

21,0

27,1

28,7

19,9

e
3,3

100,0

4,4

9,9

45,9

38,7

1,1

100,0

28,7

41,4

24,9

3,3

1,7

100,0

1,1

8,3

34,8

54,7

1,1

100,0

,0

2,8

22,7

73,5

1,1

100,0

organisation, we have difficulties
attracting and retaining skilled
staff
Decisions about further education
of staff are based on education
and training needs of the
organisation
Our organisation has its own
budget for education and training
of staff
Our organisation actively
encourages staff to enrol into
international fellowship
programmes
Our organisation actively
encourages staff to obtain further
education or training

Q8. What were the main reasons for your organisation to allow staff to participate in NFP
education or training? (N=181)

To enhance innovation in the

Not

Slightly

Applicable

Highly

Do not

Total

applicable

applicable

applicable

know

,6

2,8

28,9

66,1

1,7

100,0

4,4

17,7

32,0

44,8

1,1

100,0

,0

2,2

21,0

75,7

1,1

100,0

5,5

6,6

38,7

47,5

1,7

100,0

8,3

14,4

42,5

33,1

1,7

100,0

17,7

18,8

29,8

31,5

2,2

100,0

,0

1,1

18,2

79,6

1,1

100,0

organisation
To (further) develop an
international network with
institutions and colleagues
abroad
To improve the quality of
services of the organisation
To reduce shortages of
relevant expertise in the
organisation
To retain staff for the
organisation
To reduce manpower
shortages in a specific position
To improve the quality of staff

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

165

Q9. How do you rate the impacts of the NFP education and training on the organisation?
(N=179)

Willingness among other staff to

No

Low

Moderate

High

Do not

Total

impact

impact

impact

impact

know

2,2

2,8

29,1

63,7

2,2

100,0

2,2

3,9

30,7

59,8

3,4

100,0

4,5

8,9

34,6

48,0

3,9

100,0

5,6

18,4

31,8

41,9

2,2

100,0

5,0

6,7

30,7

54,7

2,8

100,0

2,2

3,4

25,1

65,9

3,4

100,0

8,9

13,4

35,8

38,0

3,9

100,0

1,7

3,4

24,6

67,0

3,4

100,0

8,9

15,6

39,7

31,3

4,5

100,0

1,1

1,1

20,1

73,7

3,9

100,0

enrol into similar education or
training
Enhanced working motivation
among participating staff
Introduction of new technologies
in the organisation
Improved international network
with institutions and colleagues
abroad
Improved management of the
organisation
Improved quality of services of
the organisation
Retained staff for the
organisation
Improved relevant expertise in
the organisation
Reduced manpower shortages in
specific position(s)
Improved quality of staff

Q11. Did your organisation experience one or more of the following drawbacks because of
staff participating in the NFP programme(s)? (N=174)

Staff having become over-

Not

Slightly

Applicable

Highly

Do not

Total

applicable

applicable

applicable

know

73,6

10,9

7,5

3,4

4,6

100,0

74,1

16,1

3,4

2,3

4,0

100,0

28,2

43,1

22,4

3,4

2,9

100,0

45,4

37,9

9,8

4,6

2,3

100,0

educated for their work
Reduced work motivation
among NFP alumni
Increased work pressure for
other colleagues
Serious capacity problems in
the organisation due to
absence of NFP participant(s)

Q12. Could the NFP education or training of your staff have had more impacts on the
organisation if certain elements had been differently organised? (N=174)
% respondents

166

Yes

37,9

No

18,4

Do not know

43,7

Total

100,0

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q13.In what way could the NFP education and training of your staff have had more impact
on the organisation? (N=238) (Multiple response)
% respondents
If the education or training had been better tuned to the needs of the organisation

50,0

If the organisation had been more involved in the selection of candidates

22,7

If the education or training had been more embedded in our training policy

34,8

If the NFP participant(s) would have communicated better on the content of the

34,8

course/programme
If the quality of the courses/programmes would have been better

25,8

If more staff of the organisation could attend the NFP programme

84,8

If more refresher courses were organised

51,5

If the transfer of NFP knowledge to other staff in the organisation had been better

43,9

organised
Other, please specify

12,1

Q14.To what extent does your organisation have contacts with the NFP education or training
institute(s) or other organisations in the Netherlands? (N=174)
Regularl

Occasio-

Rarely

Never

Do not

Total

y

nally

13,2

23,0

31,0

23,6

9,2

100,0

12,1

19,5

32,2

27,0

9,2

100,0

with private companies

5,2

16,7

25,3

40,8

12,1

100,0

with public bodies (ministries,

9,2

16,1

21,8

43,7

9,2

100,0

21,3

35,1

21,8

14,9

6,9

100,0

with another university or

know

research institute in the
Netherlands
with non-governmental
organisations in the Netherlands

municipalities)
with the NFP education or
training institute

Q.15 All in all, how useful was the content of this NFP education or training for your
organisation? (N=174)
% respondents
Very useful

68,4

Useful

24,7

Slightly useful

2,9

Not useful at all

,6

Do not know

3,4

Total

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

100,0

167

Q16. How do you rate the staff turnover among staff that participated in NFP education or
training compared to the average staff turnover in your organisation? (N=174)
% respondents
Above average staff turnover

29,3

Average staff turnover

36,2

Below average staff turnover

21,8

Do not know

12,6

Total

100,0

Q17. Did staff that participated in NFP education or training also participate in a so-called
refresher course? (N=173)
% respondents
Yes

17,9

No

69,4

Do not know

12,7

Total

100,0

Q18. Was this refresher course useful for your organisation? (N=31)
% respondents
Very useful

74,2

Useful

19,4

Slightly useful

6,5

Total

100,0

Q19. What do you consider to be the main value of the NFP refresher course? (N=31)

Strengthen social contacts in

Not

Slightly

applicable

applicable

6,5

19,4

3,2

Applicable

Highly

Do not

applicable

know

Total

54,8

16,1

3,2

100,0

22,6

58,1

12,9

3,2

100,0

,0

9,7

35,5

54,8

,0

100,0

,0

3,2

45,2

51,6

,0

100,0

,0

,0

38,7

58,1

3,2

100,0

the Netherlands
Strengthen business and
academic contacts in the
Netherlands
Catching up with the newest
technologies and
methodologies
Opportunity for discussing
practical problems
Upgrade of knowledge and
skills acquired in the earlier
NFP course

168

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Q20. To what extent does your organisation still experience shortages of skilled manpower?
(N=173)

There is still a shortage of staff

Not

Slightly

Applicable

Highly

Do not

Total

applicable

applicable

applicable

know

9,2

24,3

41,0

22,0

3,5

100,0

4,6

24,3

33,5

34,7

2,9

100,0

4,0

15,6

39,9

38,7

1,7

100,0

in specific position(s)
There is still a lack of specific
expertise in the organisation
Further improvement of staff
quality is required in all
respects

Q21. In the future, do you still intend to support staff of your organisation to participate in
NFP education or training? (N=173)
% respondents
Yes, certainly

93,1

Yes, probably

4,6

No, probably not

1,2

Do not know

1,2

Total

100,0

Q24. In which country is your organisation located? (N=172)
% respondents
Armenia

4,1

Bangladesh

2,3

Bhutan

,6

Bolivia

1,2

Burkina Faso

,6

Burundi

,6

Cambodia

,6

Colombia

,6

Costa Rica

1,2

Democratic Republic of the Congo

,6

Ecuador

1,2

Ethiopia

4,7

Georgia

4,1

Ghana

5,8

Guatemala

,6

Honduras

1,2

India

5,8

Indonesia

2,9

Kenya

3,5

Mali

1,2

Moldova

1,7

Namibia

,6

Nepal

7,6

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

169

% respondents
Nigeria

11,6

Pakistan

2,3

Peru

1,2

Philippines

4,1

Rwanda

2,3

South Africa

1,2

Sudan

2,3

Tanzania

9,3

Thailand

,6

Uganda

3,5

Vietnam

1,7

Yemen

,6

Zambia

4,7

Zimbabwe

1,2

Other, please specify

,6

Total

100,0

Q25. What position do you have in the organisation? (N=172)
% respondents
Minister/State secretary

1,2

Director/CEO

37,8

Manager/Head of unit

29,1

Senior staff member

14,5

Professor

,6

Teacher/trainer

1,7

Owner of the company

1,2

Other, please specify

13,4

Not applicable
Total

,6
100,0

Q26. In which sector(s) is your organisation active? (multiple options possible) (N=381)
% of Cases

170

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

34,3

Mining and quarrying

2,3

Manufacturing

1,2

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

2,3

Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

18,6

Construction

6,4

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

1,2

Transportation and storage

1,7

Accommodation and food service activities (hotels, restaurants, etc.)

1,7

Information and communication

8,7

Financial institutions

2,9

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

% of Cases
Consultancy, research and other specialised business services

19,8

Public administration, public services

12,8

Education

24,4

Human health and social work activities

14,0

Culture, sports and recreation

3,5

Other service activities

2,9

Extraterritorial organisations and bodies (e.g. IMF, WorldBank, WTO, OPEC)

,6

Non-governmental organisation

37,2

Other, please specify

23,8

Do not know

1,2

Q27. What type of organisation is your organisation? (N=172)
% respondents
NGO (non-governmental organisation)

39,0

Government or government funded organisation

30,2

University or research institute

9,3

Business/Private company

17,4

Other, please specify

2,9

Do not know

1,2

Total

100,0

Q28. How many employees does your organisation have? (N=171)
% respondents
<20

33,9

20-40

17,0

40-100

18,1

100-500

14,0

>500

17,0

Total

100,0

Q28. How many employees does your organisation have? (N=171)
Mean
How many employees does your organisation have?

398,99

Q29. Did you ever participate in an NFP education or training yourself? (N=171)
% respondents
Yes

31,0

No

67,8

Do not know

1,2

Total

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

100,0

171

Q30. In which type of NFP education and training did you participate? (multiple options
possible) (N=63)
% respondents
Master course

25,9

PhD course

3,7

Short course

74,1

Tailor-made training

5,6

Refresher course

7,4

Q31. In which year did you finish your (last) NFP education or training? (N=53)
% respondents
1991

1,9

1993

1,9

1997

3,8

1998

3,8

1999

1,9

2002

1,9

2003

3,8

2004

1,9

2005

3,8

2007

5,7

2008

3,8

2009

17,0

2010

35,8

2011

9,4

Other, please specify

3,8

Total

172

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

100,0

Country reports

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

173

Country report Bangladesh
Introduction
Below findings are presented in relation to the Dutch Fellowship Programme as this has been
implemented in Bangladesh over the years 2002 - 2010. A total of 46 fellowships have been
awarded over that period. Within the context of the study interviews have been conducted in nine
organisations where both employers as well alumni have been seen. The interviews have taken
place from December 12th until December 21st and have been conducted by Clemens Romijn en
Golam Rabani, a local consultant operating from Dhaka, Bangladesh. A full overview of the
organisations visited and persons interviewed is given in Appendix A.
Presented will be:


the country context in general as well as in relation to higher education and other fellowship
programmes;



An evaluation of the programme using the criteria of Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency as
well as the lesson learned based on the information given by the employers and alumni
interviewed.

Data collection to arrive at this country report has been successful with the exception of the planned
visit to the Dutch embassy. The responsible task manager, who replaced a manager on maternity
leave, proved hardly to be informed about the programme. An overview of the 9 employers and
other organisation visited is given in table 1 below. In Appendix A further details are given regarding
the alumni and employers interviewed.
Table 1 Organisations visited

National and



Rural Development and Cooperatives;

International employers



Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET);



ITN, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department;



Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Ministry of Water Resources;



Institute of Water Modelling (IWM);



Department of Agriculture Extension/Ministry of Agriculture;



University of Dhaka;



Khulna University;



UDDIPAN;



Health Forum.

Donors and other



Dutch Embassy;

stakeholder



Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Ministry of Local
Government;



World Bank;



AusAid;



EC Delegation.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

175

Context
Introduction75
Bangladesh is one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world. It emerged as
an independent nation through a short war of liberation in 1971. Bangladesh is a mono-linguistic
country, where nearly 98 per cent of the population speaks Bangla. At liberation in December 1971
the literacy rate was only 16.8 per cent, and has been quite slow to grow, taking 20 years to rise to
only 24.8 per cent in 1991. However, focused initiatives taken during the decade of 1990s and early
2000, following the World Declaration on Education for All, have resulted in remarkable progress in
basic education, both in formal primary education (PE) and non- formal. Literacy rates are now
close to 50% for both men and women. This achievement shows that the policy for equal access for
both boys and girls to basic education has paid off. Despite this Bangladesh still faces extensive
poverty in large parts of its population. Poverty, illiteracy and an ever growing population with a
slowly growing economy has created the situation. National development planning has identified
and accorded highest priority to education and literacy as a major intervention strategy, both for
human resources development and poverty reduction in order to raise the quality of life of the
Bangladeshi people.
General information on higher education76
There are 82 universities in Bangladesh. Out of these, 31 universities are in the public sector, while
the other 51 are in the private sector. Out of 31 public sector universities, 19 universities provide
regular classroom instruction facilities and services. In addition to this are the Bangladesh Open
University (BOU) and the Bangladesh National University. The Bangladesh Open University (BOU)
conducts non-campus distance education programmes especially in the field of teacher education
and offers Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) and Master of Education (M.Ed) degrees. BOU conducts
18 formal courses and 19 non-formal courses. The Bangladesh National University mainly functions
as an affiliating university for degree and post-graduate degree level education at different colleges
and institutions in different field of studies.
There is only one medical university namely, "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University", that
offers courses in the disciplines of medical education.
Bangladesh also offers madrasah education at tertiary level. The minimum requirement for
admission to higher level of madrasah education is the alim (equivalent to HSC) certificates.
The government manages only three madrasahs. The others are managed by either individuals or
by private bodies. There is a limited number madrasah for girl students.
Current situation of the Higher Education system and major developments77
The National Education Policy (NEP) was developed in 2010 with clear emphasize on higher
education in the country. The new education policy recognizes that the traditional higher education
system is not enough to fulfil the current needs of Bangladesh. Therefore, re-structuring of the
whole academic system was very much essential. Was there is a large amount of autonomy for
institutes, the policy is now such that higher education institutions and the higher study centres
must be run according to a set of clearly defined rules for them to deliver quality education

75

76
77

176

Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Education for All: National
Plan of Action II 2003 – 2015.
The education system in Bangladesh: Source: http://www.banbeis.gov.bd/es_bd.htm (updated to 2010).
Ministry of Education of Bangladesh. The National Education Policy (NEP), 2010.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

especially in the areas of science, technology and business studies. A government monitoring
system will be set up to monitor proper utilization of the allocated funds.
Strategic Developments for Higher Education in Bangladesh (some of the major strategiesextracted of NEP 2010) are concerned with raising the quality of higher education, its duration and
relevance to the Bangladeshi economy. In addition resources to enable more basic research to take
place have been made available. A variety of measures have been taken to achieve these goals:


All necessary steps and care will be taken to improve the standard of higher education;



4-year Honours course will be introduced in the colleges gradually instead of the existing 3-year
degree courses;



4-year Honours degree will be considered as the terminal degree and acceptable/required
qualification for jobs in all sectors with the exception of teaching positions at higher education
institutions;



Masters, M.Phil or Ph.D will be considered as specialized education. Only those interested in
research and teaching positions at tertiary level can seek admission for post-graduate degrees.
To ensure pursuance of research, graduate programs will be introduced in all departments of all
universities;



Colleges now offering Masters Degrees under National University will continue to do so,
however the libraries, laboratories and infrastructural facilities of these colleges have to be
improved. Teachers of these colleges must have the opportunities of wide-ranging teachers’
training. The colleges that will introduce 4-year Honours degree courses will need to realise
similar improvements;



Teachers and students together have to take part in research work. At the universities, special
emphasis will be given on original research. Sufficient and attractive funds will be made
available to the brilliant students to carry on innovative research;



Curricula and syllabi of higher education will be updated to meet international standards. In
order to expand tertiary level education, it is essential to translate standard books of modern
knowledge and science into Bangla;



The scope of higher education will include subjects like defence studies, comparative theology,
peace and conflict, climate change etc.;



At the tertiary level, teachers will be persuaded to carry on their research in their own
institutions. To strengthen research activities, measures will be taken to initiate institution-based
consultancy;



Compliance with these guidelines is to be assessed through monitoring and evaluation studies.

Monitoring and evaluation are seen as the major tools in quality assurance of higher education. The
private universities in particular are to be monitored to ensure the standard of education,
curriculum, syllabus and recruitment of teachers of high academic qualifications. These efforts have
just recently gone underway.
Criteria for admission and enrolment
As is the case elsewhere in the world after successful completion of secondary education, students
are allowed to take up higher study according to their merit, interests and aptitudes. All public and
private academic institutions, which can ensure quality education, (such as colleges and
universities) are entitles to will provide higher education. There is a minimum qualification for
admittance that is strictly adhered to. According to the statistical report (2009) of the Ministry of
Education of the government of Bangladesh, the total enrolment for higher education in public and

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

177

private universities was about 0.4 million in 2008, of which women were less than 25 per cent.
Please see the details in the following table78.
Table 2 Enrolment for higher education in the universities in 2008
Type of University

No of University

Enrolment

Enrolment per university

Total

Girls

%

Public University

31

160.447

40.066

24.97149

5175.70968

Private University

51

226.986

53.572

23.60146

4450.70588

Total

82

387.433

93.638

24.16882

4724.79268

Significant developments in the labour market
Skills development is always a critical issue for Bangladesh. To achieve desirable growth,
enhancement of skills through education and training in each and every sector is still a challenge.
According to some reports, agriculture is still the largest sector of employment providing jobs to
22.8 million compared with 6.9 million in industry and 17.7 million in the service sector in 2006
(ADB, 2006)79. Also with the labour force growing faster than employment potential, the number of
unemployed persons increased over time reaching 2.1 million in 2006. Although the official
unemployment rate is low at 4.2% in 2006, it does not provide a real picture of the supply–demand
balance including the degree of inefficiency that prevails in the labour market. Bangladesh has a
large informal labour market and there are hardly any reliable statistical data covering this.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment of the government of Bangladesh established 26
“Technical Training Centres” in 26 out of 64 Districts in last three years. In addition, six training
centres were established to develop skills of the women. The main objective of these centres was
the development of skills of the people/students for work. It is to be noted that these training centres
are meant to build the capacity of low educated or uneducated people. The centres are also open
to educated people who need additional training.
Availability of higher skilled manpower80
Although a vast majority of the Bangladesh labour force is unskilled, Bangladesh has skilled,
semiskilled and professional manpower available. These pertain to the technical area, IT, medicine
and engineering (especially water management in this) as the main areas of relevance in
Bangladesh.
Technical Manpower
There are 77 Polytechnic Institutes in the country with annual intake capacity of 9062 students.
Besides Polytechnics, there are a number of agricultural and allied industrial, textile and leather
technology institutes and commercial institutes and other specialised mono-technic institutes
offering diploma level courses in their respective fields.
IT
In IIT a great variety of academic and training programmes are offered starting from the lowest
trade level to the highest Post Graduate Diploma and Master's Degree in Technical Education
encompassing Certificate and Diploma in Vocational Education, Diploma and BSc in Technical
Education, Higher Diploma and BSc Engineering Degree in Electrical & Electronic and Mechanical
Engineering with various specialisations in different rare technologies, such as Computer Science

78
79
80

178

Ministry of Education of Bangladesh. Statistical report, 2009.
ADB. The Bangladesh labour market, 2006.
Source: Bangladesh Human Resources Development and Placement Centre, 2010.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

and Technology, Power Systems, CAD/CAM, Energy, Production and Instrumentation Engineering,
There are 64 Vocational Training Institutes (VTI's) and 13 Technical Training Centres (TTC's) and
1 Bangladesh Institute of Marine Technology (BIMT) which cater to the training needs for craftsmen
in the basic trades. Diploma in Marine Technology is also offered from BIMT. No data on actual
numbers of personnel having graduated from any of these institutes are available.
Medicine
Bangladesh offers graduate and post-graduate medical education and training. Facilities exist for
turning out 1743 medical graduates and 150 dental surgeons every year. Facilities to train Blood
Bank Technicians, Radio Therapists, X-Ray Technicians, Radiographers, Compounders, Dressers,
Dental Technicians, Health Assistants, Sanitary Inspectors, etc., also exist in the country. There are
also 44 Nursing Training Institutes which offer 4 years' Diploma course (including one year
Midwifery) in nursing.
Engineering
Engineering Institutes (5 University of Engineering & Technology, 1 Engineering College, and
1 Marine Academy) produce about 5,494Graduate Engineers annually. In addition the
77 Polytechnic Institutes in the country produce about 9,062 Diploma level engineers annually.
Bangladesh has a vast reservoir of skilled manpower in electricity/power, petroleum and fertilizer
sectors.
Although the numbers of skilled personnel as ‘produced’ by the education systems as such looks
quite encouraging, from the interviews we have conducted it appears that the skills acquired by
personnel frequently show a mismatch with the skills as required by industry. This shows the need
for further training as well as a lifelong learning approach. We have not been able to secure data on
the extent of these gaps by types and level of expertise in the sectors concerned.
Fellowship programs in the country
There is a myriad of fellowship programmes available throughout the world for the benefit of the
developing world and also Bangladesh attempts to benefit from any of these. Schemes approached
concern mobility from and to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Japan and the European
Commission. The major ones will be discussed below i.e. the Erasmus Mundus program of the
European Commission, the US Fulbright program and the Australian Development Scholarships.
Informants indicated that around 200 students per year would enter any one of these programs.
Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility scheme in the field of higher education that aims
to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding
between people and cultures through cooperation with third countries. The overall aims of the
scheme is to:


Enhance the quality of European higher education;



Promote dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures through cooperation with
third countries; and



Promote EU external policy objectives and the sustainable development of Third Countries in
the field of higher education.

The scheme seeks to realise these aims through three distinct actions. These are:
Action 1: The creation of Erasmus Mundus joint masters programmes and joint doctoral
programmes of outstanding academic quality, including a scholarship scheme;
Action 2: The creation of partnerships between EU and Third Country HEI in specific regions as a
basis for structural co-operation and mobility at all levels of higher education;

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

179

Action 3: Action 3 concerns measures enhancing the attractiveness of the EU as an education
destination.
Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) are long term development awards administered by
AusAID. ADS aim to contribute to the long term development needs of Australia's partner countries,
such as Bangladesh in line with bilateral and regional agreements. They provide opportunities for
people from developing countries to undertake full time undergraduate or postgraduate study at
participating Australian universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions.
The study and research opportunities are provided by ADS develop skills and knowledge of
individuals to drive change and contribute to the development outcomes of their country. ADS has
three categories of fellowships: 1) ADS public for public sector employees to be nominated by their
employers, 2) ADS open for anyone who meets the eligibility criteria and 3) ADS target for
applicants from areas which are identified as development priorities or from specific civil society
organisations.
ADS are offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the academic
program specified by the Australian higher education institution, including any preparatory training.
The US program is administered by the Full BRIGHT Institute of International Education (IIE).
The IIE manages undergraduate and graduate level scholarships at accredited academic
institutions throughout the world. IIE aims at implementing prestigious scholarship programs and
manages global scholarships through a network of domestic and international offices.
Advantages noted of the NFP program over these programs are that the conditions for admission
are less strict than for the other programs. A decisive disadvantage is that the NFP program does
not promote joint masters and doctoral programs as the EC Erasmus Mundus does for instance.
The yield of the NFP program would in this way be much larger, it is argued.
Implementation of NFP (2002-2010) in country81
Applications have been done through the Dutch Embassy in Dhaka. Furthermore the numbers and
developments over time (if any) are given in terms of the modalities and disciplines / sectors the
selected fellows have been involved in followed. Lastly an estimate is given of the budget that was
spent on the programme in Bangladesh.
Results
Throughout the period under study agriculture (and food security within this area) is the dominant
theme for the master and short courses, followed by water management and general
developmental studies. Water management is especially relevant since Bangladesh is located in
delta area, just as the Netherlands. The Dutch know-how in this is especially appreciated. A full
overview of the results is given in Appendix B.

Relevance
The general objective of the NFP program is, in response to identified training needs, to help
alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the
context of capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction in developing countries. By

81

180

Source: Kerngegevens NFP 2003 – 2010 and NFP 2006-2010, Nuffic April 2011.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

alleviating the shortages, the programme is expected to ‘contribute to qualitatively better functioning
organizations, companies, etc. and thereby aims to give a qualitative impulse to society’82.

Are there indeed shortages of personnel and most notably shortages of qualified personnel? Is the
NFP program thus relevant for Bangladesh?
As is indicated above, shortages in a quantitative sense and a qualitative sense can be identified
for Bangladesh. The quantitative gap concerns the question of whether there is a surplus or a
shortage of workers in a given profession or the labour-market. The qualitative dimension concerns
the question of whether the qualifications learners achieve indeed fit the requirements of what is
needed in a given job.
The Government of Bangladesh, through its responsible ministries and associated departments,
has increased the target in annual development plans also in relation to the number of people being
educated in the Higher Education system of the country. The projects and activities that are
relevant for the development of the country require more and more specific skills, technical
capacity, and updated knowledge to implement projects successfully. Despite these efforts, there
still is significant gap of having sufficient qualified and skilled professionals in almost all
organizations. The problem in this is not as much the quantity of personnel available on the labour
market but the quality. Qualifications acquired through the education system in general do not
match the qualifications required in the field. This situation is quite acute as Bangladesh is exposed
to serious environmental and climate change threats.
That the quality of skilled manpower is the problem rather than the quantity is corroborated by all
interviewees consulted. All individual alumni interviewed refer to the necessity to build capacity in
a qualitative sense in companies, government and government bodies and universities throughout
the country. The Dutch academic system is viewed as open and consistent with international
standards and especially suited to deliver this. Employers interviewed basically concur with this.
As one of the employers indicates: “Most scientists (in our institute) have not received adequate
training”. We need capacity building as we ourselves are to train scientists in agricultural programs.
Seen in this way the NFP program is relevant, but only in alleviating shortages in the quality of
skilled manpower, in helping to better align the qualifications of the work force to what is required in
the labour market.

Effectiveness
Individual level (alumni)
The alumni and employers of alumni interviewed in Bangladesh recognize overall identical effects
for the individual participants of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme, the majority of which are
overwhelmingly positive.
Value of the Fellowship
All alumni interviewed identified the NFP fellowship to be an important aspect of their education. In
particular the students, who obtained a Master or PhD in the Netherlands, highlighted that the
financial support was essential to their studies. It gave them sufficient economic independence to
pursue their studies.

82

TOR, page 4.

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181

Value of education and individual gains
In terms of the value of the education and training funded through NFP, all modalities were highly
appreciated by the respondents. Particularly the practical aspect of the courses and quality of
teachers were mentioned. The alumni indicated that their expectations were largely or fully met.
The alumni identified many direct and indirect benefits of their experience. All alumni have
experienced gains in technical skills directly related to the execution of their profession. Most
experience improvements in the quality of their work as a result of this. Alumni furthermore have
experienced improvements in social skills (mainly communication skills) and personal skills (mainly
motivation). Alumni employed by government and private institutions typically indicate that they
have learned to better deal with technical and planning issues and the planning process in general
of the institutions they work for. Also having learned to share technology and skills with colleagues
is seen as a major improvement in their functioning. For most alumni career perspectives and
salaries had not increased except for one person.
An example of how alumni have benefited can be found in the following box on the Bangladeshi
Institute of Technology and the government engineering department in a very relevant area for
Bangladesh: water management.
Bangladeshi Institute of Technology and government engineering department
Water management is one of the major areas of relevance for Bangladesh. Alumni of the BUET, the
Bangladeshi Institute of Technology, involved in the study of water and land management report they have
effected major innovations in this area as a result of the NFP programme. One such innovation concerns
remote sensing software. Remote sensing is meant for mapping surfaces (land and water). In the course it
was learned how satellite data can be processed for land and water management. By studying a crop area,
for instance, an estimate can be made of how many crop a given land is producing or can produce which
helps in improving food security for the country. Mapping water surfaces helps in disaster management
when areas are flooded due to heavy rainfall, a situation that occurs regularly in Bangladesh. The institute
offers professional courses for professionals in the field, such as those involved in rural and urban planning
and the Bangladesh Water Board.
Another innovation in the water management area realized concerns hydro informatics as this is practiced
by an alumnus working with the Ministry of LGRD, the engineering department of the Bangladesh
government. Hydro informatics concerns simulation software and allows one to calculate probable states of
rivers and marine environments given certain interventions to control these. Using the software, the
alumnus is now in a position to advise the engineering board on effective interventions in this. “I used to
receive orders from my employer, but now I tell them what to do”, as indicated our informant. Other skills
learned concern the ability to build a program, basically by selecting adequate projects and adequately
plan the program.
The department itself, as also indicated the employer interviewed, has gained considerably. “With the
computer technology introduced here we can feed decision making processes on programs to be launched
to better counter flood risks, a major threat to Bangladesh”.

Most NFP alumni of the selected organisations did return. Only one person moved to the USA.
Organisational Level (employers)
All employers interviewed mention (sometimes large) gains in technical –occupation related skills
and the quality of work of the alumni. This is followed by gains in personal skills (such as increased
motivation), social skills (mainly communication skills) and improvements in the functioning of the
organisation / department as a whole. Especially gains in technical skills and the quality of work are

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noted and appreciated by the employers visited. Examples of these gains are noted in the box
below.
Employers: Agricultural organisations and NGOs
The most influential institute in Bangladesh in the agricultural area is the Agricultural Research institute
BARI. The employer interviewed there indicates the institute has gained tremendously from programs as
the NFP, knowledge development most notably on irrigation and effective land use is especially noted. A
further important gain is the improved outlook of the scientists: They can share information on relevant
subjects with everyone throughout the world. The employer notes that BARI is involved with other
programs as well, such as those from the US, AUSAID and the EC so the effect cannot be solely attributed
to the Dutch program.
Training for general capacity building as such in Bangladesh itself is also an important area where NFP
alumni are active, in this case in UN organizations as UDIPPAN and the FORUM for Public Health. The
basic skill here is organizing training and developing modules for this as well as conducting training needs
assessments. In the case of UDIPPAN this concerns micro-financing initiatives and (project) management
in this, the Health Forum all kind of health related issues. The preferred training mode is Training of
Trainers. Many hundreds of individuals and professionals have been reached in this way and trained. The
employers interviewed in these organizations indeed indicate the alumni have a certain influence over what
strategy the UN follows in these areas in Bangladesh. As most effective elements of the NFP program are
viewed the -proposal writing, the facilitation skills and module development skills.

The impact of the NFP programme in Bangladesh appear to be the greatest for the area of water
management, the area of most relevance for Bangladesh. Alumni active in universities educate
professionals active in water management and innovate this area with the newest technologies.
Effective water management will help to prevent) severe’ flooding in the country and thus realize
food security. Impact in the other areas is less likely.
Influencing factors and obstacles
Although the NFP programme (as well as other programs) has a clause where alumni promise to
move back to their home country, this is often not the case. Especially within the department of
Agriculture brain drain has reached a staggering 100 alumni not returning to Bangladesh in recent
years for all capacity building programmes taken together. A simple clause evidently is not enough
for alumni to comply. The impact of programme on capacity building and with that in poverty
alleviation –in the Bangladesh agricultural sector at least – is this significantly diluted. The brain
drain is caused by the higher living standards in the host countries and the possibility to make
promotion. Most alumni having left Bangladesh have moved to the USA, Australia, and Canada.
There is marked difference in the international institutes visited (UDDIPAN, Forum for Public
Health) and the Bangladeshi institutes such as the Water Board and the universities in terms of the
influence alumni have on the strategy if the organization. Alumni in the former appear to have had a
greater influence on the strategy of the organization than those returning to Bangladeshi ones.
Promotion in the latter cases is rare, so alumni here have less chance to influence the strategy of
the organization they work for. Promotions are not forthcoming as seniority, political considerations
and sometimes family ties are the more important factors in getting a promotion.

Efficiency
In relation to the efficiency alumni and employers have been asked to indicate:


Whether the usefulness of NFP education have been higher if things were organised differently;

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

183



Whether staff had been involved in other fellowship programmes or applied for such programs;



And If so for what reasons;



What eventually made one decide to apply for NFP.

It was also asked what differences were noted between NFP and the other fellowship programs and
if any of the alumni might not have finished their NFP course.
Cost-effectiveness of the various modalities of NFP
The perceived cost-effectiveness of the different modalities differs depending on whether junior or
senior personnel are involved. Short and refresher courses are seen as most efficient for senior
personnel, Masters and PhD studies for junior personnel. Senior personnel cannot be easily missed
for long periods of time which makes short courses the most efficient way to move forward for them.
Junior personnel can be missed more easily. Universities are much in favour for the Masters and
PhD modalities, basically for both seniors and juniors.
Quality of education
Alumni proved to be quite satisfied about the program in general. The program enables them to
learn to work in groups and be fully exposed to multi-cultural environments. The teachers are
viewed as competent and there are plenty of (simulation) materials available in class.
A number of suggestions were made, however, to improve the efficiency of the program±:


In those instance were case studies were discussed these in general proved to be Dutch or
European ones. It is better to have case studies situated in Bangladesh;



In some cases the groups following classes were too heterogeneous. Some alumni were far
more ahead than others in understanding of issues as group members differed considerable in
terms of age and education;



Simulation software and updates to this software used in class is very expensive to obtain in
Bangladesh. It would be appreciated if this software could be provided free of charge.

Employers proved to be satisfied with the program as well, the main advantage noted by them is
the enormous variation of training courses on offer and the conditions that go with enlisting
personnel in them. Officers in the academic institutes interviewed argue, however, that the
programme could be much more effective if organized it in Bangladeshi institutions as well.
Participation and therefore the yield of the programme would increase considerably.
Employers of the Water Development Board are very much in favour of them mainstreaming
potential alumni active in water management through the Ministry of Water Resources without
closing down the line for any individual applications to the program. A further recommendation that
was made to improve the efficiency of the program is to make a clear distinction between junior and
senior officials in terms of what modality of the program put on offer. Short training is best suited for
senior officials, long term such as masters and PhDs for junior officials. Refresher courses best for
both groups as was also indicated above.
Employers appear to have reviewed many more programs such as the AUSAID, USAID, DANIDA,
SIDA en EC led programs as ERASMUS MUNDUS and ASIA-LINK. A clear advantage noted of the
NFP program over the other programs is the fact that the competition is more open, the feeling is
that one stands a good chance of being selected. A drawback is the financial package that is on
offer. This is considered too low. There is a clear distinction in terms of the frequency in which other
programs than the NFP program have been considered between employers (and alumni) active in
the water management sector and other sectors such as the agricultural one. In case of water
management only the NFP program was seen as of interest. Other programs were not considered,

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water management thus being a true Dutch trademark. For the other sectors also other programs
were considered.

Lessons and recommendations
The alumni interviewed have given a number of recommendations for the programme. The
following points were brought forward:


It would be good to have more opportunities for refresher courses, additional courses to update
on (new) issues and developments in a given area;



The programmes as offered were sometimes very tight, and could be made a bit more flexible;



Short course could be offered jointly between Dutch Institutes and Universities in Bangladesh
much as is done within the context of the European Erasmus Mundus program. This would
increase the number of students being able to follow courses;



Sometimes training is given for quite heterogeneous groups with differing levels of competence.
Training is best organized for more homogeneous groups;



A good tool for improving the performance of a programme is to monitor it. NUFFIC could
monitor the programme to improve its performance.

The recommendations of employers given differ in line with the sector they operate in:


Government organisations are much in favour of short courses and refresher courses for their
personnel. The government engineering department (LGRD) as well as the Bangladesh Water
Development Board would like to have quota established for their personnel;



Universities / Training Institutes would like to initiate joint collaboration on course training
programme between Dutch Academic institutes and the University, much as is done within the
context of the Erasmus Mundus programme and concentrate in this on new courses e.g. climate
change and disaster management. Also student and staff exchanges should take place as
opposed to the one way transfer of Bangladesh personnel / students to Holland at this point;



All are in favour of continuing the fellowship programme and would welcome more opportunities
for fresher courses for their personnel.

In relation to recommendation of the programme for the country as such many interviewees
indicated it would benefit them if the Embassy would launch a platform of Dutch NFP alumni. This
platform could serve as an advocacy tool for them in putting their newly learned skills to practice.
Many alumni complained that they, although improvements in functioning were clearly recognized,
a promotion was not forthcoming as seniority, political considerations and sometimes family ties are
the more important factors in getting a promotion. A platform as this might prove to be a helpful tool
in changing this practice. The Embassy of Japan basically has started a platform for their alumni to
that effect.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

185

Country Report Ethiopia
Introduction
Ethiopia is one of the largest recipients of NFP, with 1170 alumni between 2002-2010. Alumni have
participated in all forms of the education and training funded. Ethiopia was therefore selected as a
country case study for the evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme. The data
gathering for the case study took place in Ethiopia from 10-1-2012 until 20-1-2012. The evaluation
team composed of Mohammed Mussa, Anja Willemsen and Annemieke Biesma interviewed a total
of 19 alumni and 11 employers and several other stakeholders and donors. The mission took place
in Addis Ababa, Hawassa (in the SNPPR region) and Debre Zeit (in the Oromiya region).
The main limitation of the data gathering in Ethiopia was the difficulty in tracing alumni/ contact
persons within the selected organisations. The limitation was caused by a combination of factors
including:
1. The data provided by Nuffic83 in many cases was not sufficient to contact alumni within their
organisations;
2. Many of the organisations experienced a large turnover, both from the alumni as well as the
management staff within the organisations;
3. In a number of cases the employers did not know which of their staff studied through the NFP
programme.
A second limitation was that the respondents did not always feel free to discuss the difficulties and
constraints in the group discussions or interviews.
Table 1 Selected employers, donors and other stakeholders*



Hawassa University;



Hawassa City Administration;



Ethiopian Geological Survey;



Action Aid Ethiopia;



Menschen fur Menschen Ethiopia;



Cooperatives Promotion agricultural-inputs sector;



Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organisation;



Addis Adaba University;



Oromiya bureau of health;



Health and Nutrition Research institute;



Anti-Corruption and Ethics Commission.

Other stakeholders and



Netherlands Embassy Ethiopia;

donors



Ministry of Education;



Ministry of Civil Service;



Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs;



Chamber of Commerce;



British Council;



Norwegian Embassy/ Norad;

Employers

83

It was difficult to trace the Alumni who benefited from the NFP since the names provided were not complete. Unlike in
other countries, Ethiopians do not have family names.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

187



Austrian Cooperation;



DAAD (Germany).

* A detailed list of the selected institutions and respondents is presented in Annex 1.

Country context
Introduction
With a population estimated to be 80 million, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in SubSaharan Africa after Nigeria. Ethiopia’s economy is on the ascendance with a high growth rate in
recent years and the country is on track to reach most of the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). Since the early 1990s, the Ethiopian government has pursued a broad development
strategy that is consistent with the internationally agreed MDGs. The objectives and targets
contained in the Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Program (SDPRP) of 2002 are
aimed at reducing poverty, expanding school enrolment, improving girls’ education, and reducing
maternal and child mortality and malnutrition. The SDPRP, which provides details of the
government’s strategy for improving the lives of the poor, is organized around four broad themes:
1. Rapid and sustainable economic growth;
2. Enhancing human development;
3. Improving governance through decentralization and democratization;
4. Building the capacity to deliver the above three themes.
The Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP) was developed for
the period of 2005/06-2009/10. The PASDEP recognised the strong link between improving
education and training outcomes, reducing poverty and increasing economic growth. Increasing
both the quantity and quality of human capital was seen as essential for achieving national socioeconomic development goals.
Based on lessons learnt from the PASDEP, the Ethiopia government launched a five year Growth
and Transformation Plan (GTP) with the projected GDP growth of 11-15% per year from 20102015. The GTP contains significant industrial and infrastructural development components. The
components include, among others, the following:


Providing basic infrastructure to develop four industrial cluster zones;



Renewing focus on extractive industries such as gold, oil, gas, potash and gemstones;



Increasing the road, rail, electricity and energy network.

National Policy on Higher Education
With about 30 per cent of its budget spent on education, Ethiopia has grown the enrolment in all
levels of educations tremendously.
The Government of Ethiopia launched the first five year Education Sector Development Program
(ESDP I) in 1997 as part of a twenty-year education sector plan. The programme, which is initiated
and owned by the government of Ethiopia has mobilized national and international efforts to boost
the performance in terms of enrolments at all levels especially in primary education. Since the start
of ESDP I, primary school enrolment has more than doubled from 3.7 million to 8.1 million in
2000/01. This trend continued throughout the duration of ESDP II and ESDP III (2005-2011) with
primary school enrolment reaching 15.8 million (93.4%) in 2009/10. However, it is widely
acknowledged that in general, achievements in access have not been accompanied by sufficient
improvements in quality - in fact in some areas quality has deteriorated at least partly as a result of
rapid expansion. In response to these concerns, ESDP III gives high priority to quality improvement

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

at all levels of the education system. Thus, the MoE has developed a General Education Quality
Improvement Program (GEQIP) which comprises the following six pillars:
1. Teacher Development Program (TDP);
2. Curriculum;
3. Management and Leadership;
4. School Improvement;
5. Civics and Ethical Education; and
6. Information Communications Technology.
The GEQIP is funded by development partners and managed by the World Bank as a trust fund.
The different pillars of the program are implemented at federal, regional and district (woreda) levels.
Under GEQIP, the teacher development programme (TDP) specifically addressed the need for
gender balance via the creation of targets for numbers of female teachers trained in all priority
programmes including the Higher Diploma Programme. As part of the TDP, there will be a
technology transfer-centred research system for higher education institutions (HEIs) in general and
specifically science and technology institutes and departments so as to make them support to the
economic development through technology transfer.
General development of Higher Education
During the ESDP III (2004/05 to 2009/10), the number of higher education teaching institutions,
overall enrolment and intake capacity has increased at a high rate. New universities have been
established and older universities had to accept significantly more students. There are now a total
of twenty-two government universities distributed in all regions of the country and 50 private higher
education institutions have been accredited. The overall enrolment have increased from 149.694 to
434.659 in the planned period of which 77.140 (18%) are enrolled in the private teaching
institutions. As a result, the GER for higher education has increased from 3.6% in 1999 to 5.3% in
2008/09 which implies that the Ethiopian higher education has come just below the estimated
African GER of 6% (Across Africa, only about six per cent of the potential tertiary age group is
enrolled in a tertiary institution, compared to a world average of 25.5 per cent) .Because of the
increase in the number of teaching institutions, degree programme admissions have increased from
36.405 in 2004/05 to 77.182 in 2009/10.
Nevertheless, many respondents have expressed their opinions that the number of graduates is
increasing from year to year in large numbers through the so-called “massafication” of higher
education but the quality is lacking behind. Respondents indicate that the present quality of
education in many cases does not meet the demand of the private and public employers.
Development of post graduate programme was a priority for ESDP III. Accordingly, enrolment in
post-graduate programmes was expected to increase from 3.884 to 26.000 in the year 2009/10.
However, the total number enrolment in post graduate programmes reached only 13.481 in
2009/10.
Enrolment of female students in higher education institutions is another focus of the Ethiopian
government. The enrolment of female students in government and non-government higher
education institutions increased from 24,8% in (2005/06) to 27,0% in (2009/10). However,
graduation rates remain low and it is evident from available sources that the enrolment of female
students in post graduate studies (MSc and PhD) are much lower than the undergraduate studies.
The education system in higher education is expected to meet the demand for human resources
compatible with the quantity, type and quality of the priority areas of the GTP. Based on their
preferences students are assigned to the different studies by government. Accordingly, the present

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

189

increase in enrolment of graduate and post graduate is in line with the ratio of 70:30 which means
that 70% of the intake will be for science and technology and 30% will be in the areas of social
science. For instance, in 2010/11, a total of 100,000 students were admitted to different universities
in the country of which 70% was for science and technology - 40% of the science and technology
intakes were for engineering. This higher education policy is consistent with the priority areas of the
GTP which require more technical professionals in the areas of road construction, railway
construction, dam construction, rural electrification etc. as part of this policy. The strategy of the
Ethiopian Government is that all post graduate studies in the country and abroad will give priorities
to universities for the next five years since they are the multipliers of qualified human resources for
the country. As part of this plan, the government has a human resources development programme
for training in country and abroad. It has bilateral agreements with different countries which include
scholarship opportunities for MSc and PhD students (in medicine, engineering, IT etc.) in Turkey,
South Korea, Cuba, India, China, Japan, Russia and South Africa. For instance, 250 PhD students
will be trained in South Africa in five years.
Availability of higher skilled manpower
Higher education in Ethiopia was very limited and until recently, the Addis Ababa University was the
only higher education institution in the country. Increasing the number of universities and thereby
graduates from tertiary education, was argued in several interviews to be necessary to meet the
demands of the labour market. In fact, one of the main arguments is that there are shortages in
qualified human resources in the labour market in Ethiopia. However, there has not been extensive
empirical evidence on the gaps by types and level of expertise, sectors. Respondents within the
Ministries of Labour & social Affairs and Education indicated that there is an (expected) high level of
vacancies in areas such as engineering, construction, horticulture, medicine, IT.
The effects of the low level of tertiary education graduates does impact the general capacity of the
country’s administration. To give an example, the composition of civil servants in Ethiopia shows
that most of the positions are filled with secondary school completion and diploma level employees.
In 2008, 5.4% of the total civil servants were with higher education degrees (BA, Msc and PhD) and
in 2009, the percentage has increased to 8.0%. The civil service annual statistics also shows that
the number of female employees with higher education (BA, Msc and PhD) is increasing from year
to year in absolute terms. However, the proportional increase is still slow. The 2008, 2009 and 2010
employment patterns show that women with higher education constitute 14%, 19% and 17%,
respectively.
Although the numbers (quantity) of higher educated manpower has increased in recent years it is
acknowledged that the quality of these students is lacking behind. A representative from the
Chamber Of Commerce for instance stated that although the number of graduates in social
sciences and management (economics, accounting, business management) is increasing, the
quality is poor and could not meet the demand of the private sector. Companies receive ample
applications for advertised position but only very few (or none) of them qualify for the positions
which shows that the quality of education in the country is deteriorating.
According to the opinions of some interviewees, the private sector does not need high level
qualified personnel but does experience a shortage in qualified middle level personnel in the areas
of business management, proposal feasibility studies, marketing etc. Short term and refresher
courses in the country or abroad were suggested as priorities for the private sector.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Fellowship programmes in the country
Ethiopia benefits from a number of scholar/fellowship programmes from other countries. Internally,
84

the ministry of education administers a number of national and international

scholarships on

behalf of the Government of Ethiopia. A national committee with participants from several line
ministries is responsible for the selection procedure for fellowships which are directed through
government.
International fellowships that are not directly managed by the Ministry of Education, may choose to
inform the Ministry of their programme. The level of information and manner of which this is
provided is the choice of the donor. The Belgium programme for higher education managed through
VLIR, for example, has an office inside the Ministry of Education, managed by a representative of
the Belgian government. The representative attends meetings and informs the Ministry of Education
of the size of the funding and the types of programmes available. The British Council, on the other
hand, provides an annual overview of selected fellows to the Ministry of Education for general
information85.
Interviews with respondents showed that the selected employers and NFP alumni have, in addition
to NFP, benefitted from different programmes offered by among others the World Bank, VlirBelgium, Daad, Sida, China, Korea, JICA. Compared to the programmes of other players such as
Norad, the British Council and Austria (except DAAD), NFP has a relatively large budget and open
(courses and organizations) programme. Brief descriptions of the selected programmes visited are
presented in the table below:

British Council -



Focus at mid career aspiring leaders from public/private sector and NGOs. The

scholarship

programme focuses at practitioners because academic organisations have different

programme

opportunities within their own organisations and through other cooperation
programmes;



Number of scholarships for master courses in the UK up to one year in restricted
priority areas (Foreign office priorities) decreased from 12 to 6 per country
(commonwealth countries have more possibilities such as Phds). In addition 10-5
scholarships for short course were offered. 30% of the scholarship costs are covered
by the HEI in the UK;



The British Council office in each beneficiary country advises the applicants which
universities are most appropriate for their studies and the UK British council office
then does the application to the University for them;



Applicants can apply online with the support of their organisations since 4 years;



The programme used to be advertised in newspapers, but due to budget cuts this
initiative has ended. The BC council now specifically contacts several organisations/
ministries such as the ministry of Foreign Affairs which can nominate staff. In addition,
it has upgraded the information available through its website. The BC has a small
strategy per country for organisations/ areas which is published on the website;



2011- 400 applications, shortlisted applicants are interviewed and need to do a
language test;



The fellowship includes a contract between the fellow and BC that states that the
alumni should return to Ethiopia. This is not necessary with the employers, but may be
done regardless. They are only allowed to stay in the UK if they have been selected

84
85

None of the bilateral donors interviewed manager their international scholarships through the MoE.
Based on the interview with the current British Council Programme Manager.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

191

for a PhD or if they have found work for which they are allowed to stay no more than 2
years. If student breaches this contract they must pay for their study. As far as the
manager could remember, there has been no scholar in recent history that breached
the contract;



The BC tracks the alumni (network) and specifically high positions via its database as
much as possible and keeps them informed and invites them to meetings.

Norway - Norhed



Norhed is the new Norad programme for higher education and research cooperation
which is replacing Noma and Nufu. It has a first call for project applications in April
2012. The programme will specifically focus at the South and will encompass support
to in-country / regional degree programmes;



The programme will be organised in thematic sub-programmes where Norway has a
strong comparative advantage and/ or can make a strong contribution;



The programme is meant to be South demand driven and will be implemented only in
the South;



The Embassy will not be involved in the NORHED programme; it will be managed by
NORAD only;



The programme will be exclusively university capacity building containing some
fellowships and exchanges for staff, stimulating sandwich-style programmes;



The projects must be designed with academia, civil society and the private sector.
Involving the latter two may be done through steering committees or implementation
partners, but will be necessary to ensure the academic programme fits with the wider
needs of the country (including the labour market);



In addition to the development cooperation programme, there is a ‘quota programme’;
Universities have a certain number of students from developing countries that are
allowed to obtain ‘Norwegian student status’ giving them access to the student loan
bank for higher education. They can obtain this loan if they commit to not returning to
Norway for at least 2 years after graduating. If they do stay, they have to repay the
loan.

Germany –Daad



programme

Daad programme in Ethiopia is focused at academic exchange and offers about 350
scholarships to applicants from government organisations and NGOs and about to
about 100 Germans to study in Ethiopia. Selection has a pure academic- excellence
focus;



Participants have to proof via a tofu test that they can speak English, a 6-month
German language course is part of the programme;



The programme has a very active Ethiopia-Germany alumni association to keep
bondage;



The programme experiences hardly no brain drain; a remittances programme has
been set up to make it easy for alumni to come back. Some elements of this
programme are technological support upon return, possibility to come back to study a
Germany after 3-4 years, refreshment courses, organisational workshops;



In recent years more focus at institutional partnerships, provision of joint degree
programmes in Ethiopia etc.

Austria



There was a 20 year old North-South programme containing fellowships that ended in
2011;



APHEAR the new programme starting as of 2011 is no longer a fellowship programme
but only a project for university partnerships that include scholarships; they are built in
to the programme;



The programme focuses on three themes, namely general academic capacity
building, research for people with disabilities and legal and human rights;



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In the past different programmes were open to applicant s from universities, the public

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

and private sector and NGOs. Within the APHEAR programme 8-10 scholarships may
be provided to universities which can nominate staff members;



Final selection decisions are made in Austria (focus on interests in the country and
specific development projects). The Austrian Embassy in Ethiopia advises on
relevance of proposals. Comments are on contacts, budgets, whether the ideas are
feasible and if the research is complementary to the development cooperation
agenda;

Belgium – Vlir



In 2009 an Austria-Ethiopia alumni organisation was established.



VLIR maintains a country representative of their education programmes in Ethiopia
and Kenya since 2008. The representative is meant to facilitate the sustainability of
the programmes in those countries where the majority of aid is provided. He is he
linking pin between educational exchange and development/capacity building. It exists
because the Belgian Embassy does not have a specific education policy advisor/desk
in place;



The position of country representative is part time. The representative is only in place
to support the educational programmes, not the fellowships. In fact, he has a specific
mandate not to intrude with the fellowships to prevent false competition;



The purpose of VLIR’s (non-fellowship) education programmes is capacity building of
academia. In addition, the fellowship programme brings approximately 50 fellows to
Belgium annually;



Tasks include stimulating cooperation with the non-academic world through
stakeholder forums and other participatory platforms. He ensures the projects are
complementary/in line with policies (both in Belgium and Ethiopia) and respond to the
wider need of the country. Research must respond to the country’s development
needs;



The education programme’s conditions are different from that of the Netherlands in
the sense that time is not refunded, only travel expenses and operational costs. This
means that educational institutes in Belgium must find the value in the collaboration
through publications and access to resources.

Implementation of NFP
Implementation of NFP (2002-2010) in country
Within the period under scrutiny, the largest number of NFP fellows came from Ethiopia. According
to the data provided by Nuffic in total 1170 fellowships were awarded to Ethiopian candidates in the
period 2002-2010. These fellowships were divided between education institutes (45,5%), (semi-)
government institutes (41,7%), NGOs (7,6%) and businesses (2,8%). In addition, 10 organisations
benefited from tailor-made trainings and one from a multi-year agreement. In the same period, 80 of
the alumni participated in refresher courses. Based on the data provided in the Nuffic report
(Kerngegevens 2003-2010) the fellowships were provided for in total 708 master courses, 403 short
courses and 26 PhD. According to the same report about a quarter (23%) of the fellows are women.
Selection process en criteria
The Royal Netherlands Embassy was responsible for the eligibility check and making
recommendations to Nuffic based on the sector and type of organisation until December 2010. After
the introduction of the new selection procedure, the Fellowship officer (consular section) scores the
applications on a scale from 1-10 Scoring is based on the priority areas of the development policy
of the Royal Netherlands Embassy such as agriculture, food security and SRHR and the role of the
employer organisation. Preference is given to women and applicants from deprived areas. In case

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

193

of doubt in the application, the Embassy conducts a background check via the employer. The
scoring criteria appear to be very general and no specific criteria have been formulated to explain
score differences. Embassy staff working in development cooperation are not consulted as part of
the process. Due to the lack of data in the Embassy regarding the alumni, it is currently not possible
for the Fellowship officer to take into consideration the total amount of alumni (and their position) in
the organisation of the applicant.

Relevance
Given the increased numbers of higher education facilities and manpower but limited offer in post
graduate programmes and lacking quality of courses there is still a clear need for external support.
The selected organisations still experience (quantitative and qualitative) shortages in manpower.
The new selection procedure provides the Royal Netherlands Embassy with the opportunity to link
the NFP with its development policy for Ethiopia. The present focus areas of the Embassy however
do not fully align with the Ethiopian development agenda, which emphasises human resource
development in technological areas and natural science.
The main reason alumni applied for the NFP fellowship is to get a high quality education/ training
that they are unable to access in Ethiopia, in order to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Particularly respondents working for research institutes and universities applied for multiple
fellowships, including Vlir and Daad whilst other respondents only applied for a NFP fellowship.
Shortages of qualified manpower is the main reason for employers to approve (write a letter of
recommendation) the application of their staff, request a tailor made course or, in one case, apply
for a multi-year agreement. In research institutes and universities, staff are allowed to pursue a
Master or PhD. Other organisations, and especially government departments, encourage staff to
obtain a Master degree. Most of the organisations interviewed have staff development plans but
resources are limited. Moreover the number of scholarship assigned through the government is
limited by government policy, which prioritises university staff. Many of the selected organisations
mentioned that they benefitted from NFP but still face shortages of qualified staff. Large staff
turnover is one of the main causes for these manpower shortages. Most of the selected
organisations have difficulties retaining staff. Only universities appear to be more successful in
keeping their trained staff.
When an organisation fits with the development cooperation agenda of a donor, it tends to have
priorities that also align with other donors. As a result, organisations with a niche (technical)
expertise and role in Ethiopia, do not receive many other opportunities. Universities, for example,
receive fellowship opportunities through various capacity building programmes and fellowship
programmes by multiple donors. For technical organisations, such as the Ethiopian Geological
Survey, NFP is an important (sole) instrument in their staff development policy.
The NFP provides relevant support in view of the needs of the selected organisations. Some
considerations regarding the added value of the some of the interventions include that:


Both international NGOs interviewed have extensive staff development programmes which
provide for education and training opportunities both in Ethiopia as well as abroad;



A reasonable number of university staff (25% of all fellowships) receive fellowships in cases in
combination with NPT/Niche projects or similar cooperation programmes of other donors that
could have provided for these fellowships as well;

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

There is no alignment of priorities with the national government or other donors and
organisations.

Effectiveness
The effectiveness of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme can be identified on three levels: on
individual level, organisation/company level and societal level targeted through the programme.
Individual level (alumni)
The Ethiopian alumni and employers of alumni recognize overall rather similar effects for the
individual participants of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme, the majority of which are
overwhelmingly positive.
Value of the Fellowship
All alumni interviewed in Ethiopia identified the NFP fellowship to be an important aspect of their
education. In particular the students who obtained a Master or PhD in the Netherlands, highlighted
that the financial support was essential to their studies. Multiple interviewees explained that leaving
to the Netherlands at mid-career level often meant they left behind a spouse and/or children and
financial obligations such as homes and loans. As a result, the funding of the programme helped
them firstly in making the decision to go and secondly in being able to finish the degree, as the
costs of the degree were fully covered. The alumni on the whole confirmed they would not have
chosen to pursue their degree if the NFP or an alternative donor would not have funded their
studies.
Whereas Master and PhD applicants have the opportunity to apply for other sources of funding, the
specific short courses and tailor made courses would not have taken place without the NFP. The
availability of the funding therefore shaped the training programme provided for the staff.
Value of education and individual gains
In terms of the value of the education and training funded through NFP, all modalities were highly
appreciated by the respondents. Particularly the practical aspect of the courses and quality of
teachers were mentioned. The alumni indicated that their expectations were largely or fully met.
The alumni who went to the Netherlands, identified many direct and indirect benefits of their
experience in addition to their qualification. These effects can be grouped in the following three
types of effects:


New or updated technical skills and knowledge needed for work;



Improved social competences (ranging from generic communication to teamwork and
presentation skills);



Increased self-confidence and motivation in their work.

An example of how alumni have benefited personally and professionally can be found in the
following box on the University of Hawassa.
Academia: University of Hawassa
Within the context of increasing access to university level education, Ethiopia has undergone an expansion
of new universities in rural areas. The need for capacity development through increasing the level of
education of the staff of these new universities was highlighted in several of the interviews. Though located
outside of the capital city, Hawassa University is not one of these new universities. Nevertheless, due to

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

195

insufficient funding the capacity of the staff varies across departments, with several departments lacking
sufficient Master and PhD trained lecturers and research capacity.
A number of staff within the College of Natural and Computational Sciences followed the Master courses in
the field of environmental sciences as well as water management through the NFP. Five of these fellows
were interviewed.
In terms of the effectiveness of their experience in the Netherlands, both the employer and the alumni
agreed that the most notable outcome of their education had in fact been that their teaching skills had
changed. They explained that the participative approach and interactive teacher-student relationship, as is
custom in the Netherlands, not only led to them learning more technical knowledge in their field but also
taught them valuable pedagogical lessons. Interviews with NFP Alumni of Addis Ababa University echoed
these findings.
Although the class size, which can be over 100 students, is a significant obstacle to applying the newly
learned teaching methods consistently, it is applied where possible, for example, by splitting up classes in
groups and assigning group work. Although still an orthodox method for Ethiopian university level of
teaching, the alumni indicated that they teach with more confidence in their approach and methodologies.
The satisfaction surveys showed also that this was very much valued by their students.
In addition to teaching, they noticed that their research work and management role in the University had
improved significantly through their increased analytical and communication skills. Through the diversity of
cultures amongst the fellow students during their NFP period, they all stressed that they were now better
able to work with different cultures and mind-sets. Being part of a team of professionals with different
opinions has become more natural, allowing them to more freely express their opinion and interject when
appropriate. A cultural change all confirmed they would not have done before their time in the Netherlands.

Obtaining a higher degree of education led to title promotion and/ or increased responsibility and
salary increases in most selected cases. These promotions are not related to having international
experience and therefore also occur when a Master or PhD is obtained through an Ethiopian
University. Several of the alumni who obtained a Master or PhD through NFP and did not hold that
level of qualification beforehand, confirmed in the interviews that they had been promoted and/or
had received a salary increase upon returning to Ethiopia. In universities and research institutes
this is an automatic process. In other organisations not all staff were given this opportunity. In these
cases this was the result of either not having a vacancy at a higher level or a procedure for
promotion that depended on competition and required not only higher qualifications but also specific
performances on the job (in terms of length and quality of work).
Organisational Level (employers)
The benefits of NFP that the interviewees identified at organisational level tend to be the result of
the knowledge exchange through trainings and workshops provided by the alumni in their
organisation. In most cases this has been an initiative of the alumni themselves. Employers
indicated that they usually request for written briefs of their newly acquired skills. Some of
organisations, such as the Hawassa University and both NGOs, specifically request short courses
to ensure a transfer of knowledge.
Interviewees indicated that organisations benefitted the most from improved technical skills of the
alumni and the exchange effect on colleagues. They provided an opportunity for improved
efficiency, quality of organisational outputs and innovation. To a lesser extent, organisational
benefits related to behavioural change of organisations were mentioned. The examples provided
showed that the extent to which change was able to manifest varied across greatly, as indicated in

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

the next section on influencing factors. One of the interviewees, for example, stated that momentum
for organisational change in his division was only achieved when he was promoted to a director
position and more colleagues were trained in similar courses. This led to a changed working culture
and more emphasis on knowledge management.
The organisations in which NFP alumni work are not necessarily the organisations which have sent
them to participate in the programme. A high turnover of staff is common amongst Ethiopian
government institutions and organisations, due to discrepancies in salaries between the
government and private and non-profit sector. A World Bank study in 2005 highlighted that the gap
between government sector salaries and international NGOs, for example, can be as much as
1:10,8.86 A relatively large number of alumni within the selected organisations did not return to or
have left the organisations they worked for. For instance, all of the NFP alumni working for the two
selected NGOs had left the organisations. They are working for other organisations in Ethiopia, in
the regions but also in countries like the US.
The effects of NFP on the organisations therefore vary greatly depending on whether there is a
critical mass of alumni and whether they are able to retain them. Besides, the high turnover of staff
includes the management and HR level which sign the approval for staff to participate in NFP. As a
result, the effect of the programme is not always noted by the employers. The following box
provides an example of an organisation in which a critical mass was able to participate in NFP and
for whom a large number remained employed afterwards.
Government Bureau: Marketing and Cooperative Development\
The Bureau of Marketing and Cooperative Development is responsible for the development of cooperatives
across the SNNP region. There are approximately 22 staff members at bureau level and 136 at zonal and
woreda (district) level. Through a multi-annual agreement plan, 12 Master courses were followed in the
Netherlands and nearly all bureau and some zonal level staff (54 in total) participated in short-term
courses, a further 20 staff received tailor made training. Some of the short-term courses followed included:
Managerial Control & Mgt of Information System (MCMIS), Mgt of change for organizational Transition
(CM), Project Appraisal &Mgt (PAM), Marketing of Service (MOS), Financial Management (FM) and
Business dynamics (BD).
Due to the large number of bureau staff members that were able to participate in the courses, a change in
the organizational culture had been felt after the programme ended. Particularly in terms of organizational
structure and daily routines it was felt that their efficiency had increased at head office. Through the training
they had received, they were able to pass on the acquired skills through further training at zonal and
woreda level. With their increased capacity, they have further been able to support more cooperatives in
new areas and participate in the design of new policy on cooperative development. According to their own
internal review, the multi-annual partnership provided the following benefits:



The delivery system of support services to cooperatives and their members is strengthened;



The professional skills of 34 staff members to deliver support services to cooperatives and their
members are improved;



Market oriented business development for different types of cooperative;



Ability to design a feasible business plan for a cooperative in all its aspects;



Awareness of the factors that influence the functioning of the cooperative;



Awareness of the role of cooperatives within the chain and able to make use of opportunities
regarding chain development and management;


86

Ability to choose among different training techniques and aids;

Civil Service Employment and Pay in Ethiopia: Challenges for Service Deliveries and Achieving the MDGs, Mohammed
Mussa.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

197



Ability to develop training materials that support a training.

The effects of the programme are therefore multiple and long-lasting. Most of the staff who were employed
at bureau level in 2012 had received the NFP training. The reason for such low turnover is mostly due the
nature of the profession as there are few other career opportunities for those working in cooperatives. The
effects of the organisational support is easier to trickle to the country due to importance of the agricultural
sector in the Ethiopian economy.
In addition to the direct effects on the organisation, one of the Master graduates left the organisation to
become a University lecturer. With his knowledge obtained through the programme, he was able to open
up the first university level courses on cooperatives. While this is a relatively recent move, the respondents
highlighted this move as a potential to increase the quality of future cooperative workers and a way to
attract more individuals to the sector.

None of the selected employers have or maintain contact with the Dutch counterparts (Nuffic, Royal
Netherlands Embassy and HEI). There is no follow up from the Embassy once a participant has
been selected. Only in rare cases there are strategic plans (internal selections) to develop the
organisation using NFP. A number of the employer interviewees commented that they would like to
have a say in the selection of fellows to be able to prioritise for their organisation as a whole.
Hawassa University for instance mentioned that the agricultural faculty has a very high number of
professional staff with a PHD (over 80%) because fellowship programmes in general tend to favour
whilst other faculties are much more in need of such positions.
Influencing factors and obstacles
According to the alumni interviewed, regardless of the higher education institute in the Netherlands,
the education provided was designed in such a way that it was mostly relevant to their work and
that they were able to bring back that which they had learned. However, upon return a number of
obstacles are mentioned, both for the alumni and organisation, before the learned materials could
be used. Depending on the type of organisation, the obstacles could range from cultural
(institutional aversion to change) to economical (lack of financing for necessarily materials), but in
all cases a demotivating factor.
Respondents of organisations where a large number of staff had been able to participate over time
noted less frustration with organisational and cultural barriers than those where only a few had
sporadically studied abroad. Conservative leadership in Ethiopian organisation makes it difficult to
achieve organisation change. It should be noted that several of the organisations also receive
education and training opportunities from other donors. In the case of organisations with few NFP
alumni, but large numbers of other Western educated staff, the organisational barriers were lower.
The least amount of organisational obstacles were in those organisations where management had
participated in education and training courses, whether funded through NFP or other programmes.
To overcome organisational obstacles, the alumni explained that they encourage fellow colleagues
to apply for NFP with the hope to create a critical mass for change.
Economic obstacles were stressed especially by staff who are involved in technical professions
requiring expensive equipment such as the research centres and universities. Both funding for
research and funding for equipment were found to be insufficiently available to apply the full
knowledge learned through the NFP. During a conference on Norhed the new higher education
cooperation programme of NORAD, a large number of African universities also highlighted that
funding for equipment and research was just as important, if not more, than funding for degrees.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Country level
The complexity and nature of the programme and its current way of recording and tracking alumni
does not facilitate data gathering necessary for the analysis of possible country level effects. There
are however, indirect and anecdotal pieces of evidence demonstrating country level effects.
As was mentioned before, high turnover of staff that obtained a Master or PhD abroad, is an
obstacle to the development of the organizations. However, at country level this has had less
negative effects. In fact, the majority of alumni return to Ethiopia and continue to work to support
the development of the country. The new skills and competences that were identified to be effects
of the programme at individual level, may then support broader development on the whole. This is
in contrast with, for example, the previous NORAD programme, which noted that nearly 75% of
alumni did not return to their home country after completion of their study.87
Particularly international NGOs located in the capital city have benefited from the upgraded
qualifications of the individuals, as they tend to provide the better salary packages. Several
employers raised questions with the level of education required for various organisations. They
suggested that the loss of PhD qualified personal from research functions to the NGO sector, due
to higher paid salaries, is not a positive development for the country as a whole.
Nearly all employers confirmed that an important feature of attractive employment in Ethiopia is
access to services (education, health care, shops) and salary packages. There are few locations in
Ethiopia where this is possible, which means that alumni who leave employment post their degree
tend to relocate to the capital city. As a result, the intended effect of NFP in terms of supporting
remote areas is a difficult one in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, the alumni do tend to work on development
related issues. The following box provides an example of the contribution of NFP to achievements
at regional/ country level.
NGO: Menschen 4 Menschen
The following example provides a detailed account of the role of NFP in Menschen 4 Menschen, one of the
largest NGOs in Ethiopia. Although only 2 staff members obtained a Master through NFP, their education
has had sufficient effect to be remembered by the organisation.
The focus of Menschen 4 Menschen is on rural development, ranging from empowerment of women to
access to sanitation. There are approximately 785 staff members all over the country, many of them in
remote areas. Per project area there are 60-80 staff, managed by 7 project managers. All project managers
must have a BA before they can have this position, and most of the current staff at this position obtained
their BA in Ethiopia. All project managers are encouraged to look for possible scholarships to obtain a
Master degree as the organization has recognized that the project management position requires most
staff to expand their skills and knowledge, both in term so technical knowledge in the field of rural
development (innovative/new approaches as well as the deepening understanding of existing knowledge)
as well as in terms of management skills.
Project managers are allowed to go on leave for the period of their study and obtain partial salary
compensation and they are guaranteed that their job is safe when they return. Both men and women of
management positions are allowed to apply, but women are approached directly by the organization with
suggestions for degrees, as there are very few women who make it to high-level management. In addition
employees are allowed to take short courses. Short courses are provided through the organization itself,

87

Based on interviews with NORAD.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

199

usually in the capital city, or when necessary in the remote locations. Trainings are in English and open to
all levels of staff. They are organised ad hoc, as the need arises.
Once a project manager graduates from their a Master or PhD, they are required to:



Return to the remote area where they were leading the project before;



Share the knowledge through training and debriefing sessions both at head office and locally;



Work for the organization for at least 1 year after completing their degree, regardless of the length and
level of study.

In the case of the NFP alumni, the organization had started the process by identifying two successful
female project managers and making them aware of the opportunity through the information provided by
the Netherlands Embassy and encouraging them to apply. These two women obtained their Master degree
in the Netherlands in 2005 and 2009. They were single women without children and both were the Head of
a project group in two different remote areas. One woman specialized in health (female mutilation) the
other in empowerment and both specialised in rural development. According to the employer, these are the
kind of topics the projects work with and appropriate to the regional needs.
The organization identified that both degrees directly benefited the organization and the development of
their work, but more importantly, that it supported the country at large. Upon returning to the organization,
the two women fulfilled their requirements and indeed trained their staff in the remote areas and the staff at
head office of that which was relevant to their work. They furthermore returned motivated to work and
brought back new ideas and innovative approaches to obstacles the organization had faced. For example,
one of them returned with the idea that a credit facility for women could work in her region of work. This
was not considered before in that specific region. She was provided with a starting capital of 500 000 birr
from the organization, which was used to lend money to 150 women. The programme worked and
payments returned in such a way that two years later the credit facility had reached 600 women and now
contains 2.7 million birr. Other regions are now learning from this example to set up a similar fund.
The organization anticipated that the women would eventually leave the organization, as raising a family in
such remote areas is not popular amongst those who are able to move to the city. Particularly highly
educated women tend to leave the organization if they are not able to work at the head office. Both women
indeed have left the organization after completing their obligatory one year of post-degree employment.
Both women now work for NGOs in Addis, where they are paid better. Within the organization losing these
women, although unfortunate, was not considered a loss, because “as long as they serve their country, the
organization is fully satisfied. We are here for rural development and the country’s development as a
whole”.

The NFP programme in Ethiopia is set up to reach individuals rather than organisations. Only a
very limited number of agreements (MYA and TM) with organisations have been made. As a result,
ensuring the return of the highly qualified staff to the country is one of the essential features to
ensure a ripple effect reaching country level benefits. The education and training provided to
individuals can contribute to economic, environmental and social development either by improving
the functioning of the organisation. This can be reflected by improved:


levels of services delivered by the organisation;



effectiveness of the organisation within the policy environment;



targeting to areas of need and attracting more resources;



engagement in lobby and advocacy.

It should be noted that under the current government policies that restrict lobbying and advocacy,
the last point will be particularly difficult to achieve.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

The potential contribution that each of the selected organisations makes to the development of the
country varies greatly. A successful programme at a University, for example, will have a more
indirect effect on development than for example, an NGO or Government Bureau tasked with direct
support to people and organisations. The example of Cooperative Development Department
showed that a strategic partnership, through a multi-annual plan, improved capacity of the
organization and did enhance their service delivery to a specific region country as a whole.
In organisations where a large number of staff have been able to participate in the programme such
as the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organisation (EARO) and the Geological Survey of Ethiopia
(GSE), the organisations appreciate the up skilling of staff but particularly in the case of EARO it is
hard to link the effect of NFP to their overall performance as the organisation experienced high
turnover in staff and benefited from multiple capacity development programmes.
Lastly, due to the size of the programme in Ethiopia, there could have been important effects on
Dutch-Ethiopian relations, both economically and politically. In the last case, it was noted that the
current President is a former fellow of the programme. Both the Embassy and alumni highlighted
that the President has indeed been present at alumni gatherings of the programme, however, there
is no evidence to suggest that the programme has resulted in improved economic and social
relations for the Netherlands. There are currently no resources allocated to the monitoring or
maintenance of contacts with either the employers or the alumni. Due to the large size of the alumni
group and organisations, it is felt that this is a missed opportunity.

Efficiency
Application and selection process
The number of Ethiopian applicants exceeded 1500 in 2011 and is expected to be close to 2000 in
2012. The large number of applications creates a considerable administrative burden. SOL made
the process of applications much easier, especially for the applications, but also for the Embassy
where there is no longer a long row of applicants. Fellows stated that the new digital application
system makes the programme highly accessible to everyone as registration can take place online
and there is no need anymore to travel to Addis Ababa. In the regions it is more difficult to access
the website or information sent via e-mail as connection in some parts of the country is minimal and
unreliable.
However, SOL also resulted in a much higher rate of application. Due to the late introduction of the
new system and the high number of applications, the deadline was not met by the Embassy for the
eligibility check procedure. Because of the high number of applications, and the many changes
(including no longer needing to include a government –MoE- document), the Embassy indicated the
programme caused an organisational constraint.
The Embassy has taken additional measures for background checks of the applicants to prevent
that the selected fellows remain in the Netherlands. They check for intent and their role in the
organisation. These background checks have increased since the Embassy found that the
disappearance of fellows was not pursued sufficiently by NUFFIC. There have been five
disappearances over the past few years. It is felt that Nuffic has not always keeps to the
programme regulations and approves candidates which have not passed the eligibility check made
by the Embassy. This concerns applicants for which the Embassy has serious doubts whether the
applicant is actually working for the employer organisation or whether the employer organisation is
actually existing.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

201

Quality of education
Currently the application procedure does not entail an English language test. Two of the alumni
interviewed during the field visit showed a very limited understanding of the English language
although they had both finished a master education in the Netherlands. This raises question on
their ability to have participated fully in the courses and produced good quality papers.
Respondents felt that in general understanding of the English language among graduates had
deteriorated compared to some years ago and expect it to be even less in the near future as
English is not a requirement anymore for technological and natural science studies. Moreover the
present government promotes the use of own languages which in cases even makes that students
have difficulties to follow courses taught in Amaharic the national language.
The monitoring activities of HEI and Nuffic focus only on the alumni. Some of the employers felt that
they should also be approached for feedback on the match between course content and their
specific work process.
Cost-effectiveness
The perceived cost-effectiveness of the different modalities differs per organisation. Logically
respondents from universities and research institutes very much value the PhD and MA/MSc
modalities. Short courses are seen as a very efficient way to get in touch with state of the art
expertise by these institutions. An additional advantage is that the specific content of short courses
is easier to share with colleagues. Respondents form other employers also value MA/MSc
education as it provides staff with a more integrated knowledge which is lacking in the Ethiopian
system. Short courses however are felt to be more cost effective as staff will only be absent for a
limited period of time. Several of the respondents indicated that they need the staff to upgrade their
skills, but that the short-term courses or tailor-made courses could provide such trainings without
losing their staff. It would be ideal for many of them to have Master level (sub)management staff,
but many proposed they would prefer short term courses in the country where more staff could
participate. In this is respect it was that short courses may be more cost-effective because staff who
graduates for their MA/MSc through programmes Like NFP are more likely to leave the
organisation.
Academic organisations were the only ones to indicate that PhD programmes were highly
appreciated and sought after. Other employers felt that PhD programmes can take too long and
that the risk of losing the staff afterwards was too high.
No joint degree or double degree programme or so-called sandwich programmes by Ethiopian and
Netherland HEI have been established.
Alumni relations
Alumni networks play a limited role in Ethiopia. Although Ethiopia is one of the countries or the
country with the largest number of NFP alumni no Netherlands-Ethiopia alumni network has been
established in Ethiopia. A recent attempt supported by the Netherlands Embassy has failed
because of fraud by an alumni. Respondents indicate that they would very much value a
Netherlands – Ethiopia Network. Many alumni keep in touch with the university where they studied
in the Netherlands. The staff of the Geological Survey of Ethiopia, for example, receive frequent
bulletins from ITC and occasional refresher courses or alumni meetings. These contribute to
continued exchange of practises, updating of technical knowledge and further institutionalisation of
change. The ability to increase performance and work better with other colleagues, was indicated
multiple times as a boost for motivation. Some HEI like ICT and Unesco-IHE have active networks
in Ethiopia. The institutions visit the country regularly and provide alumni with information on new
courses etc.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Lessons and recommendations
In this section the specific conclusions for the different evaluation criteria presented in the previous
sections will not be repeated. During the field visit all respondents stress the importance of the
continuation of NFP. The following suggestions for improvement were made:


Built in more components that allow people to return for instance support alumni for another
three months as in Europe, allow for sufficient luggage to be taken back or provide return
opportunities;



Contact organisations for their staff/ strategic development priorities;



It would be advisable for HEI to also contact employers for feedback on course content and link
with the working process;



Allow more time for some of the courses, it is felt that specifically the ICT courses had a very
tight timeframe;



Considering the focus at staff at mid-career level the programme should offer opportunities for
families;



For the sustainability of the program, it is important that it is in line with the development policy
and strategies of the Ethiopia which means the fellowships should be planned in consultation
with the relevant institutions of the Ethiopian Government;



The selection procedures of candidates need to be clear and information needs to be shared
with potential beneficiaries of the programme but also the organisations.

List of Respondents
Name

Institution

Position

YohanHelland

Norwegian Embassy

Head of NORAD

DrJeilu Omer

Addis Ababa University

Academic Vice President

DrBeyu Chane

Technology Faculty, Addis Ababa University

Head of River Basin Management

Mulu Nega

idem

Alumni

Mulatu Alemayehu

idem

Alumni

MulugetDebol

Oromiya Health Bureau

Head of HRD

Girma Kebede

Oromiya Health Bureau

Project coordinator

Amsalu Abebe

The British Council

Project Manager

Selam Alebel

The British Council

Project Coordinator

Doris Gebru-Zeilermayer

Austrian Development Cooperation

Programme Manager

Yacob Metena

ActionAid Ethiopia

Programme Management Manager

Franta Wijchers

Royal Netherlands Embassy

First Secretary

Martha Abraha

Royal Netherlands Embassy

Fellowship Programme officer

Ali Sulieman

Anti-corruption and Ethics Commission

Commissioner

Mekonnen Zegeye

Anti-Corruption and Ethics Commission

Administrator

Woinshet Aye

Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE)

Alumni

Kebede Wollier

Geological Survey of Ethiopia

Alumni

Zulfa Abdurahman

Geological Survey of Ethiopia

Alumni

Letta Alemayehu

Geological Survey of Ethiopia

Alumni

Samuel Molla

Geological Survey of Ethiopia

Alumni

Tilahun Yegile

Geological Survey of Ethiopia

Head of HR

Getachew Nemera

Mensen fur Mensen

General Administrator

Girma Moges

Ethiopian Agric Research Organization

Alumni

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

203

Name

Institution

Etsegenet Kiflu

Ethiopian Agric Research Organization

Position

(EARO)
Alumni

(EARO)
Negassa

Idem

Alumni

Solomon Bekele

EARO (Telephone conversation)

Head of Administration

Alemayehu Muluneh

Hawassa University

Alumni

Assegid Cherinet

Hawassa University

Alumni

Tafesse Kefiyalew

Hawassa University

Alumni

Mekuria Teshome

Hawassa Univesity

Alumni

DrNigatu Regassa

Hawassa University

Representative of Academic V
President

DrGirma Tilahun
Maru Argaw

Hawassa University

Head of Biology Department

SNNP Bureau of Marketing and Cooperative

Alumni

Dev
Mesfin Eshetu

Idem

Alumni

Kema Keyamo

idem

Alumni

Gebayew Solomon

Idem

Alumni

Usman Surur

idem

Deputy Head

Belaineh Teshome

Hawassa Municipality

Head of Office

Bahirua Eshete

Hawassa Municipality

Alumni

Tadesse Nigatu

Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research

Head of HR

Institute
Dr orknesh Ayele

Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research

Head of influenza Dept

Workabeba Bahiru

Ministry of Civil Service

Head of HR

Eshetu Yitna

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Head of Admin

Getachew Regassa

Chamber of Commerce

Secretary General

Mitiku Berecha

Ministry of Education

Head of Scholarship

Hans Bauert

VLIR

Country representative

Dr Jana Zehle

DAAD

Vice-director

Institute

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Country Report Ghana
Introduction
Ghana has received a substantial number of scholarships in the period 2002 -2010 for amongst
others courses in health and was therefore selected as a country case study for the evaluation of
the Netherlands Fellowship Programme. The country visit to Ghana took place from November 7th
to November 18th 2011. The evaluation team was composed of John Adraky and Anja Willemsen.
In terms of process the main limitation in data gathering was the difficulty tracing alumni within the
selected organisations. The data provided by Nuffic only included the last name of alumni which
made it very difficult to trace alumni, particularly in case of women. Moreover not all alumni and or
courses taken per alumni appeared to be included in the list. In some of the cases also employers
did not have the oversight of staff studied through NFP or the location of the staff in question.
Specifically in the case of the Ghana Health service this has been a problem.
The report is based on interviews conducted during the country visit with selected alumni,
employers and other stakeholders and donors. The institutions interviewed are listed in the table
below:
Table 1 Selected employers and stakeholders for NFP country study Ghana
Respondents

List of Institutions

Employers



Ministry of Food and Agriculture;



National Health Insurance Authority;



Electricity Company of Ghana;



Environmental Protection Agency;



Water Resource Commission;



Youth Harvest Foundation;



Ghana Health Services;



Cape Coast University;



Swan Construction Company Limited.

Stakeholders and other



Royal Netherlands Embassy;

donors



Danida;



United States Embassy;



World Bank;



Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare;



Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning;



JICA;



Netherlands-Ghana Alumni association.

Note: A detailed list of the selected institutions and respondents is presented in Annex 1.

Context
National Policies Higher education
The Ghana Poverty reduction Strategy (GPRS) identifies education at all levels including tertiary
education as key for Ghana’s human resource development. As part of the strategies, Government
aims to support the private sector and civil society involvement in tertiary education through
fundraising and curriculum development. It is also considering plans to increase the use of distance

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

205

education programmes. The relevant policy objectives for higher education formulated by the
Government are presented below:


To ensure that tertiary education is co-ordinated with all other sub-sectors of the educational
system and overall national development, education policies and procedures;



To make tertiary education more cost effective and more accessible to an increasing number of
students through increased efficiency in the utilization of space, resources and personnel;



To provide access to tertiary education for all qualified students, and especially to increase the
proportion of female students;



To introduce programmes geared to the training needs of working people for national
development;



To ensure balance between the supply of trained personnel and labour market demand;



To improve the internal administration of all tertiary teaching institutions.

Education is mainly financed by the Ministry of Education (72% in 2008), the GETFund (9.5% in
2008), internally generated funds by institutions (9% in 2008) and multilateral and bilateral donors
(9.5% in 2008; Ghana MOESS, 2008). In 2010, Ghana’s budget on education was 27.4% of the
total national budget). Within the government, the MOE traditionally receives the largest share of
the national budget.
The Ghana Educational Trust fund (GETFUND)
The Ghana Educational Trust fund (GETFUND) was established by an Act of Parliament in August
2001 to assist with the nationwide financing of education at all levels. The Fund's specific role is to
complement government efforts in providing the needed resources for development and not to take
over government's primary role of making budgetary allocation for the development of educational
infrastructure. Although, it was initially set-up to finance public tertiary education, it has supported
initiatives by private tertiary institutions by providing financial assistance due to the vital supportive
role they play in pursuing the country’s human resource development. Some key areas of tertiary
education which the Fund supports are:


Subsidies for tertiary academic user fees;



Payment for infrastructure projects in tertiary education institutions;



Provision of vehicles, computers and equipment for tertiary institutions;



Students loan scheme.

Tertiary Education in Ghana
Higher education in Ghana is offered at universities and institutions for higher professional
education. Theoretical education is offered by both public universities and private national or
international universities, while professional education is offered at the ten national polytechnics
and several national or international specialized colleges that are affiliated to some of the local
universities for the award of professional bachelor and postgraduate degrees88.
The National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) is responsible for regulation of tertiary
education. The council was established through the NCTE Act 454 in 1993 to among other things
advise the Minister of Education on the development of institutions for tertiary education in Ghana.
All tertiary institutions must be accredited by the National Accreditation Board which has to issue a
Certificate of Institutional Accreditation and a Certificate of Programme Accreditation. To operate as
a full-fledged university, the institution must, in addition obtain a Presidential Charter to enable it

88

206

Alignment of higher professional education with the needs of the local labour market: The case of Ghana, Mtinkheni
Gondwe, Jos Walenkamp, April 2011, Nuffic.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

award its own certificates, diplomas and degrees. This involves a process of visitations by a panel
appointed by the National Accreditation Board to assess and approve of facilities and programmes.
General Development Higher Education
89
Apart from the six public universities in Ghana , 16 private universities have been accredited by

the National Accreditation Board to offer various degree programs. These private universities offer
degree programmes in religious and theological studies, administration and accountancy amongst
other courses of study.
Demand for entry into the six public universities is generally higher than that of their private
counterparts due to their presence in the industry for a longer period of time, coupled with the
subsidised fees they charge. Enrolment in higher education (universities) has grown from 106,723
students in 2005/2006 to 128,319 in the year 2009/2010. Data on enrolment levels for the six public
universities in the 2009/201090 academic year indicated that 107,640 students were enrolled, whilst
the private universities enrolled 20,679 students. Out of this number, University of Ghana admitted
33.5%, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology admitted 22.4%, University of Cape
Coast admitted 14.3%, University of Winneba admitted 14.4%, University of Development Studies
admitted 13.9% and University of Mines and Technology admitted 1.3%. The data also shows that
female enrolment in the Universities is between 25% and 35% annually.
The private universities have altogether a total of about 29,000 students91. This number is almost
equivalent to enrolment in the University of Ghana. The total enrolment of students in private
universities is 20% of the total number of students in the public universities in Ghana.
Private Sector Participation
In Ghana, private universities offer a potentially viable alternative for expanding access to higher
education without incurring significant government costs. This factor has earned private education
the praise of education experts and government officials alike. As financially strapped public
universities find themselves increasingly hard-pressed to absorb the rapidly escalating numbers of
secondary school graduates - the combined effect of population growth and rising demand, the
Ghana government has recognized the difficulty of carrying the burden of education through public
funding alone and thus the reforms to facilitate non-governmental participation in the provision of
higher education in the Country.
Challenges
Notwithstanding the zeal of entrepreneurs and other bodies to set up private tertiary institutions,
they are faced with a number of challenges92. These include:


Insufficient financing: Ghana is generally faced with a dearth of long term funding. This has
affected development of infrastructure for tertiary institutions as the sources of long term funding
are inadequate;



Questioned quality. Respondents felt that a number of them should not have got their
accreditation;



Inadequate infrastructure: Infrastructure in most universities in the country is poor. There is the
need for more physical and academic facilities and resources to enhance teaching and learning;

89

90
91
92

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, University of Ghana, Accra, University of Cape
Coast (UCC),Cape Coast, University of Education (UEW), Winneba, University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale
and University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) Tarkwa.
EMIS 2009/2010.
http://www.centraluniversity.org/vpyg-10th-anniv.htm.
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/inhea/profiles/Ghana.htm.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

207



Staff turnover: Staff turnover is one of the main concerns of most tertiary institutions. This is due
to the relatively poor salary structure that still persists though there has been some
improvements during the past decade;



Weak technical and vocational education and training facilities for industrial expansion, and
weak linkage of programmes with social and productive sectors of the economy.

Availability of (Qualitative and Quantitative) Higher Skilled Manpower
Qualitative and quantitative manpower is required for the desired development of the country. The
country’s public and private universities produce large numbers of graduates annually however the
quality of education in the country currently leaves much to be desired. As a result, much of the
training is theoretical and students have very little exposure to practical application of theory.
Students more often do not meet the industry requirement standards and therefore employers
usually retrain new employees to meet their manpower requirements.
The job market is unable to absorb the large numbers of graduates turned out annually from the
private and public universities. Particularly because of governments decision to freeze the number
of civil servants in order to increase remuneration. In the past, it took graduated about a year to find
a job, but presently, it takes between 2 to 3 years for graduates to find jobs. There is a huge need
for quality manpower in all sectors of the economy especially in the decentralised system which
government is strengthening currently, the upcoming civil society organisations and in the emerging
oil and gas industry. Literature study of Ghana’s plans for this industry shows that analyses of
manpower needs with regard to the oil and gas industry are already at an advanced stage and that
the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC, 2009) has identified that the key challenge
faced by the country at the moment is the lack of readily available and capable manpower with the
appropriate technical skills to support the sector.
Industry has no choice but to employ the available graduates to make them perform their duties
efficiently, employers re-train these graduates. This is evident in the many cases where fresh
graduates are employed as management trainees or employed on probation for a period of
between 6 months and 1 year for skills development and understanding the industry. To increase
the skills of staff, organisations provide various training opportunities to employees through the
various scholarships/fellowships available in different countries. This helps to develop the right
quantity and quality of skilled manpower.
Avenues for external training of employees are limited and therefore some institutions such as the
Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) provide training for mid-career
employees. Some of the courses are done in collaboration with external Institutions of Higher
Education. Some of the Universities also collaborate with external Institutions for Higher Education
to train locally. For instance the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is
collaborating with ITC to provide the international programmes locally.
The implementation of the Fellowship Programme has helped organisations to reduce shortages in
skilled manpower but this has not fully eliminated shortages of skilled manpower in these
organisations. This situation is confirmed by the Ministry of Finance of Economic Planning which
indicated that for the Netherlands Fellowship Programme could only train appreciable numbers of
people between the medium to long term. The Ministry of employment and Social Welfare also
made an assertion that the shortages in skilled manpower was huge and required that many more
professionals are trained to increase skilled manpower in Ghana.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Fellowship programmes in the country
The country benefits from a number of scholar/fellowship programmes from other countries.
Internally, the Ghana scholarships secretariat administers scholarships on behalf of the
Government of Ghana. Scholarships from various countries and the government of Ghana
scholarships are administered by the Scholarships Secretariat. The secretariat is involved
throughout the application process until award of the scholarship. Interviews with respondents
showed that the employers/NFP alumni have benefitted from programmes offered by JICA,
DANIDA, World Bank, China, Korea, DAAD, American Embassy. Brief descriptions of selected
programmes are presented in the table below.
Table 2 Brief descriptions of selected programmes
Fellowship/Scholarship

Description of Implementation

DANIDA



The fellowship programme is focused at partner organisation and Private
Sector and entails short courses and MA course. Short Courses (1-3 weeks)
are paid for by the DFP programme whilst masters have to be financed from
programme funds;



“training/ education is sustainability”;



The course offer (specifically put together for Danida) is send the relevant
programmes to get applicants from their partners. Partners look for eligible
applicants, recently it became more flexible because of focus on private sector
development which meant that also outsiders can apply;



Recently some of the courses were localised in consultation with embassy
(GIMPA) a.o governance, procurement etc.), participants get a certificate from
Denmark and DSA;



The programme in 2011 has trained 60 professionals on the local programme
for short course and 12 have been trained on the Master programmes (6 for
health – 2 per northern region) in Denmark and 40 have followed the short
courses in Denmark, number of applicants is rising (now 80);



Local Danida office screen applicants (interviews) and aims to monitor the
performance and progress of the alumni when they return to Ghana(is pilot) Ultimate selection is made in Denmark based on relevance (current role/
position);

United States of America



Programme demand-drive, Danida looks at annually at training need.



1) Government programme is designed for High School Teachers, Polytechnics
and University Lecturers, young opinion leaders, political and opinion leaders.
The underlying philosophy is to bring American and foreign nationals together
to promote understanding. – master level, 4-6 per year;



The Embassy reviews the applications and shortlists based on quality of
application, Short listed candidates are interviewed by the embassy;



2) Fulbright, in total 20-30 study places, The fellowship pays all the costs
associated with the programme. The programme also supports PhDs for 2
years and in special cases 3 years, which requires the fellows to;



3) Hubert Humphrey Fellowships, This fellowship is aimed at mid level
Ghanaian professionals for 10 months. 5-6 per year non-degree course for 10
months. 35% of the training takes place in the classroom and the 65% is
practical training in selected institutions. The programme targets courses in
public administration, planning and resource management, public health and
agricultural development. New areas that have been added include:
Communication, Free market economy and Multi party democratic institutions
and human rights. Uses alumni to recruit / screen new fellows. *)-100
applicants, best are reviewed in Ghana, last selection is made in Ghana.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

209

Fellowship/Scholarship

Description of Implementation

Japan International



The programmes offered by JICA include: PhD, Masters, Short Courses (Group

Cooperation Agency-

Training Courses), Tailor Made Courses (Country Focus Courses), Counterpart

JICA

Courses-these are project related. The idea is that people working on
counterpart projects require some capacity building to sustain the project when
Japanese funding for the project is over, and Third Country Courses. These are
courses funded by JICA but organised in Egypt, India, Singapore and Malaysia;



The scholarships can only be accessed by governmental agencies. Individuals
who do not work in any of the JICA supported sectors (Health, Education,
Agriculture, Governance, Energy, Infrastructure, Industrial Sector: support for
SMEs cannot access the scholarship;



JICA sends an overall list of available courses available in Japan to the Ministry
of Finance and Economic Planning. The course list is usually up to 400. Ghana
has a choice up to between 200 to 250 courses. Ministry sends the course list
to the relevant ministries and programmes. In some instances, JICA advices
the Ministry of Finance to get people from specific programmes;



The majority of applications are for short courses and tailor made courses.
Between 100 and 250 people are trained yearly in all the modalities, that is
PhD, Masters, Short Courses, Tailor Made Courses and third country courses;



Before fellows leave for Japan it is required to: 1) State objectives for
participating in the programme and 2) Develop pre-action plan/interventions
with the involvement of the organisation which would be implemented upon
return to Ghana of the nominee. It is mandatory for the organisation to be
involved in this action plan development so that the nominee is not frustrated
when the time comes for the plan to be implemented;



The organisation is involved fully in the application process and endorses the
application form. Ministry of Finance also endorses as well as the Training
Division of JICA;



Follow Up: Anytime nominees want to implement an action plan, JICA
representatives are always available to observe the process. This is later
followed by implementation reports.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Table 3 Comparison on NFP s and Programmes of Other Stakeholders
Policy

NFP

Other Players

Fellowship/ Scholarship

Provides full fellowship for PhD,

Sometimes requires cost sharing for

Masters and Short Courses.

PhD Studies (only two- three years

Almost no limitations.

Separate programmes for education

are paid for).
Target groups

institutes, focus at partner
organisations.
Involvement of

NFP focuses on individual staff,

Most of the other players work in

Organisations in application

organisations need to support the

close collaboration with organisations

process

application and write a letter of

throughout the application process

recommendation.

and for follow up after training.

Application process to be initiated by

The application process is entirely

the applicant.

managed by the organisation.

The NFP does not provide any

Candidates are carefully screened

information to the organisation on

(and interviewed) to ensure that they

whether the applicant has been

are the right candidates including

successful or otherwise.

language test.

Objectives are not set by many of the

Objectives are set and sometimes

applicants before they leave for

work plans developed before the

training.

nominees leave for training.

Application Process
Response on Application

Objective Setting

Implementation of NFP
Implementation of NFP (2002-2010) in Ghana
According to the data provided by Nuffic the implementation of the Netherlands Fellowship
Programme has benefitted about 677 individuals in Ghana in the period 2002-2010, divided in 249
fellowship for Master course, 17 for Phd courses and 411 for short courses. The fellowships were
awarded to staff from about 200 different organisations. Almost half of the fellowships (339) went to
staff from (semi) government organisations, about one quarter (174) went to staff working for
education institutes, 100 fellowships were awarded to staff working for NGOs whilst staff working
for companies received 39 fellowship. Notably the category other (25) includes some large
companies (e.g. Vodafone Ghana and Grontmij) and some UN organisation (World Food
Programme and UNAIDS). The Nuffic report for the period 2003-2010 shows that 33% of the
fellowships were granted to women during this period. Besides 84 refresher courses have been
granted and seven organisations have benefitted from TM courses and one organisation from a
MYA.
Selection process and criteria
The Netherlands government has a MOU with the Ghanaian Ministry of Finance and Economic
Planning (MOFED). The NFP Applicants need to be to approved by MOFED. The Ministry will
check whether candidates fulfil the main criteria set by the Ghanaian Government such as having
performed the National service. The ministry is further responsible for brochure dissemination.
The Embassy gives priority to applicants from organisations in the focus areas of the embassy as
identified in its multi - year strategic plan: water & sanitation, food security and health, to women
and applicants from deprived areas. The fellowship officer further looks at the job the applicant is
doing and career direction. The specific guidance for scoring of these criteria have been developed.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

211

Before 2011 the embassy could give recommendations but the Fellowship officer did not know how
the scoring worked: “sometimes it worked sometimes not”.
From 2012 the eligibility criteria have been moderated as the employer does not need to guaranty
that it will continue to pay the salary of participants during the education/training in the Netherlands.
This was a problem for particularly NGOs and Companies less for government.

Relevance


The educational structure has several challenges of poor infrastructure, increasing number of
students per class, inadequate materials, aging lecturers amongst others which make it
impossible for them to produce graduates with the desired quality to meet the demand of
employers. Consequently when these graduates are employed ultimately, their skills need to be
improved through higher training, either in the country or abroad;



The short context analyse above shows that the programme is addressing real needs in Ghana.
The gap in qualified manpower is less in quantity but more in quality of the available manpower.
Respondents feel that present Netherlands NFP priorities however are not fully aligned with the
present Ghanaian priorities which emphasise manpower development that will support the rise
of the oil/gas and mining industry;



Respondents feel that NFP with its large and broad programme provides a very important
opportunity for professionals at mid/career level. In contrast to other programmes the NFP is
found to be easily accessible. The programme provides specific possibilities for (smaller) NGO’s
in deprived areas, not seen in many other programmes which mostly focus on government,
larger organisations. `The poor can get it the programme has no hidden costs`. Gender equity is
a major issue in Ghana, much fewer women than man apply for the NFP. Reasons mentioned
are: difficulty to leave family/ home for a longer period and bosses preference for further study
by male colleagues;



The interviews with respondents show that the Netherlands Fellowship Programme holds
relevance to the individual beneficiaries. The relevance of the programme is evidenced by the
various reasons adduced by the beneficiaries for choosing to train under the Netherlands
Fellowship Programme. The key reasons which beneficiaries stated for participating in the
programme are upgrade of knowledge and skills (not available in Ghana) and career
opportunities;



Organisations support beneficiaries to access the programme for staff development. Employers
interviewed still do have challenges with shortages in skilled manpower in their various
organisations and therefore take advantage of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme to train
their staff in various courses which have relevance to their organisations. Most of the employers
as a result of past positive experience with previous fellowship holders (or being an alumni
themselves) readily support the applications of candidates who want to participate in the
programme. The criteria for support of an application vary by organisation but involve for all
selected employers that the applicant must have worked with the institution for at least three
years. In cases employer mentioned that they feel almost forced to give recommendation
because they do not want to block any opportunity for their staff. Employers only play a passive
role in the process by providing a support letter to the candidate. The selection of the fellows
does not necessarily correspond to organisations specific needs and opportunities because the
organisations are in most cases not involved in the application process;



In cases staff is only allowed to apply for selected courses that fit the organisation staff
development plan. In the example of the Ministry of Food & Agriculture (MOFA) staff is only
allowed to courses the organisation finds to be related to their position/ work area. In cases

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

were the name of a course is not clear/ misleading this has led to a situation in which staff after
their Master still were in need of essential knowledge for their work.

Effectiveness
Many of the organisations but also alumni interviewed also have benefitted from other capacity
building programmes and fellowship programmes. In these cases we had to depend on the
respondents to pinpoint the specific effect of the NFP support.
Individual level (alumni)
Value of the Education
Beneficiaries interviewed made assertions that the programme was very effective through the
exposure that they received during the period of training. Respondents consider the following as the
most useful elements of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme:


Practical nature of the Programme: The practical nature of the training exposes participants to
several techniques of handling challenges and translating theory into practice;



Cultural Mix of the Programme: The programme draws participants from various countries and



Development of Skills and Knowledge: The programme develops the skills and knowledge of

this brings to bear experiences from different cultures which is beneficial to the programme;
the participants and improves their work performance, elevates their self confidence and equips
them with new ways of delivering on their jobs.
The alumni were of the view that their expectations were largely met in terms of the course content
and practical aspects.
Individual gains
The alumni interviewed indicated that the training/education received has improved their
competence at work, improved their managerial capacity and also enabled them to take up
increased responsibility. Their confidence level has also increased and their social competences
such as presentation and communication with colleagues and subordinates and report writing skills
have also improved. Alumni as well as employers indicated that through the training, they had
improved upon their quality of work because they are now able to complete their assignments in
time and with much better quality. Employers in addition feel that the alumni also gained selfconfidence and are self-motivated to work.
The training opened them to possibilities in their career development. For a number of the alumni,
their responsibilities have increased since they returned to their jobs and they are able to cope with
the increased work load without difficulty.
Career development
Most of the alumni interviewed returned to their former positions. This is due to the fact that the
organisations, with the exception of education institutes have a system which allows promotion
through normal procedures and processes. Gaining a higher degree or qualification therefore is not
a guarantee for a job promotion. Most alumni, Irrespective of not gaining promotions, are given
more responsibilities. Some of the organisations have capitalised on the enhanced capacities of the
alumni and tasked them with new assignments. For instance in the Water Resources Commission,
one of the MA alumni has been put in full charge of climate change issues. In the Ministry of Food
and Agriculture another MA alumni has been given full responsibility for proposal writing and fund
raising to support projects.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

213

In a few cases, beneficiaries did not continue to stay with their employers but moved on to other
jobs that offered better conditions of service.
Utilisation of knowledge and expertise
In many cases, beneficiaries cited the difficulty in applying knowledge which they had acquired from
the training. Often no objectives were set for return. The utilisation of their new skills and expertise
is limited to the beneficiary’s locus of work and the few people he/she interacts with and influences.
This is also because most of the alumni are not in managerial positions to influence the policies of
the organisation. This situation often results in frustration which sometimes leads to some
beneficiaries leaving the institution. `I should not be treated as similar, my degree should be
acknowledge and they should put it task`.
The situation is not different when it comes to knowledge sharing. The few opportunities the alumni
have to share their knowledge are during presentations and on-the-job coaching to subordinates
and team members.
A positive example in this respect is the Water Resource Commission in Ghana. The Commission
is a flat organisation and until a vacancy is created, there are no promotions possible. The alumni
are allowed to participate in management meetings share their thoughts on issues.
Influencing factors and conditions
A positive example in this respect is the Water Resource Commission in Ghana. The Commission
is a flat organisation and until a vacancy is created, there are no promotions possible. The alumni
are allowed to participate in management meetings share their thoughts on issues Influencing
factors and conditions.
Upon return from their education- training in the Netherlands the alumni faced some obstacles in
implementation their gained skills and knowledge:


Resistance to change: dependent on the working culture and his/ her position the alumni is
able to implement ideas for organisational change. One of the alumni stated in this respect that:
`the position you have determines what you can bring in` It is difficult to change the Hierarchy;
often ideas are valued by their direct bosses but it is more difficult to influence the wider
organisation. Moreover organisations often have a slow pace/ change process, and it can take
several years before ideas are valued;



Limited promotion opportunities due to particularly political promotions;



Lack of resources: as part of the courses often work plans for the organisations are made to
be implemented when the alumni return to their employer. However often hard to implement
because of limited availability of budget/logistics/tools etc. This obstacle was specifically
mentioned by staff from education institutes and staff involved in more technical professions.

Organisational level
Employers interviewed indicated that all the alumni returned to their various organisations upon
completion of the course, some of the NFP alumni have left for other institutions.
The most reported effects at organisational level are the improvement technical skills of the alumni
and consequent improvement of services delivered (training, extension work, teaching). Alumni
have brought in new ideas which in cases have brought increased efficiency and innovation (e.g.
better understanding of poultry and field data collection in the MOFA or new methods for data
collection in the Environmental Protection Agency).

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

To a more limited extent change is working culture and organisational strategy are mentioned. Here
alumni faced more organisational barriers and effects highly depended on the readiness of the
organisation for change.
The organisations still face shortages of qualified staff although turnover in most organisations is
low.
Some employers stated that their expectations were not met because they did not have full control
and involvement in the determination of the courses that the applicants opted for and were not
involved in the nomination of the candidate and the selection process.
The following box provides an example of the contribution of NFP to organisational development.
The Youth Harvest Foundation (YHF) is a small NGO in the North of Ghana that provides general
support to youth farmers. One of staff members (the present director) of the NGO obtained a Master
through NFP, whilst he and another staff member were also involved in a short course. The current director
was surprised that he could get a fellowship this easily as fellowship opportunities are scarce in this part of
the country. Upon return he was promoted to director of the organisation. After his education in the
Netherlands he brought back the capacity to attract funding and enter into partnership with other NGOs
and donors. Moreover based on his Dutch experience he introduced some structural changes in working
culture to include equal opportunities and team work to bring out the best in each of the team members.
Moreover the MA education in the Netherlands brought him respect in society and able to participate in
bigger issues. He has established a NGO network in North Ghana to exchange knowledge and promote
cooperation.

Country level
The potential contribution to the wider socio/economic development of the different organisations
supported differs for the different selected organisations. The fellowships for staff from for example
the university of Cape Coast will have a more indirect contribution than support to the MOFA which
in many cases works directly with farmers or the Environmental Protection Agency.
Respondents interviewed indicated that the NFP fellowships did not lead to concrete economic
relations with the Netherland s organisations. If these relations existed (such as in the case of the
Environmental Protection Agency) they were the result of other cooperation projects. The alumni
however feel connected to the Netherlands and many of the alumni interviewed indicate they feel
ambassadors for the Netherlands. Considering the long history of the programme in Ghana some of
the alumni are now in high positions (minister etc.) and this may benefit Dutch relations with Ghana.
The Embassy does not keep in contact with any of the alumni. Alumni data is not available and not
used for specific meetings or other gatherings. It is felt that this is a missed opportunity to promote
both political and economic relations.

Efficiency
Application and selection process
RNE considers distribution of responsibility efficient (situation 2011), coordination has improved,
and much more info is provided. However it is felt that the RNE/NFP lacks information on the side
of the organisations/alumni `We have not invested time in discussing (alumni, organisations) e.g.
contact with alumni organisations`.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

215

The Ghanaian counterparts and applicants expressed criticism on the selection process which is
seen as a black box. The criticism is related to the what is felt to be an untransparent selection
procedure as well as to the limited information that is provided. Applicants indicated that they would
like to get more feedback on the reasons why they have not been selected. The MOFED
complained that they would expect to receive information from either Nuffic or the RNE of the
different fellowships that are awarded, organisations felt that also the employers (contact persons)
should get feedback on the fellowships that were awarded to their staff. The employers interviewed
indicated that the other fellowship programmes give a larger role to the organisations for instance to
make recommendations (JICA, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Danida).
Quality of education:


Some of the alumni interviewed felt that heterogeneity of participants can impact learning
outcomes of particularly short courses. Specifically cultural aspects such as the respect for
elderly (and consequent difficulty for younger people to argue with elder participants) but also
large difference in starting qualifications are mentioned;



Almost all alumni commented on the very packed courses (ITC=International Torture Centre)
and minimal time to experience the Netherlands;



The Ghana Health Insurance Authority (MYA) is very positive of the initial contacts with and
support of Nuffic and the RNE but due to multiple staff changes on the side of Nuffic after some
time the contact was minimal. The HR directors stated that: “he did not want to explain the
situation all-over again`. Also the contact with the RNE due to change of staff ceased. The
employer (newly set up organisation’ but would expected more flexibility within the contract.

Cost-effectiveness
Alumni prefer Master courses because they are seen as essential for career development. But is
also felt that due to possible rise in position at the end the master alumni is able to accomplish
more within an organisation (longer term). Employers however, prefer the short courses since it
provides hands on practical training for the alumni and does not take too long to complete. Short
courses are also preferred by some of the women because they are not able to leave their families/
homes for a longer period.
Most employers are of the view that the short courses and tailor made courses are the most
efficient modalities of the NFP because of the short duration and practical focus on resolving
challenges encountered on the job. Education institutes as to be expected prefer Master and Phd
courses. The Phd course are not much valued by employers other than research or education
institutes. They feel that this education is only relevant if staff work in research. Experiences are
that staff after a Phd education does not fit easily in the organisation and is likely to leave for a
research or teaching position.
Short Courses and Tailor made Courses
The organisations agree that the Master programmes are very beneficial for the institutions and the
applicants. They would however prefer short courses and tailor made courses which train the staff
to handle challenges facing the organisation in a more practical way because the duration for these
courses are shorter.
Role of Alumni networks
Locally, the Ghana alumni association is not yet well established. The organisation appears to have
a very active chairmen but office location and financial support is still not available. A small group of
alumni meets about four times a year. The associations plans to organise pre-departure meetings
to prepare new fellows for the study in the Netherlands and on what can be expected when they

216

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

come back. The association has difficulty mobilising the alumni. The chairmen feels that he gets
only limited support from the Netherlands embassy.
The alumni keep in touch with the HEI through email contact. Information on developments in the
institution such as conferences and courses that would be organised in the future and alumni
network activities is sent through email interactions.

Lessons and recommendations
The alumni and employers interviewed have given a number of recommendations for the
programme. The following points were brought forward:
Removal of employer recommendations
The alumni are of the view that employer recommendations can actually jeopardise the opportunity
for some staff to participate in the programme and should be removed.
Involvement of employers in the application process
Institutions suggested that the level of involvement in the process of NFP procedures is too minimal
and would prefer greater involved in the selection process.
Programme very much focused at applicants not at organisations, only involved in application
process (not in selection etc.) - almost general request for more involvement of employers –e.g.
priority setting. This would enable the beneficiary institutions to manage their capacity development
efforts appropriately for greater benefit to the organisations and to the country.
Localised and refresher courses
Organisations would prefer some of the courses to be localised and delivered in collaboration with
institutions from the Netherlands. This way, more staff of the organisations would benefit from the
programme. Also the organisation of more refresher courses for alumni to bring them abreast with
new developments in the subject area is mentioned in this respect. Some of the alumni commented
that the opportunities for the organisation of refresher courses are unclear.
Better tailoring of the training- education:


To have more tailor made courses to address practical on-the job challenges. For example a
tailored course in the agricultural sector to resolve challenges in mechanisation and irrigation.
The suggestion is that some of the courses should be done in Ghana with one of the tertiary
institutions to allow for more staff of the beneficiary institutions to be trained. But also to make
examples in the field more applicable and realistic than in the Netherlands;



The NFP should have direct links with the beneficiary organisation to provide feedback on
course content.

Financial support upon return for implementation

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

217

List of Respondents
Name

Organisation

Position

Year

Modality

Study

Netherlands

1999-

Masters

Public Policy and

Alumni

2000

Alumni
Francis Avura

Administration

Association of
Ghana
Edwin Bekoe

Ministry of

Deputy Director

Food and

1998-

Post

1999

Graduate

Agriculture
Kodwo Fynn

Ministry of

Diploma
Deputy Director

Food and

1998-

Post

1999

Graduate

Agriculture
Margaret Sumah

Mavis Afutu

Patrick Aboagye

Pig Production

Tropical animal Production

Diploma

Ministry of

Deputy Director,

2000-

Food and

Livestock

2001

Agriculture

Extension

Ministry of

Animal

2010-

Food and

Husbandry

2011

Agriculture

Officer

Ministry of

Acting Head, Soil

2008-

Food and

and Water

2009,

Agriculture

Engineering

Masters

Masters

Tropical Animal Production

Agricultural Production
and Value Chain
Management

Masters

Agricultural Production
and Value Chain
Management

Department
Felix Danquah

Ministry of

Nketsiah

Food and

Alumnus

2005-

Masters

2006

Agricultural Engineering
and Change Management

Agriculture
Ruby Neils

Ministry of

Senior

2005-

Palme

Food and

Agricultural

2006

Agriculture

Economist

Kojo Ohene

Electricity

Team Leader

Asiem

Company of

2007-

Masters

Development and
International Agriculture

Masters

Audit

Masters

Data

2008

Ghana
Belinda Yebuah-

Electricity

Sectional

2005-

Dwamena

Company of

Manager, Data

2006

Ghana

Management

Veronica Larbi

Electricity

Economist

Mensah

Company of

Management/Management
Information System

2009-

Masters

Corporate Policy

Short

Project Management

2010

Ghana
Sylvia Noshie

Electricity

Sectional

Company of

Manager, MIS

2009

Course

Ghana
Comfort Cofie
Musah Danquah

218

University of

Assistant

2004-

Cape Coast

Accountant

2005

University of

Senior Research

2003-

Cape Coast

Assistant

2004

Nazir Kizzie

University of

Senior Research

2008-

Hayford

Cape Coast

Assistant

2010

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Master s

Corporate Strategy and
Economic Policy

Masters

Development Studies

Masters

Biotechnology

Name

Organisation

Position

Year

Modality

Study

Kingsley

University of

Senior Research

2008

Short

Project Management

Kwadwo Asare

Cape Coast

Assistant

Course

University of

Senior Research

Short

Cape Coast

Assistant

Course

Christine Young

Water

Alumnus

Adjei

Resources

Joseph Baffoe

Environmental

Senior

2005-

Protection

Programme

2007

Agency

Officer

Environmental

Senior

2008-

Protection

Programme

2009

Agency

Officer

Environmental

Principal

2003-

Protection

Programme

2004

Preko
Selorm Akaba

2009-

Masters

2011

Edmund McAddy

Resources
Masters

Masters

Masters

Agency

Manager

Environmental

Principal

2004-

Protection

Programme

2006

Agency

manager

Stella Adu

National

Protocol and

Amankwa

Health

Relations

Course

Insurance

Manager

and TM

Joe Tsagli

Management and
Regulation of Water

Commission

Okaebe Amoah

Project Management

Masters

Water Resources and
Environmental
Management

2009

Short

Marketing of Services

Authority
Thomas

National

ICT

2009

Short

Addoboe

Health

Course

Insurance

and TM

E-government

Authority
John Krugu

Youth Harvest

Director,

2008 SC,

International Course in

Foundation

Employer and

2009/2010

Health Development

alumni

MA
2009

SC

2006

MA

Mrs Abilla

Youth Harvest

Marketing

Foundation

extension officer

Mrs. Ekyem

Ghana Heath

Director regional

services

hospital

Market access for
sustainable development
Master of Public Health
(International Course in
Health Development)

Judith Ayisi

Swan

Quantity

Construction

Surveyor

2009/2010

MA

Urban Management and
Development

Limited

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

219

Employer

Organisation

Position

Ing. Joseph Kwasi Boamah

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Director, Department of

Asare Mensah Baffour

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Director, Animal Production

Agricultural Engineering
Department
Ernest Mallet

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Deputy Director, Human Resource
Directorate

Peter Kennedy Arkoh

Electricity Company of Ghana

Kofi Kukubor

Electricity Company of Ghana

Divisional Manager, Financial Audit
Divisional Manager, Manpower
Planning and Training

Mr. Pappoe

University of Cape Coast

Head of Department,
Environmental Science
Department

Isaac Baafi Sarbeng

University of Cape Coast

Senior Assistant Registrar

Ben Ampomah

Water Resources Commission

Ag. Executive Director

Nathaniel Otoo
Lambert Faabeloun

National Health Insurance

Director, Administration and

Authority

General Counsel

Environmental Protection Agency

Director, Manufacturing Industry
Department

Ken Segou

Ghana Health Services

HR Manager

Sheela Sakyi

Royal Netherlands Embassy

Fellowship officer

Roos Mogen

RNE

Acting Fellowship officer

Harry van Daijk

RNE

Head of Development Cooperation

Anita Patience D’Almedia

Danish Royal Embassy

Assistant Programme Coordinator

Eunice Ackwerh

World Bank

Focal Person, Education

Nii Sapei Nunoo

United States Embassy

Cultural Affairs Specialist

Rabi Ali Abaari

JICA

Programme Officer

Stan Acquah

Japanese Embassy

Programme Officers

Alexander Kwaning

Ministry of Finance and Economic

Director

Other stakeholders

Planning
Frank Quist

220

Ministry of Employment and Social

Director, Human Resource

Welfare

Development

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Country Report Uganda
Introduction
Evaluation Netherlands Fellowship Programme
The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for coordinating and implementing Dutch
foreign policy. Among others, the Department for Social Development (DSO) of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs is responsible for developing and implementing Dutch development policies in policy
areas like education, research and innovation and health. DSO is also responsible for the
Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) that has been implemented over the years.
Currently the Netherlands foreign and development cooperation policies are subjected to some
important changes. In order to prepare for future decisions in the context of revised development
cooperation policies and priorities, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for evidence
based information on whether the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) have been able to
accomplish their objective to alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at
mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction in
Uganda.
The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assigned Ecorys Netherlands to undertake the
evaluation of NFP. The main purpose of the evaluation is to account for Netherlands funding and
other inputs provided for the NFP (in the period 2002-2010) and gain lessons for future policy
development and implementation.
For the evaluation a balanced set of instruments has been chosen: face to face interviews with
policy makers NFP, literature and documentation review, review of statistics available, surveys
among alumni and employers and 4 country case studies (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana and
Uganda). This report presents the results of the case study in Uganda.
Country visit activities Uganda
For the country case study, one international evaluator (Eva van der Boom) teamed up with a local
expert (Leo Dijkman). The activities performed in Uganda comprised of:


Literature and document review;



Interviews with alumni, their (former) employers, the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Kampala
and decision makers at ministries and local authorities.

The interviews were almost all held face to face. Only in those cases a face to face interview could
not be arranged (in time), it was held by telephone. A semi-structured topic guide was developed
for all country specific interviews, allowing the interviewers to adapt to local contexts while
maintaining a key set of standardized questions. In addition, all interviewers worked with
standardized interview instructions.
The contact details were delivered by NUFFIC and the local RNEs. Due to differences in focus with
regard to the development cooperation policies of the RNEs and differences in the role of NFP in
the RNE policies, the selection of alumni and their (former) employers was based on the sector
focus of the concerning RNE. For Uganda the majority of interviews were with alumni and
employers in local governments (governance), education and justice and law.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

In total 36 interviews were held:


20 alumni (7 short courses, 14 Master, 2 PhD and 2 refresher courses: total of 25 because 10
people participated in two types of NFP modalities);



8 employing organisations (of which one Multiple Year Agreement, MYA);



4 representatives93 of the Royal Netherlands Embassy (RNE) in Kampala;



4 representatives of Ugandan policy makers at national or regional level.

The results of these activities are an integral part of the overall evaluation of NFP. This means, that
these results will be analysed and triangulated in conjunction with the results of the other evaluation
activities, in order to answer the evaluation questions. The main purpose of the country report is to
provide coherent and in-depth insights in the implementation and effects of NFP in Uganda.

Context
Introduction
Uganda is a landlocked country and is regarded as one of Africa’s few success stories in social
economical sense.

94

Uganda’s progress is explained as the work of a reform-minded government

in partnership with the international development community. The high rates of economic growth
found in surveys – initiated by the government and its partners - support this view. Between 1997
and 2009 the GDP growth rate was reported to be more than 6% annually, well above the average
for sub-Saharan Africa. In the same period the poverty headcount – measured as the percentage of
the population living below the national poverty line – fell from 55.7 to 37.7 per cent.95
Uganda has embraced a seemingly liberal approach to economic and social development. The
deregulation of the formal economy and the decentralisation of government powers took away
responsibilities from marketing boards and ministries and put them in the hands of individual
producers and citizens. The country, according to World Bank reports, has adopted an essentially
liberal agenda, focusing on participation, democratisation and empowerment. The country has
benefited from large inflows of development aid.96 At the same time the development policies of
various Western nations supported Ugandan government’s commitment to social issues such as
the promotion of women’s rights and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Millennium Development Goals Report September 2010 states that there are good reasons to
celebrate the achievements of the Government of Uganda and its people:
“Progress has been particularly strong in reducing the share of the population that lives in poverty, and
Ugandans are on track to meet the MDG target of halving poverty by 2015. There has also been significant
progress towards reducing the share of the population suffering from hunger. Moreover, the report shows
that progress has been made in terms of gender equality and empowerment of women. The target of
gender parity between boys and girls in primary education has been achieved, and the country is on track
to meet the targets for access to HIV/AIDS treatment and access to safe water.”

93
94
95
96
97

222

97

The meeting with both the RNE ambassador and Head of OS is counted as 1 meeting.
World Bank reports since 2000.
Government of Uganda: annual reports.
Including the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative and PEPFAR (US Presidents Program against HIV Aids).
Millennium Development Goals Report, Government of Uganda, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development, September 2010.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

However, the global financial crisis and related sharp increment of e.g. food and fuel prices,
painfully unveils severe weaknesses or serious macro economic gambling at the side of the
Ugandan government’s socio–economic, macro-economic and monetary policy.98 The current
political and socio-economic crisis in the country shows that much of the reported growth is
concentrated in the capital urban area and is restricted to a relatively small group of beneficiaries.
General development higher education
The system of education in Uganda has a structure of 7 years of primary education, 6 years of
secondary education (divided into 4 years of lower secondary and 2 years of upper secondary
school), and 3 to 5 years of post-secondary education. The present system has existed since the
early 1960s. Post-secondary or higher education refers to education that is post-"A" level. Only
students who have successfully completed "A" levels and passed their Uganda Advanced
Certificate of Education are eligible to enter post-secondary institutions of higher education.
Table 1 The structure of Uganda’s education system
Education level

Cycle

Award

Progress opportunities

Pre- Primary

2 Years

-

1. Primary Education

Primary Education

7 Years

Primary Leaving

1. Lower Secondary (O’

Examination (PLE)

Level)
2. Technical school

Lower Secondary

4 Years

(Ordinary Level)

Uganda Certificate of

1. Upper Secondary (A’ Level)

Education (UCE)

2. Primary Teachers College
3. Technical Institute
4. Other Departmental
Training Institutes.

Technical School

3 Years

Certificate

1. Technical Institute

Upper Secondary

2 Years

Uganda Advanced

1. University

Certificate of Education

2. Uganda College Of

(UACE)

Commerce

(Advanced Level)

3. National Teachers College
4. Uganda Technical College
5. Other Departmental
Training Institutes
Primary Teachers College

2 Years

Certificate

1. National Teachers College

Technical Institute

2 Years

Certificate

1. Uganda Technical College

Uganda College of

2/3 Years

Diploma

1. University

National Teachers College

2 Years

Diploma

1. University

Uganda Technical College

2 Years

Diploma

1. University

University

3/5 Years

Diploma/Degree

1. Post Graduate Studies

Commerce

Note: The Examining Body is Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB).
Source: Ministry of Education and Sports (Government White Paper on Education).

There are three types of publicly supported HE institutions:


Fully autonomous universities; Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and
Technology;

98

223

In September 2011 the Governor of the Bank of Uganda – against his professional custom – openly criticized in the press
the Ugandan Governments macro economic policies and stated that governments overspending – with hardly any return –
contributed much more to the current sharp inflation of the national currency than the Government likes the citizens to
believe.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010



HE institutions run by the Ministry of Education; the Institute of Teacher Education, the Uganda
Polytechnic, the National College of Business, four technical colleges, five colleges of
commerce, and 10 national teachers colleges;



HE institutes administered by the Public Service Commission; mostly in the field of (para-)
medics such as the School of Radiography, the School of Medical Laboratory Technology, the
School of Psychotherapy; but also the Institute of Public Administration, the Uganda Law
Development Center, four agricultural colleges, et cetera.

In addition, Uganda counts 10 private institutions of higher education at the moment, increasing the
capacity of HE enrolment. In 1965 Uganda had 888 students enrolled in Makerere University and
about 1,000 students enrolled in other institutions of higher education. Recent statistics are hard to
come by, but indications are that these figures have gone up drastically. In 2009 33,000 students
were enrolled in Makerere University (still the largest), while the total for 7 other universities was
more or less the same.99
While the increased enrolment figures may present very hopeful indicators, as well as the growing
number of universities, the Higher Education Research Report in Uganda lists a number of
constraints that affect the quality of higher education in Uganda severely:


Limited or inadequate funding for research and updated study materials;



Inadequate and deteriorated infrastructure and premises;



Brain drain due to low remuneration;



Management issues;



Emphasis on teaching on the expense of research;



Shortage of technical staff;



Promotion of academic staff not related to research productivity.

National policies Higher education
In the Education Sector Strategic Plan 2004-2015 the Government of Uganda states that:
“Tertiary graduates should be prepared to be innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial in the private and
public sectors. Only 2.7% of Uganda’s youth between the ages of 19 and 25 are enrolled in higher
education institutes, yet demand for access to this level of the system exceeds what is provided. While this
rate is expected to grow over the coming decade, it will remain the case that few Ugandans hold higher
education credentials. Thus, public investment in higher education should be returned to society in the form
of productive participation in private enterprises and public service.”

The Ministry of Education and Sports developed a related Policy and Strategies Plan to restructure
the tertiary system to increase coherence and flexibility. The Ministry has established a National
Council for Higher Education, which has developed a strategic plan for the sub-sector that centres
on a restructured system. The aim of this restructuring is to:


Develop coherence among the universities and other higher-education institutes; among others
by harmonising the credit system, allowing mobility of students between the different disciplines
and institutions;



Establish a liberalised financing mechanism and diversify the resource-base; among others by
allocating funds more directly to the students instead of to the institutions;



Reform and improve curricula and instruction in priority disciplines, such as science,
mathematics, technology, and other subjects critical to Uganda’s national development;

99

224

Kyambogo University (10,000), Mbarara University (3,000), Iganga Fairland (2,500), Nkumba University (4,500), Gulu
University (3,000), Islamic University Mbale (6,000) and Uganda Martyrs University (3,500). Source: Owoeye, Oyebade
(2010). Higher Education Research in Uganda: Problems and Prospects. Kampala: International University.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010



Promote research, particularly applied research, and publications;



Prevent and reduce corruption and mis-use of public resources; the Ministry will provide
incentives for professional conduct and enforce sanctions against unprofessional conduct. 100

Availability of higher educated manpower
Up-to-date information on the labour market of Uganda is scarce as well. The most recent figures of
Uganda Bureau of Statistics are from 2006101. As those statistics show, the sector agriculture and
related activities were by far still the largest sector in terms of labour force (75%). The services
sector was estimated to employ 21% of the labour force, including non-commercial employers. In
addition, only 5.6% of the labour force was indicated to be higher educated. These statistics
indicate that Ugandan labour market was a very traditional one in 2006.
A general rule is that the higher the percentage of labour force working in services, the more need
for higher educated people. However, it does not follow that Uganda does not have to deal with a
lack of higher educated employees, albeit the limited size of the services sector. For comparison:
65% of the labour force was employed in the services sector in The Netherlands in 2006102 and
31% of all employees had a degree in higher education103. Although no sound conclusions can be
derived from the scarce statistics available in Uganda, the numbers of 21% employed in the
services sector and 5.6% higher educated employees, do indicate that the demand for higher
educated employees could be higher than the supply of this group.
The CIA Factbook presents some more recent indicators. According to this source, Ugandan
economy is still mainly agricultural of nature, as most of the Sub-Saharan countries.
Table 2 Economic indicators Uganda (per end 2009)
Indicator
Labour force
Labour force in agriculture

Value
15.01 million
82%

GPD national

USD 42,18 billion

GPD per capita

USD 1,300

Budget revenue

$2.007 billion

Budget expenditures

$2.508 billion

Industrial Production /Expansion rate

5.3%

Exports

$3.151 billion

Imports

$4.106 billion

Debt external

$2.05 billion

Source: CIA World, Fact book 2011/ the figures are estimation, per end 2009. For 2011, the labour force is estimated to be 17
million.

Fellowship programmes in Uganda
Ugandans are eligible for many (foreign) fellowship programmes, offered by different types of
donors such as charity foundations, individual universities, regional unions et cetera. The table
below lists the fellowship programmes comparable to NFP, in terms of education level (higher

100

101

102
103

225

Government of Uganda, Ministry of Education and Sports: Education Sector Strategic Plan 2004-2015, in which also
extended information is provided for in regard to funding mechanisms.
Viewed on website
http://www.ubos.org/onlinefiles/uploads/ubos/pdf%20documents/2007%20National%20Labour%20Market%20Indicators.p
df.
CBS Statline, Key figures employment 2006-2009. Services: including education, health and public administration.
CBS Statline, Labour force: education level 2006.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

education), types of modalities offered and financed by donor countries. Other donors such as
individual universities and charity foundations are not included.
Table 3 Fellowship Programmes eligible for Ugandans per donor country (selection)
Donor

Focus

country &

Cross

Eligibility

Selection criteria





cutting

programme
Austrian

Focus: applied Science,

Fellowship

social studies,

Programmes

humanities studies,

-



Own financial

Application &

contribution is required;

selection by

Good knowledge of

universities;

economics, journalism,

German language will

health.

be needed.



Basic study
capacity preeducation
certificates/diplo

Masters & PhD.

ma’s required.
Belgium

Focus: Health &

Fellowship

Education (2011/2012).

-

Applicants in Public Health



program

rural areas;

Nationals (civil servants,
Type of Study: PhD,

private sector, civil

Masters, Bachelor, Short

society).

Priority to
applicants from

and Education; Ugandan



Gender
balanced
selection.

Training Programmes.
Denmark:

Interdisciplinary courses

Gender,

Be citizen of Uganda;

Selection by Danida

Danida

- mainstreaming issues,

Research,

certain standard to be

partners or Danish

Fellowship

technical or

Private

accepted, seeking for

Development

Programme

management disciplines;

Sector,

commencing, not for

partners.

Tailor-made courses

Safety &

already commenced study

specially designed to

Security

or course; be able to show

fulfil the needs of an

strong commitment to

individual

development in Uganda;

program/project; Degree

be employed or to be

studies - master and

employed; not for career

PhD program Strategic

path only.

initiatives - political,
strategic and technically

Study travels and tours on

innovative training;

invitation of Danida related

Study/exposure tours for

partners.

e.g. members of
Parliament,
municipalities and/or
members of county
councils, civil servants
etc.
Germany

Focus: young academics

Research

Most studies will be in the

Selection done at

‘DAADS’

for post graduate or PhD

and practical

German Language, hence

Education Institute

fellowship

studies.

application in

knowledge of the German

level.

home

Language is needed.

program
Discipline: Scientific

country

Research; Arts;
Architecture.
Irish Aid

Sector related: JLOS,

Gender, HIV

Be citizen of Uganda;

Candidates from

Education, Local

Aids,

residing and employed in

disadvantaged

Government, Macro

Environment

Uganda; certain standard

regions have

Economics Private

&

to be accepted on PG/MA

priority.

sector Dev. & Social

Governance

course in Ireland; at least 3

Dev.

226

years in dev. work; have

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Selection: by gender

Donor

Focus

country &

Cross

Eligibility

Selection criteria

identified relevant higher

balanced committee

education institution in

from Irish Aid

Ireland or own region;

Partners.

cutting

programme

seeking for commencing,
not for already commenced
study; be able to show
strong commitment to
development in Uganda;
be able to take up study in
the year it is offered.
Norway

Based on Norway sector

Gender, HIV

NORAD

priorities and related with

fellowships

Norway cooperation



Be a citizen of and

University must

Aids, Conflict

residing in a number of

declare all financial

resolution

selected African

and logistic support -

work:

strategies,

countries;

final selection done

Education, Environment;

Good

Be capable of

by Norway Masters

Economic Dev.; Gender;

Governance

participate in a Masters

Program Board

Good Governance:

and

Study;

(NOMA).

democratic dev, human

management





NB: Studies are

rights and migration;

conducted in higher

Health, Oil & Energy,

education institutes in
the South;

Peace & Conflict



resolution.

In Master program
collaboration between
educ. Institute in South
and North is required.



Capacity building in the

Quota

‘lower-income’ selected

at least been in country

to and selection

Scholarship

home countries.

for the last year prior to

by the higher

the application;

education

Minimum of two years

institute in

higher education in

Norway;

n.a.



Type of Study: Masters
& PhD, certain specific

Be a citizen and have



Norwegian

home country;

studies.



Not native speaking

No limitations on study

English applicants

discipline, unless relation

have to pass a course



Application and

Study capacity
of applicant.

first;

with home country needs



is not clear.

Students need to come
from home country
education institutions.
‘Free-movers’ are not
eligible;



30% of costs is Grant;
70% is provided as
loan.

Sweden:

For undergraduate

Business

Be a citizen of the home

Highly competitive

Federal

students without any

and Industry

country without financial

selection, based on

‘Benjamin

other means of funding.

means to study.

expected
excellence.

Gilman
Intern.
Fellowship”

227

Travel costs have to be
advanced.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Donor

Focus

country &

Cross

Eligibility

Selection criteria

Fellowship for



cutting

programme
Sweden

Focus on research for

‘Malmberg

students with the

undergraduate students;

Scholar and

intention to focus on

Scholarship for graduate

Fellowship”

Sweden

students.

Research

Quality and
discipline of
research study;



Study capacity
of applicant.

Travel costs to be
advanced.
US:

Focus: science, social

Fulbright

studies, art, music,

Fellow

teaching, engineering,

Committee of Public

Exchange

mathematics;

Affairs department

Program

Bachelor, MS and PhD.

at US Embassy in

n.a

Full grants in nearly all

Selection by in-

cases.

country Fulbright

the country.

It was not possible to include the numbers of fellowships offered by the programmes included in
Table 3. Therefore the importance of NFP in Uganda cannot be assessed. According to the RNE,
the NFP is one of the largest fellowship programmes in Uganda. Besides NFP, only a few
programmes favour participation from rural areas (the Belgium Fellowship Programme and Irish
Aid). Gender equality is a more common section criterium for selecting participants. The focus of
the fellowship programmes is generally on health, education, governance and law and order.
NFP shows overlapping characteristics with the fellowship programmes offered by other countries
in terms of targeting mid-career employees, except maybe in size and the focus on rural areas.

Implementation of NFP
Implementation of NFP in general
As in all NFP countries, the NFP desk officer of the RNE in Kampala is responsible for the
implementation of NFP in Uganda. In Uganda, however, before 2010 NFP was integrated into the
broader development cooperation policies of the RNE. The NFP desk officer got input and support
from DC colleagues, for instance in identifying the key organisations for the priority sectors of the
DC policy. In Uganda three Multiple Year Agreements were established, all three concerned a
district local government, to strengthen the RNE governance priority sector. In addition, regional
NFP officers were appointed in the rural areas. Their main tasks were to disseminate information on
NFP in their own region, provide the application form and brochure of the RNE, encourage the
organisation and employees working in the key sectors to apply for NFP and to provide the RNE
with additional information on applicants.
As of 2010 the application and selection procedures were standardised. Also before 2010
candidates could take the initiative to apply, but RNE did promote NFP more actively in the priority
sectors than in the other sectors. From 2010 the initiative lies more strongly with the candidates
themselves, to submit an application online. The submitted application documents are checked by
the RNE NFP desk officer on their validity and original status, to ensure that they are eligible. If the
application is in order, it automatically feeds into the selection procedure. According to the RNE the
new procedures have resulted into a decrease in the influence of the RNE (see chapter 6).

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

NFP Uganda 2002-2010 in numbers
Within the period under scrutiny, 622 Ugandans were awarded an NFP fellowship, who make up
5% of the total number of NFP fellowships (12,330). Table 4 shows that the longer period
modalities (Master and PhD courses) are relatively more popular in Uganda. In addition, Uganda
shows a relatively higher female participation.
Table 4 Numbers of Ugandan NFP fellowships and % females by modality, 2003-2010
Uganda

NFP total

N

% of Total

%F

N

% of Total

%F

Short courses

291

47%

47%

7,206

58%

47%

Masters

318

51%

54%

4,857

39%

45%

PhD

13

2%

62%

267

2%

53%

Total

622

100%

51%

12,330

100%

47%

Source: Ecorys calculations, based on: Nuffic, Kerngegevens NFP 2003-2010, 21 juni 2011.

The distribution of NFP fellowships by the different types of organisation shows that (semi-)
governmental organisations got the largest share of fellowships. This result is in line with the fact
that governance and law & justice were (and still are) priority areas in the development cooperation
policies of RNE Kampala and the fact that education was a priority area as well until 2010.
Figure 1 Distribution of NFP fellowships by organisation type, Uganda 2002-2010

Small business
Non‐
5%
governmental
10%

Other
5%

Education
institute
30%

Government
(semi‐)
50%

Relevance
Introduction
Until 2010, the implementation of NFP in Uganda was in coherence with the DC policies of the
RNE. Three MYA’s were established, with district local governments, also linking NFP and DC
policies. Needs analyses were carried out for these MYA’s to identify the key positions (and
persons) in need for additional training and education and which modality/training would be most
beneficial for the three organisations. In this section we will present the evidence for the relevance
of NFP on the individual and the organisational level.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Individual - alumni
The reported relevance of NFP on the individual level seems to be quite strong. Their arguments to
participate in NFP paint some clear lines:
Improvement job performance – The most common reason to apply for NFP is that in order to
perform the tasks properly and efficiently, more (specific) knowledge was required and / or
competences needed. The alumni indicated that the theoretical and practical parts of their curricula
were outdated and did not properly prepare them for their jobs. Examples that were mentioned
frequently were: development of analytical skills needed for problem assessment and problem
solving; people management (theory, skills and tools); efficient planning of daily work;
communication skills and tools; computer skills.
Enhancement of career opportunities and personal development – Besides improving their
performance in their current jobs, improvement of the chances to get promoted within their
organisation and/or strengthen the career opportunities in general, is also a strong motivation to
apply, especially for the Master and PhD modalities. Although university enrolment has increased in
Uganda, especially Master and PhD opportunities are still scarce.
Exposure to other cultures and international experience – Another component of the personal
development motivation is the desire for exposure to other cultures and international experience.
The majority of the interviewed alumni applied for the NFP programme hoping to learn from their
experiences abroad, such as interacting in a different working and learning culture.
Organisational level
According to the intervention logic, the relevance of NFP should mainly be evident on the
organisational level. In the interviews with employers, their motivation to back-up the applications
for NFP seems to be ranging from strategic use of NFP for improving the performance of their
organisation to just indifference.
Strategic improvement of the organisation’s performance – Especially in those cases when a needs
analysis was performed (e.g. Soroti District Government) or when a (self) assessment was carried
out with regard to the performance of (parts of) the organisation (National Water and Sewerage
Company), a targeted strategy was applied to gain the knowledge and competences that were
lacking. In these cases the HR officer mostly approached individual employees for NFP application
and clear agreements were made on the implications after return. Indications are though, that such
strategic approaches were applied by just a few of the organisations.
Profiting from improvement of individual performance – A substantial part of the employers did not
have a clear strategy of how to use NFP to strengthen the organisation, but agreed to back
individual employees up with the idea of profiting from their professional development. In these
cases (the majority), the initiative was taken by individual employees themselves.
Indifference – Some evidence also shows indifference from the employer to the ambitions of their
NFP applicants. in these cases the risk of the applicants to lose their job whilst studying in the
Netherlands proved to be highest, but also the chance of alumni quitting their job to pursue a career
move.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Effectiveness
Individual level of alumni
The effectiveness of NFP on the individual level appears to be strong. The effects can be divided
into those directly related to the current job and tasks and effects on the personal development not
directly related to the current job.
Current job
The strongest effects directly related to the current job/tasks that were found are:
Improved quality of work – Both alumni and their employers/managers acknowledge for the largest
part that the NFP experience had a direct, positive effect on the quality of the work. No differences
were found between short courses and Masters/PhD degrees, except the focus of improvement.
Short courses mainly target at specific knowledge areas and competences, such as the use of new
mapping technologies or how to implement and manage a project. The link between the short
courses and the execution of specific tasks in the current job is usually strong. Masters degree
courses affect the quality of work in a broader sense, not only due to increased knowledge of the
subject matter, but also because of the increase of the general academic level. The link between
the Master degree courses and the performance in the current job varies more; evidence shows
that those applying for this modality have a stronger longer term goal of career development in
mind.
Improved time management – Efficient work procedures and time management were one of the
major ‘eye-openers’ for the alumni. They think it is one of the best things they learned in the
Netherlands and they say to put it into practice every day.
Improved communication skills – Alumni also strongly agree that NFP has had a positive effect on
their communication skills. They argue that partly due to increased knowledge they are more selfassured which is expressed in their communication with others, especially those in higher positions;
but communication skills and tools were also often part of the curriculum. In addition, a large part of
alumni hold the opinion that the intercultural setting contributed to their communication skills as
well.
Improved managerial and team building skills – In addition to improved communication skills, most
alumni reported an improvement of their managerial and team building skills; although this effect
seems mostly to be the outcome of the sum of improved knowledge, communication skills and time
management. According to the employers, the performance of the relevant division/team has been
improved after the participation in NFP, substantiating the claim of the alumni.
Improved problem solving skills – Especially the alumni who acquired a Masters degree report a
substantial improvement of their problem solving skills. They claim to have learned to look at
problems more analytically and to apply a more planned approach to solve the problems. The more
analytical approach also entails an increased critical attitude towards their higher management and
working culture, sometimes leading to conflicts.
Personal development
Besides effects on the current job, the alumni also reported other effects of NFP:
Improved prospects on promotions and career development – With regard to effects not related to
the current job, improved prospects on promotions / career development is recorded to be the most
important one. Although a few respondents reported no improvements in their job position or even a

231

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

negative effect because of ‘envy’, most Masters alumni do report improved prospects. Some were
even offered a promotion by their employer almost immediately after return; others used their new
degree to apply for a better job outside their former organisation and/or to realise the career shift
they intended to make.
Entrepreneurship – Increased independence and entrepreneurship are additional effects reported
by NFP alumni, also resulting from increased self-assuredness.
Better understanding of other cultures – Although most alumni – except those in the academic
world – do not operate in an international context, they still value their better understanding of other
cultures as an effect of their international NFP experience.
NFP ‘ambassadors’ – Even the alumni who were disappointed in their career development after
returning to their employer greatly value their NFP experience and are ready to act as NFP
‘ambassadors’. Also the alumni from the early NFP period are still enthusiastic and still pass on
their experiences to family, friends and colleagues. Some go as far as to call their NFP-experience
‘life changing’.
Expectations met?
The expectations of almost all alumni were met, or even more. For most the expectations consisted
of the opportunity to educational enhancement, increased knowledge, improved skills and the
exposure to international experiences; for a large part also expectations about career prospects
were relevant. According to the alumni, they got even more than they expected; some negative
exceptions aside. One shared disappointment, however, is their inability to change the working
culture and hierarchical decision processes within their organisations on the short term.
Obstacles
The obstacles for putting the alumni’s new knowledge and skills into practice relate for the largest
part to the working culture and institutional limitations/bureaucracy. As one alumnus formulated:
“The [working] culture in my own country does not encourage you to apply the lessons learned; especially
being relatively alone as an NFP alumnus in such an environment. Study at ISS did not include preparing
for returning to former work environment, hence the mental shock can be quite severe.”

According to most alumni, their colleagues and managers were not ready to fully understand or
adopt the changes they proposed, based on their gained insights from the NFP-programme. They
do claim, however, to having achieved some small steps forward, especially in their own team.
Another, related obstacle mentioned, is the lack of back-up. The alumni value the support they get
from fellow students and the institution while studying in the Netherlands. Especially the alumni
based outside Kampala feel they lose all the support after returning to their employer. Some alumni
mention that envy from both their line-manager and their direct colleagues is an additional obstacle.
Especially when these colleagues are older and/or have worked at the organisation longer, they
expect to be promoted before the alumni, even if they are less qualified.
Organisational level
Both alumni and employers were asked about the effectiveness of NFP on the organisational level.
The evidence provided for organisational effects is less consistent and shows a less strong
effectiveness than on the individual level.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Viewpoint alumni effects organisational level
The most reported effects of NFP on the organisational level by the alumni are:


Better quality staff: increased professionalization and improved efficiency in performing their
tasks;



Better functioning departments and organisation, due to better quality staff, and improved
communication and managerial skills;



Better motivated staff: according to the alumni themselves their ability to motivate their staff has
increased, although the effect of NFP on their own motivation seems to differ from person to
person.

They report less/minimal effects on:


The working culture;



Structure of the organisation;



Organisation’s strategy.

Viewpoint employers effects organisational level
The viewpoint of the employers is less clear and less consistent. They seem to be most positive
about the following effects:


Improved skills and knowledge of the fellows;



Improved quality of work;



Better functioning of department/organisation.

Expectations met?
The few employers who had clear expectations of NFP, indicate that their expectations were met.
They used NFP as an HRM instrument, to tackle gaps and weaknesses in their organisation with
regard to their staff. Their employees got readily promoted upon return and were put into positions
in which they could be of the most use to professionalise a part of / the whole organisation. The
Soroti District Local Government provides the strongest evidence, also due to additional support
because of their MYA status. Most employers however, had little or no idea about what to expect
and sometimes were not sure whether the alumnus was still employed in the organisation or not.
MYA: Soroti District Local Government (SDLG) case
In Uganda three Multiple Year Agreements (MYAs) were arranged, with three local governments: with the
district local governments of Soroti, Arua and Lira. The Soroti case was studied in-depth, by means of
interviews with 6 alumni, the HRM officer, the Chief Administrator Office (CAO) and the Deputy CAO /
Principle Assistant Secretary of the SDLG. The SDLG case indicated significant improvement of the
organisation’s performance. All were very positive about the impact NFP has had on the whole
organisation. But it should be kept in mind, however, that one crucial source of information about the
performance of SDLG could not be utilised: the inhabitants of the Soroti District.
The vital positions for NFP participation were identified on the basis of a needs assessment. The
participation of women from SDLG was lower than nationally (29% versus 45%), showing a less favourable
gender balance. On the other hand, the 6 interviewed alumni got all promoted after participating in NFP,
except for 1 (male), showing a strong positive impact on both personal and organisational level. The main
areas improved because of NFP were: (a) conceptualising and writing multiple year policy plans, e.g. on
the improvement of the quality and access of primary education in the region; (b) implementation of
complex projects, e.g. on the strengthening of neighbourhood cooperation on social issues, including
enhancing local support; (c) internal management and communication of (parts) of divisions within SDLG.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Still shortages of well-educated staff?
The employers were not so much asked about obstacles, but if they still face shortages of welleducated staff. Most hold the opinion that they still lack well-educated staff. However, most also do
not have concrete ideas of what kind of knowledge / skills is lacking in the organisation, nor which
positions they should target. They do think that tailor-made or short courses would be most
appropriate to close the gaps. Employers are far less enthusiastic about Masters courses, let alone
PhD because of the long period.
Country level
A few examples were found of organisations that were affected substantially by NFP (Soroti District
Government and National Water and Sewerage Company) and were hence able to increase their
performance. In the opinion of the evaluators, these cases are too isolated in order to generate
clear effects on the country level. According to most interviewees, positive impacts in terms of a
better quality labour force on the organisational, and even more so on the national level, need ‘a
critical mass’ of better educated employees before such impacts can occur. In their view still a long
road needs to be travelled in order to achieve substantial effects/impacts on country level.
On the other hand, the NFP programme is valued by both employers and especially the alumni for
providing equal opportunities to the population in rural areas and to women. Half of NFP fellows is
female (2003-2010, see chapter 3) and indications are that, although the majority of the
fellows/alumni are still Kampala-based, the programme was less dominated by Kampala than other
fellowship programmes. This was especially true due to the MYA’s with the district local
governments and the ‘regional NFP officers’ who were important in providing information about
NFP outside the capital until 2010 (see chapter 6).

Efficiency
Application and selection process
Since 2002 the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Uganda applied a priority modality for the selection
of possible candidates, linking the bilateral Multi Year Agreements (MYA’s), the Development
Cooperation sector programmes and the NFP modalities. NFP applications from employees and
organisations in the DC priority sectors meet preference, as well as women and employees in socalled marginalized up-country areas. While in 2003 still 90% of the approved applications
originated from Kampala and nearby areas, in 2007 this had changed into: 50% Kampala, 50% upcountry. Also due to the efforts of the at that time NFP desk officer at the RNE in Kampala, working
in close collaboration with the NFP officers in the districts, the up-country CB needs could be
addressed specifically.
In 2010 new application and selection procedures were introduced, together with an online. In this
section, the periods before and after the introduction of the new procedures are looked at.
Prior to 2010
Prior to the new procedures and online system introduced in 2010, the application and selection
procedures implied paperwork. The applicants had to fill out an application form and send it,
together with additional documents such as a declaration of the employing organisation and highest
diploma, to the RNE in Kampala. Some applicants were interviewed at the RNE as well, to clarify
their motivation and/or the contribution of their NFP participation to the performance of their
organisation.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

The RNE in Kampala had much more influence on the application and selection procedures. NFP
was linked to the RNE development policies and the application and selection procedures
accommodated the RNE’s priorities in development policies (Ecorys, Evaluation of NPT and NFP,
2007).
The RNE in Kampala developed three different application procedures for the 2007 NFP programmes,
indicating the policy priorities for NFP in Uganda:
5. NFP procedure for some of the priority sectors in Uganda (Justice, Law and Order; Uganda Revenue
Authority and Procurement Sector);
6. NFP procedure for Nebbi, Arua (incl. Koboko & Maracha), Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani, Lira (incl. Amolatar
& Dokolo), Kaberamaido, Soroti and Katakwi (incl. Amuria);
7. NFP procedure for Gulu (incl. Kilak), Moroto, Kamuli (incl. Kaliro), Hoima, Masindi (incl. Buliisa),
Kibaala, Rakai, Bushenyi and Kisoro.

For every NFP procedure of the RNE in Kampala, a detailed guide was available, also explaining
the scoring of the application.
The scoring system was as follows (with a maximum score of 50):



Applicant is female: 10;



Applicant is working in one of the priority areas of the embassy: 25;



Applicant is working up-country in a needy region: 10;



Applicant is employed by one of the three organisations with a Nuffic Multi Year - Agreement but not
part of the agreement: 5.

The current RNE staff (both NFP desk officer and the development policy staff) think it is a shame
they are not able to continue linking NFP with their development policies anymore. RNE Kampala
also reduced the 1 fte for the NFP desk officer to 0.5 fte. In addition, the role of the regional NFP
officers, who are in service of the district governments, has become unclear and need to be
redefined. In a telephone conversation, they (2) stated that their activities contributed strongly to
efficiency, as no application was submitted that did not correspond with the demand of the area.
They would like a stronger role in implementing NFP in the rural areas again.
Since 2010
The main goal of introducing the new (online) application and selection procedures was to decrease
the administrative burden for the applicants, the RNEs and NUFFIC and to increase the efficiency
of the application procedures. Although the online system is easier for applicants in rural areas in
theory, the number of documents they need to upload in combination with the weak internet
connection in rural areas, resulted into many complaints about the online system, especially from
the alumni in rural areas. According to the RNE desk officer, they still need to print out everything
and create paper dossiers anyway, because the system is not user-friendly and they cannot
generate the overviews they would like to. In addition, the applicants are not requested to give their
phone number, which causes problems when the applicant/fellow/alumnus need to be traced.
Whilst the NFP desk officer regularly receives requests of NUFFIC to get hold of an
applicant/fellow.
The selection procedure has also been standardised across all NFP countries. Both the RNE and
the HE institutions score the applications (scale from 1 to 10). The applicants with the highest mean
scores and who fulfil the preferential criteria most (gender ratio and rural areas) are then selected.
Although the new procedure should be more transparent, the RNE and the applicants complain
about the lack of transparency. According to the RNE, the main concern of the HE institution is to
select the candidates with the best academic promise. They would not consider the development

235

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

goal of NFP enough. For the Ugandan applicants, it is less clear how they can improve their
chances on getting in then before, when the scoring was unambiguously explained by the RNE and
even used to attract the people they preferred.
Value added and alternatives
HE enrolment
Although the enrolment in HE has improved over the years, mainly due to the establishment of new
(private) universities, the studies completed are mainly at the Bachelor level. For Ugandans the
opportunities to obtain a Masters degree are still scarce. For those ambitious Ugandans who lack
this opportunity, getting into a fellowship programme is one of the few possibilities they have to
improve themselves and their future prospects.
Quality of education
In addition, the HE system in Uganda is quite traditional. Experiencing modern teaching and
learning methods delivers a major unexpected value added for the alumni. According to most, it
was a ‘life changing’ experience which opened their minds. The elements mentioned most are
interactive debating with fellow students and teacher, the group assignments for which they had to
cooperate to solve a certain problem, the presentations they had to give, the learning from cases in
practice (develop a ‘real’ business or policy plan) and learning from cases provided by fellow
students from other countries.
Alternatives
Ugandans are eligible for numerous other fellowship programmes and thus have access to
alternatives. Only few programmes, however, also target rural areas and provide chances for such
an extensive number of Ugandans. Some alumni are somewhat indifferent as to which programme
they get into; they also like to ‘shop’ in order to utilise all opportunities they can get. But some
alumni do prefer NFP and present themselves as NFP ‘advocates’. Reasons they give for favouring
NFP are that NFP is organised well, the selection procedure is tough but honest and simply that
they ‘like the Netherlands’.
Cost-effectiveness
The budgets spent on the NFP modalities for Ugandan alumni are not available. The alumni
themselves all expressed the opinion that the NFP course has been worth every cent – no matter
which modality. They do agree, however, that it would be more cost-effective to organise the short
courses of only one or two weeks in the own region instead of the Netherlands, despite the value of
the international experience. Employers in general hold the opinion that short courses are more
cost-effective. It is easier for them to picture the value of short courses, to repair specific knowledge
gaps than to estimate the value of the longer Master courses, exceptions aside. In addition, the
costs for the employers are also lower in case of short courses. They would also like to see more
tailor-made courses, targeting the performance of (a part of) the organisation more systematically.
Applicants, however, seem to prefer the Masters modality, because of its potential long-term impact
on their career and personal development. On country level, the Masters modality relates strongly
to the (longer-term) needs in terms of the lack of Master degree opportunities in Uganda.

Lessons and recommendations
Individual level
The alumni agree most strongly on the following lessons/recommendations for the NFPprogramme, in order to become (even) more effective:

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Follow-up sessions/refresher courses – The alumni believe that an NFP experience should be
followed up by an informal session with the host institution (workshop) and even better, by a
refresher course to update the knowledge/competences, in order to strengthen the longer term
effects of NFP. Not only the alumni for whom the NFP experience had been some time ago, but
also those who had the experience quite recently recommended such an activity.
More practical elements such as internships – Also recommended by most alumni is to include
more practical elements in the NFP programme, such as internships (especially Master courses) or
just one day of practical experience in a company/organisation. The alumni had hoped to learn
more how businesses were run in the Netherlands, or how to put their new knowledge into practice
in a ‘real’ setting instead of practicing with fellow students.
Strengthening alumni network in home country, especially rural areas – Some alumni indicate that
they miss the support they got from their teachers but also their fellow students in the Netherlands.
The alumni network in the capital is quite strong and the meetings are very popular. In rural areas,
however, this network is quite weak. The need for such a network is felt not only to keep the
lessons learnt vivid, but also to socialise with others who had the same NFP experience.
Really short courses in own region – Although the Netherlands experience is highly valued by the
alumni, those who participated in a short course do feel that it would be more efficient if the short
courses (of just a few weeks) would be held in the own region. Most alumni, however, think their
course was too short – with regard to both short courses and Masters.
Organisational level
At the organisational level, also some recommendations were given:
More tailor-made courses, preferably ‘in-house’ or otherwise in own region – In contrast to the
alumni, most employers think that the duration of Master degree programmes is too long. They
prefer short courses and, even better, tailor-made courses in the own region/’in-house’. Two capital
based employing organisations (semi-private institutions with a strong management capacity)
suggested that collaboration between Netherlands based educational providers and Ugandan
based providers could be more efficient. Especially short follow-up activities could be carried out
more cost-effective by Ugandan based educational co-partners.
More involvement of the organisation in whole process instead of only application - Not all, but
some employers would like to be more involved in the NFP programme instead of only during the
application process. Employers would also like to receive more support in preparing their
organisation for the return of their employees; in which way the organisation can make best use of
the acquired knowledge & skills to improve the overall performance.
Programme-level
For the NFP programme, the following recommendations recurred during the interviews with alumni
and RNE staff:


Application and selection procedure: Simplification of documents to be uploaded; especially in
rural areas this can cause problems due to a weak internet network;



More transparent selection procedure: Both RNE and the alumni feel that the selection
procedure has become less since 2010. A complaint of the RNE is that the institutions are
focused on the candidates who are most likely to succeed the programme instead of who
contribute the most to the goals of NFP (and of the RNE DC policy). The applicants are not sure
how to estimate their chances or how to improve their chances for selection;

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010



Clearer role NUFFIC: A recurrent remark of the alumni is that the role of NUFFIC is unclear to
them. After starting the NFP course a few of them meet a NUFFIC representative at the host
institution, but for most NUFFIC remains at a distance. They have the impression that NUFFIC
is responsible for their selection for NFP, but do not have any contact information to thank them.
They also would appreciate follow-up actions towards the alumni and employers, if only just to
find out whether they are doing ok;



Cooperation between NUFFIC and RNE should be improved: The RNE would like to improve
the communication between NUFFIC and RNE and a clearer description of responsibilities of
both organisations. E.g. the telephone number of the applicants is not registered on the
application form. Still NUFFIC requests RNE regularly to contact the applicants/fellows by
phone in order to solve certain problems they encounter. RNE feels that that should be the
responsibility of NUFFIC themselves;



Restoration of NFP-DC policy link: The RNE staff holds the opinion that the former link between
NFP and DC policy in Uganda was very useful and strengthened the effectiveness of both. Due
to the online instrument and selection procedure they feel they are unable to link both CB
instruments anymore.

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

239

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

NFP Alumni Questionnaire

NFP Evaluation Employer Questionnaire 2011/2012

Involvement in NFP
According to our information, staff of your organisation participated in the
Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP). If more than one employee participated in
NFP, can you please give your general opinion.

*

1.

Do you know whether staff of your organisation participated in the Netherlands Fellowship
Programme (NFP)?
Yes, I am well informed about this
Yes, I have heard about it, but do not know the details
No, I am not informed about this

*

2.

To what extent was a manager in the organisation involved in the decision making of staff to
subscribe or enrol into the NFP programme?
(In general) Closely involved in the decision making
(In general) Only formally/indirectly involved
(In general) Informed after the decision was taken
(In general) Not informed at all
Do not know

*

3.

In which NFP education or training did staff of your organisation participate?Please tick the
relevant categories

Individual fellowships for master's degree programmes
Individual fellowships for PhD studies
Individual fellowships for short courses
Tailor made training course (group training)
Refresher courses (group training)
Do not (exactly) know

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

4.

In the period 2002-2010: How many staff participated in the following NFP education or training?
Please write a number for each NFP education or training in which your staff participated. If you
do not exactly know, please give an estimate

Individual fellowships for master's degree
programmes
Individual fellowships for PhD studies
Individual fellowships for short courses
Tailor made training course (group training)
Refresher courses (group training)

*

5.

When was the last time, staff of your organisation participated in an NFP education or
training?Please fill in the year the last NFP course of your employee was finished
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Do not know
Other, please specify
............................................................

Education and training policy of your organisation

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

243

6.

What strategies does your organisation normally apply to respond to shortages in skilled
manpower in the organisation?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

Recruitment of qualified staff from
outside the organisation











Incompany training of staff











Facilitating off-the-job education or
training











Outsourcing of work











More efficient organisation of work











Cancelling requests for (more) work











Other, please specify
............................................................











7.

To what extent do the following statements apply to your organisation?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not know

Our organisation actively
encourages staff to
obtain further education
or training











Our organisation actively
encourages staff to enrol
into international
fellowship programmes











Our organisation has its
own budget for
education and training of
staff











Decisions about further
education of staff are
based on education and
training needs of the
organisation











Due to the salary levels
in our organisation, we
have difficulties
attracting and retaining
skilled staff











Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Reasons for participating in NFP

*

8.

What were the main reasons for your organisation to allow staff to participate in NFP education
or training?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

To improve the quality of staff











To reduce manpower shortages in a
specific position











To retain staff for the organisation











To reduce shortages of relevant
expertise in the organisation











To improve the quality of services of
the organisation











To (further) develop an international
network with institutions and
colleagues abroad











To enhance innovation in the
organisation











Other, please specify
............................................................











Impact of the NFP education and training

244

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

9.

1
No impact

2
Low impact

3
Moderate
impact

4
High impact

Do not know

Improved quality of staff











Reduced manpower
shortages in specific
position(s)











Improved relevant
expertise in the
organisation











Retained staff for the
organisation











Improved quality of
services of the
organisation











Improved management
of the organisation











Improved international
network with institutions
and colleagues abroad











Introduction of new
technologies in the
organisation











Enhanced working
motivation among
participating staff











Willingness among other
staff to enrol into similar
education or training











10.

245

How do you rate the impacts of the NFP education or training on the organisation?If more than
one employee participated than please give your general impression

What other impacts of NFP education or training do you consider important, and are not
mentioned in the former question?

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

11.

Did your organisation experience one or more of the following drawbacks because of staff
participating in the NFP programme(s)?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

Serious capacity problems in the
organisation due to absence of NFP
participant(s)











Increased work pressure for other
colleagues











Reduced work motivation among
NFP alumni











Staff having become over-educated
for their work











Other, please specify
............................................................











12.

Could the NFP education or training of your staff have had more impacts on the organisation if
certain elements had been differently organised?

Yes
No
Do not know

*

13.

In what way could the NFP education or training of your staff have had more impacts on the
organisation?

If the education or training had been better tuned to the needs of the organisation
If the organisation had been more involved in the selection of candidates
If the education or training had been more embedded in our training policy
If the NFP participant(s) would have communicated better on the content of the course/programme
If the quality of the courses/programmes would have been better
If more staff of the organisation could attend the NFP programme
If more refresher courses were organised
If the transfer of NFP knowledge to other staff in the organisation had been better organised
Other, please specify
............................................................

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

14.

To what extent does your organisation have contacts with the NFP education or training
institute(s) or other organisations in the Netherlands?
1
Regularly

2
Occasionally

3
Rarely

4
Never

Do not
know

with the NFP education or training
institute











with public bodies (ministries,
municipalities)











with private companies











with non-governmental organisations
in the Netherlands











with another university or research
institute in the Netherlands











Other, please specify
............................................................











15.

All in all, how useful was the content of this NFP education or training for your organisation

Very useful
Useful
Slightly useful
Not useful at all
Do not know

*

16.

How do you rate the staff turnover among staff that participated in NFP education or training
compared to the average staff turnover in your organisation

Above average staff turnover
Average staff turnover
Below average staff turnover
Do not know

Refresher course

247

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

17.

Did staff that participated in NFP education or training also participate in a so-called refresher
course?

Yes
No
Do not know

*

18.

Was this refresher course useful for your organisation?

Very useful
Useful
Slightly useful
Not useful at all
Do not know

*

19.

What do you consider to be the main value of the NFP refresher course?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

Upgrade of knowledge and skills
acquired in the earlier NFP course











Opportunity for discussing practical
problems











Catching up with the newest
technologies and methodologies











Strengthen business and academic
contacts in the Netherlands











Strengthen social contacts in the
Netherlands











Other, please specify
............................................................











Concluding

248

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

20.

To what extent does your organisation still experience shortages of skilled manpower?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not know

Further improvement of
staff quality is required in
all respects











There is still a lack of
specific expertise in the
organisation











There is still a shortage
of staff in specific
postion(s)











21.

In the future, do you still intend to support staff of your organisation to participate in NFP
education or training?

Yes, certainly
Yes, probably
No, probably not
No, definitely not
Do not know

22.

249

Why would you not support staff to participate in NFP education or training?

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

23.

If you have any other remarks or comments on the NFP education or training your employee(s)
followed, please elaborate.

Finally, we would like to ask some questions about the background of your
organisation

250

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

24.

In which country is your organisation located?

Afghanistan
Albania
Argentina
Armenia
Autonomous Palestinian Territories
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cape Verde
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Georgia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea-Bissau
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ivory Coast
Jordan
Kenya
Kosovo

251

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Macedonia
Mali
Moldova
Mongolia
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Rwanda
Senegal
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Surinam
Tanzania
Thailand
Uganda
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Other, please specify
............................................................

252

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

25.

What position do you have in the organisation?

Minister/State secretary
Director/CEO
Manager/Head of unit
Senior staff member
Professor
Teacher/trainer
Owner of the company
Other, please specify
............................................................
Not applicable

253

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

26.

In which sector(s) is your organisation active?

Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Mining and quarrying
Manufacturing
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
Construction
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Transportation and storage
Accommodation and food service activities (hotels, restaurants, etc.)
Information and communication
Financial institutions
Renting, buying and selling of real estate
Consultancy, research and other specialised business services
Renting and leasing of tangible goods and other business support services
Public administration, public services
Education
Human health and social work activities
Culture, sports and recreation
Other service activities
Extraterritorial organisations and bodies (for example: IMF, WorldBank, WTO, OPEC)
Non-governmental organisation
Other, please specify
............................................................
Do not know

254

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

27.

What type of organisation is your organisation?

NGO (non-governmental organisation)
Government or government funded organisation
University or research institute
Business/Private company
Other, please specify
............................................................
Do not know

*

28.

How many employees does your organisation have?Please write a number. If you do not exactly
know, please give an estimation

29.

Did you ever participate in an NFP education or training yourself?

Yes
No
Do not know

*

30.

In which type of NFP education or training did you participate

Master course
PhD course
Short course
Tailor-made training
Refresher course
Do not know

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Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

31.

In which year did you finish your (last) NFP education or training?

1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Do not know
Other, please specify
............................................................

256

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

NFP Employers Questionnaire

NFP Evaluation Employer Questionnaire 2011/2012

Involvement in NFP
According to our information, staff of your organisation participated in the
Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP). If more than one employee participated in
NFP, can you please give your general opinion.

*

32.

Do you know whether staff of your organisation participated in the Netherlands Fellowship
Programme (NFP)?

Yes, I am well informed about this
Yes, I have heard about it, but do not know the details
No, I am not informed about this

*

33.

To what extent was a manager in the organisation involved in the decision making of staff to
subscribe or enrol into the NFP programme?

(In general) Closely involved in the decision making
(In general) Only formally/indirectly involved
(In general) Informed after the decision was taken
(In general) Not informed at all
Do not know

*

34.

In which NFP education or training did staff of your organisation participate?Please tick the
relevant categories

Individual fellowships for master's degree programmes
Individual fellowships for PhD studies
Individual fellowships for short courses
Tailor made training course (group training)
Refresher courses (group training)
Do not (exactly) know

257

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

35.

In the period 2002-2010: How many staff participated in the following NFP education or training?
Please write a number for each NFP education or training in which your staff participated. If you
do not exactly know, please give an estimate

Individual fellowships for master's degree
programmes
Individual fellowships for PhD studies
Individual fellowships for short courses
Tailor made training course (group training)
Refresher courses (group training)

*

36.

When was the last time, staff of your organisation participated in an NFP education or
training?Please fill in the year the last NFP course of your employee was finished

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Do not know
Other, please specify
............................................................

Education and training policy of your organisation

258

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

259

37.

What strategies does your organisation normally apply to respond to shortages in skilled
manpower in the organisation?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

Recruitment of qualified staff from
outside the organisation











Incompany training of staff











Facilitating off-the-job education or
training











Outsourcing of work











More efficient organisation of work











Cancelling requests for (more) work











Other, please specify
............................................................











38.

To what extent do the following statements apply to your organisation?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not know

Our organisation actively
encourages staff to
obtain further education
or training











Our organisation actively
encourages staff to enrol
into international
fellowship programmes











Our organisation has its
own budget for
education and training of
staff











Decisions about further
education of staff are
based on education and
training needs of the
organisation











Due to the salary levels
in our organisation, we
have difficulties
attracting and retaining
skilled staff











Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Reasons for participating in NFP

*

39.

What were the main reasons for your organisation to allow staff to participate in NFP education
or training?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

To improve the quality of staff











To reduce manpower shortages in a
specific position











To retain staff for the organisation











To reduce shortages of relevant
expertise in the organisation











To improve the quality of services of
the organisation











To (further) develop an international
network with institutions and
colleagues abroad











To enhance innovation in the
organisation











Other, please specify
............................................................











Impact of the NFP education and training

260

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

40.

1
No impact

2
Low impact

3
Moderate
impact

4
High impact

Do not know

Improved quality of staff











Reduced manpower
shortages in specific
position(s)











Improved relevant
expertise in the
organisation











Retained staff for the
organisation











Improved quality of
services of the
organisation











Improved management
of the organisation











Improved international
network with institutions
and colleagues abroad











Introduction of new
technologies in the
organisation











Enhanced working
motivation among
participating staff











Willingness among other
staff to enrol into similar
education or training











41.

261

How do you rate the impacts of the NFP education or training on the organisation?If more than
one employee participated than please give your general impression

What other impacts of NFP education or training do you consider important, and are not
mentioned in the former question?

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

42.

Did your organisation experience one or more of the following drawbacks because of staff
participating in the NFP programme(s)?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

Serious capacity problems in the
organisation due to absence of NFP
participant(s)











Increased work pressure for other
colleagues











Reduced work motivation among
NFP alumni











Staff having become over-educated
for their work











Other, please specify
............................................................











43.

Could the NFP education or training of your staff have had more impacts on the organisation if
certain elements had been differently organised?

Yes
No
Do not know

*

44.

In what way could the NFP education or training of your staff have had more impacts on the
organisation?

If the education or training had been better tuned to the needs of the organisation
If the organisation had been more involved in the selection of candidates
If the education or training had been more embedded in our training policy
If the NFP participant(s) would have communicated better on the content of the course/programme
If the quality of the courses/programmes would have been better
If more staff of the organisation could attend the NFP programme
If more refresher courses were organised
If the transfer of NFP knowledge to other staff in the organisation had been better organised
Other, please specify
............................................................

262

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

45.

To what extent does your organisation have contacts with the NFP education or training
institute(s) or other organisations in the Netherlands?
1
Regularly

2
Occasionally

3
Rarely

4
Never

Do not
know

with the NFP education or training
institute











with public bodies (ministries,
municipalities)











with private companies











with non-governmental organisations
in the Netherlands











with another university or research
institute in the Netherlands











Other, please specify
............................................................











46.

All in all, how useful was the content of this NFP education or training for your organisation

Very useful
Useful
Slightly useful
Not useful at all
Do not know

*

47.

How do you rate the staff turnover among staff that participated in NFP education or training
compared to the average staff turnover in your organisation

Above average staff turnover
Average staff turnover
Below average staff turnover
Do not know

Refresher course

263

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

48.

Did staff that participated in NFP education or training also participate in a so-called refresher
course?

Yes
No
Do not know

*

49.

Was this refresher course useful for your organisation?

Very useful
Useful
Slightly useful
Not useful at all
Do not know

*

50.

What do you consider to be the main value of the NFP refresher course?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not
know

Upgrade of knowledge and skills
acquired in the earlier NFP course











Opportunity for discussing practical
problems











Catching up with the newest
technologies and methodologies











Strengthen business and academic
contacts in the Netherlands











Strengthen social contacts in the
Netherlands











Other, please specify
............................................................











Concluding

264

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

*

51.

To what extent does your organisation still experience shortages of skilled manpower?
1
Not
applicable

2
Slightly
applicable

3
Applicable

4
Highly
applicable

Do not know

Further improvement of
staff quality is required in
all respects











There is still a lack of
specific expertise in the
organisation











There is still a shortage
of staff in specific
postion(s)











52.

In the future, do you still intend to support staff of your organisation to participate in NFP
education or training?

Yes, certainly
Yes, probably
No, probably not
No, definitely not
Do not know

53.

265

Why would you not support staff to participate in NFP education or training?

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

54.

266

If you have any other remarks or comments on the NFP education or training your employee(s)
followed, please elaborate.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Finally, we would like to ask some questions about the background of your
organisation
*

55.

In which country is your organisation located?

Afghanistan
Albania
Argentina
Armenia
Autonomous Palestinian Territories
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cape Verde
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Georgia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea-Bissau
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ivory Coast
Jordan

267

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Kenya
Kosovo
Macedonia
Mali
Moldova
Mongolia
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Rwanda
Senegal
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Surinam
Tanzania
Thailand
Uganda
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Other, please specify
............................................................

268

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

56.

What position do you have in the organisation?

Minister/State secretary
Director/CEO
Manager/Head of unit
Senior staff member
Professor
Teacher/trainer
Owner of the company
Other, please specify
............................................................
Not applicable

269

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

57.

In which sector(s) is your organisation active?

Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Mining and quarrying
Manufacturing
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
Construction
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Transportation and storage
Accommodation and food service activities (hotels, restaurants, etc.)
Information and communication
Financial institutions
Renting, buying and selling of real estate
Consultancy, research and other specialised business services
Renting and leasing of tangible goods and other business support services
Public administration, public services
Education
Human health and social work activities
Culture, sports and recreation
Other service activities
Extraterritorial organisations and bodies (for example: IMF, WorldBank, WTO, OPEC)
Non-governmental organisation
Other, please specify
............................................................
Do not know

270

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

58.

What type of organisation is your organisation?

NGO (non-governmental organisation)
Government or government funded organisation
University or research institute
Business/Private company
Other, please specify
............................................................
Do not know

*

59.

How many employees does your organisation have?Please write a number. If you do not exactly
know, please give an estimation

60.

Did you ever participate in an NFP education or training yourself?

Yes
No
Do not know

*

61.

In which type of NFP education or training did you participate

Master course
PhD course
Short course
Tailor-made training
Refresher course
Do not know

271

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

*

62.

In which year did you finish your (last) NFP education or training?

1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Do not know
Other, please specify
............................................................

272

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Terms of Reference

Tender document
Limited bidding procedure:

Evaluation of the Netherlands
Fellowship Program (NFP)
FEZ/IM-233/DSO

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands,
The Department for Social Development (DSO)
Printed: 11/6/12
FEZ/IM version: 20110413

273

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

Contents

Glossary

7

Acknowledgements

9

Summary

11

Relevance

13

Relevance from an individual perspective

13

Relevance from an employer's perspective

13

Labour market relevance

13

Relevance for Dutch Higher Education and the Dutch state

14

Effectiveness

14

Perceived value of NFP and education and training provided

14

Effects on the individual fellows

14

Effects on the organisation

15

Brain drain or brain gain?

15

Impact 16

1

Efficiency

16

Relevance

17

Effectiveness

17

Impacts

17

Efficiency

17

Introduction

21

1.1 Justification of the evaluation

21

1.2 Key evaluation questions and evaluation criteria

22

1.3 Scope of the evaluation

23

1.4 Methodology and organisation of the evaluation
Phase 1: Inception

2

24
24

Phase 2: Information gathering

25

Phase 3: Consolidation and Reporting

26

1.5 Strengths and limitations of the evaluation

26

1.6 Structure of the report

27

The NFP programme (2002-2010)

29

2.1 Introduction

29

2.2 Short overview of the programme

29

2.2.1

Objective

29

2.2.2

NFP Modalities

29

2.2.3

Geographical scope

31

2.2.4

Target groups

31

2.2.5

NFP course list

31

2.3 Implementation of NFP

32

2.3.1

Main stakeholders

32

2.4 Key changes in NFP policies in 2002 and 2008
2.4.1

Introduction of the new NFP in 2002

35
35

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

274

3

2.4.2

Introduction of the renewed NFP in 2008

36

2.4.3

Operationalisation of general policies in NFP

37

2.5 Analysis of enrolment in the NFP

38

2.6 Reconstruction of the intervention logic

41

2.7 Interests of NFP stakeholders

47

2.8 Comparison of NFP policies with policies of other key players

48

Budget and funding sources

50

Course offer

50

Eligibility criteria and application process

51

Follow- up

51

2.9 Synergy with NPT/NICHE

51

Relevance

53

3.1 Introduction

53

3.2 Labour market needs of developing countries
Conclusion
3.3 Relevance of higher education for developing countries
Key challenges for higher education in developing countries
3.4 The role of fellowships

55
56
56

NOMA

57

Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP)

57

NFP

57

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

57

NFP Tracer study

58

Conclusion

58

3.5 Motives of fellows to participate in the NFP

59

3.6 Motives of employers to support NFP fellows

60

3.7 Relevance of NFP for Dutch higher education

61

3.8 Conclusions

4

53
55

62

Labour market relevance

62

Relevance from an individual fellow perspective

62

Relevance from an employers perspective

63

The intervention logic reconsidered

63

Relevance for Dutch Higher Education and the Dutch state

63

Effectiveness

65

4.1 Introduction

65

4.2 Completion rate of courses

65

4.3 Benefits of the NFP at individual level

66

4.3.1

Perceived value of NFP and education and training provided

4.3.2

Effects on career development

66
68

Income changes

70

Satisfaction

72

4.4 Utilisation of NFP knowledge
4.4.1

73

Conducive and hindering factors and conditions

74

Responsiveness to organisational changes

74

Useful elements of NFP

75

4.5 Effects of the NFP at organisational level

76

4.5.1

Utilisation of NFP knowledge in the organisation

76

4.5.2

Perceived benefits at organisational level

77

4.5.3

Conducive and hindering factors and conditions at institutional level

79

275 / 310

5

6

4.6 Conclusion

81

Impact

83

5.1 Impacts on the wider socio-economic development

83

5.2 Impact on economic and political relations with the Netherlands

85

5.3 Conclusion

86

Efficiency

89

6.1 Introduction

89

6.2 The NFP budget

89

6.3 Price regulation

90

Regulation of tuition fees:

90

Regulation of PhD grants

90

Increased competition

90

6.4 Costs of the NFP

7

91

6.4.1

Expenditures by type of fellowships

91

6.4.2

Management costs of NFP

91

6.4.3

Cost of grants per modality

91

6.4.4

Development of tuition fees

92

6.4.5

Cost calculation per modality

94

6.5 Cost inefficiencies

97

6.6 Comparison with similar fellowships

97

6.7 Role of the alumni networks and alumni offices

99

6.8 Division of responsibilities

100

6.9 Conclusions

102

Conclusions and options for the future

105

7.1 Conclusions

105

7.2 Options for the future

108

Literature

111

Interviews in the Netherlands

117

Stakeholders NFP

117

Higher Education Institutions in the Netherlands

117

Annex to chapter 1

119

Annex to chapter 2

123

Back ground characteristics of alumni in the NFP tracer study

123

Background characteristics of respondents in the NFP employers questionnaire

125

Educational background and employment status of parents of NFP alumni

127

Annex 4

Results of the NFP alumni questionnaire per modality

133

Annex 5

Results of the NFP employers questionnaire

163

Country reports

173

Country report Bangladesh

175

Introduction

175

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

276

Context

176

Introduction

176

General information on higher education

176

Current situation of the Higher Education system and major developments

176

Criteria for admission and enrolment

177

Technical Manpower

178

IT

178

Medicine

179

Engineering

179

Relevance

180

Effectiveness

181

Individual level (alumni)

181

Organisational Level (employers)

182

Efficiency

183

Cost-effectiveness of the various modalities of NFP

184

Quality of education

184

Lessons and recommendations

185

Country Report Ethiopia

187

Introduction

187

Country context

188

Introduction

188

National Policy on Higher Education

188

General development of Higher Education

189

Availability of higher skilled manpower

190

Fellowship programmes in the country

191

Implementation of NFP

193

Implementation of NFP (2002-2010) in country

193

Selection process en criteria

193

Relevance

194

Effectiveness

195

Individual level (alumni)

195

Value of the Fellowship

195

Value of education and individual gains

195

Organisational Level (employers)

196

Influencing factors and obstacles

198

Country level

199

Efficiency

201

Application and selection process

201

Quality of education

202

Cost-effectiveness

202

Alumni relations

202

Lessons and recommendations

203

List of Respondents

203

Country Report Ghana

205

Introduction

205

Context

205

National Policies Higher education

205

The Ghana Educational Trust fund (GETFUND)

206

Tertiary Education in Ghana

206

277 / 310

General Development Higher Education

207

Private Sector Participation

207

Challenges

207

Availability of (Qualitative and Quantitative) Higher Skilled Manpower

208

Implementation of NFP

211

Implementation of NFP (2002-2010) in Ghana

211

Selection process and criteria

211

Relevance

212

Effectiveness

213

Individual level (alumni)

213

Value of the Education

213

Individual gains

213

Career development

213

Utilisation of knowledge and expertise

214

Influencing factors and conditions

214

Organisational level

214

Country level

215

Efficiency

215

Application and selection process

215

Quality of education:

216

Cost-effectiveness

216

Short Courses and Tailor made Courses
Role of Alumni networks

216
216

Lessons and recommendations

217

Removal of employer recommendations

217

Involvement of employers in the application process

217

Localised and refresher courses

217

Better tailoring of the training- education:

217

Financial support upon return for implementation

217

List of Respondents

218

Country Report Uganda

221

Introduction

221

Evaluation Netherlands Fellowship Programme
Context

221
222

Introduction

222

General development higher education

223

National policies Higher education

224

Availability of higher educated manpower

225

Fellowship programmes in Uganda

225

Implementation of NFP

228

Implementation of NFP in general

228

NFP Uganda 2002-2010 in numbers

229

Relevance

229

Introduction

229

Effectiveness

231

Individual level of alumni

231

Organisational level

232

Country level

234

Efficiency
Application and selection process

234
234

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

278

Value added and alternatives

236

Cost-effectiveness

236

Lessons and recommendations

236

Individual level

236

Organisational level

237

Programme-level

237

NFP Alumni Questionnaire

241

NFP Employers Questionnaire

257

Terms of Reference

273

279 / 310

1.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs / DSO / general

1.1 Justification of the evaluation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for coordinating and
implementing Dutch foreign policy. The Netherlands is represented in a large
number of countries and in many international organisations, and this is
reflected in an extensive network of embassies, permanent representations
and consulates-general. These missions represent the Kingdom of the
Netherlands and therefore all branches of its government. For more
information, visit our website: www.minbuza.nl.
The Department for Social Development (DSO) of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs is responsible for developing and implementing Dutch development
policies in education, research and innovation, health, HIV/ AIDS, sexual and
reproductive health and rights, and civil society. DSO is also responsible for
the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) that have been implemented
over the years.
The most recent evaluation of the results of the Netherlands funded
Fellowship Programmes was conducted in 2002. Though an evaluation of the
NFP, as managed by the Nuffic, was conducted in 2006, this evaluation was
more process oriented and gave less evidence of the results accomplished and
the extent to which policy objectives had been realized. This calls in 2011 for
more evidence based information on whether the NFP has been able to
accomplish what was intended as per the Program’s objective, i.e. ‘to help
alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at midcareer level, in the context of capacity building within the framework of
poverty reduction in developing countries’104.
Currently the Netherlands foreign and development cooperation policies are
going through some important changes following the letters to Parliament
presenting the spearheads of development cooperation policy of November
2010 and March 2011 (e.g. in terms of countries, priority themes, etc.). This
raises the question how international education programmes could respond
optimally to the aims and priorities of these new policies that are currently
being developed.
This evaluation will address the above mentioned needs for information and
will have both a summative – accountability - and formative – forward looking
– character. The evaluation is expected to generate information that will be
useful to all NFP stakeholders and organisations involved in similar fellowship
programmes.
The value and size of the contract is a best estimate based on the information
currently available. No rights can be derived from it.
104

Policy framework of the International Education Policy; House of Representatives, 2000-2001,
22452, No. 16.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

280

Further details of the contract will be presented in this tender document.

1.2 Background information on the Netherlands Fellowship
Programmes
In 1998, an inter-ministerial policy review was conducted of the Netherlands
International Education Programmes existing at the time – including the
Fellowship Programmes. Based on the outcomes of this review, the
Netherlands government decided in 1999 to radically change these
programmes to allow for inter alia more flexibility and better coordination
between the various International Education Programmes, better coordination
between foreign and development policy priorities, better demand-orientation
to reflect needs and priorities of partners in developing countries and to
ensure the allocation of resources on a price-quality basis through enhanced
competition and broadening potential supply of higher education services in
the Netherlands.
In February 2001, the Minister for Development Cooperation sent a new policy
framework to the House of Representatives of the State’s General (House of
Representatives 2000-2001, 22541, no. 16), elaborating on the basic
principles and outlining the remit of the intermediary organization that would
manage the Netherlands International Higher Education Programmes.
The aim of the NFP, as mentioned above, is ‘to help alleviate quantitative and
qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context
of capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction in developing
countries’. NFP specifically aims to address the needs for training
in the short-term, focusing on capacity building in a broad spectrum of
governmental, private and non-governmental organizations (educational
institutes, planning institutes, ministries, private companies, etc.) (Policy
framework 2001)The need for training has to be evident within the context of
an organization. This implicates that applicants have to be nominated by their
employers. By addressing these shortages, the Programme is expected to
contribute to qualitatively better functioning organizations, companies, etc.
and thereby aims to give a qualitative impulse to society.
The main features of the NFP that was introduced in 2002 (NFP ‘new’) and the
NFP that was adjusted in 2008 (NFP ‘renewed’) following the external
evaluation of 2006 are summarized in the overview below. More detailed
information on the ‘new’ and ‘renewed’ NFP can be found at the programme’s
website (www.nuffic.nl/nfp).
New (2002 – 2008)

Aims

281

Renewed NFP (2008 to
date)
To ‘help alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of
capacity building within the framework of poverty reduction in
developing countries’. NFP specifically aims to address the
needs for training in the short-term, focusing on capacity
building in a broad spectrum of governmental, private and
non-governmental organizations (educational institutes,

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

New (2002 – 2008)

Scope

Eligible
countries
(see Annex)

Renewed NFP (2008 to
date)
planning institutes, ministries, private companies, etc.) 105
The Fellowship Programmes are broad in scope and not
confined to bilateral cooperation target areas. The programme
is characterized by a demand-driven approach. In distributing
scholarships account is taken of the total number of eligible
applications per course or programme annstitution has
received (flexible distribution of funds). In order to offer the
broadest possible response to the demand, NFP fellowships
are available for around 400 Master degree programmes and
200 Short courses (2009) of international training courses
offered by Dutch organizations (supply).
A new, digital nomination and
selection procedure was
introduced in November 2010.
This gives the Dutch
embassies in the NFP
countries more influence on
the selection of eligible
candidates. 106
57 countries

60 countries

Aim is to spend a minimum of 50% of the programme
resources on mid-career fellows from sub-Saharan Africa
Modalities

Master and PhD
programmes of a
minimum of one year
(NFP-AP)
Programme for diploma
courses, refresher
courses107 and tailormade group training
courses108 provided
partially or completely
by Dutch
organizations, lasting a
maximum of one year
(NFP-TP)109

PhD
Master courses
Diploma courses
Refresher courses
Tailor made training and MYA
were discontinued as a
modality of NFP. However,
some elements of the
possibilities of these special
programmes were integrated
into the NICHE programme

105

Policy framework 2001
More information on the selection criteria and process can be found at the programme’s website
(www.nuffic.nl/nfp).
107
Refresher courses enable former students to brush up their knowledge and skills, and are
designed to increase the impact and sustainability of previous courses. Applications for
refresher courses can come from both developing countries and the Dutch organisations
108
The tailor-made courses were only open to local organisations (individually or as a group) with a
training requirement. They had to apply through the Dutch embassies in the country concerned.
They drew entirely on the total pool of expertise available in the Netherlands. For the best
match between supply and demand, a grant tendering procedure was used, which involved a
price-quality comparison.
109
The courses under NFP-TP did not confer degree status or academic titles.
106

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

282

New (2002 – 2008)

Target
groups

Renewed NFP (2008 to
date)
Multi-year agreements
since these modalities were
(MYA)110
more strongly linked to
capacity building of
organizations. Under NICHE,
the possibilities are restricted
to post-secondary education
organizations in NICHE
countries which are invited to
participate in the programme.
Existing courses must meet certain minimum requirements,
approved by the Minister, in order to be included in the
Fellowship Program's shortlist. This list of approved courses is
reviewed every year to enable a flexible and competent
response to new developments.
The target group of the Programme comprises mid-career
professionals who are nationals of and working and living in
one of the 60 NFP countries. To be eligible for a fellowship,
the application of these professionals needs to be
nominated/supported/endorsed by their employer. Although
fellowships are awarded to individuals, candidates’ training
needs must be embedded within the institutional development
of the local organizations they work for. Aim is to spend a
minimum of 50% of the programme resources on fellowships
for women.
In 2008 it was decided that (i)
more attention should be paid
to candidates belonging to
minority groups and/or
marginalized regions;

Following a tender procedure, Nuffic was contracted on 7 June 2002 to
manage NFP-AP and NFP-TP (in addition to the new Programme for PostSecondary Education, NPT). In October 2005, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
decided to extend the management contract until the end of 2007, since the
new programmes had been phased in very gradually and had only become
fully operational in 2004. This contract for the management of the
programmes was extended with another year until the end of 2008.
Following a tender of the management contract for the ‘renewed’ NFP
(together with the management of the new programme NICHE) in 2008, a
management agreement was signed with Nuffic in October 2008. The official
implementation date of the programmes was 1 October 2008. The planned
110

This modality entailed identifying national organisations with which multi-year agreements were

concluded enabling them to nominate staff for an NFP-sponsored course. A pilot of this modality
started in 2003 in 10 countries and by the end of 2005 it was implemented in 8 countries through 18
multi-year agreements.

283

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

duration of the NFP and NICHE and the related management contract with
Nuffic is four years until 31-12-2012.
Expenditures on NFP totaled some € 200.2 million over the period 2006-2010
of which 57% was spent on fellowships for master programmes (see Figure
1). 111
Figure 1: Budget share of type of fellowships and alumni support, 2006-2010
Expenditures over the period 2006-2010 by type of fellowship and and year is
shown in Figure 2. 112
Figure 2: Expenditures by type of fellowship and alumni support, 2006-2010
120.000.000
100.000.000
80.000.000
2010

60.000.000

2009

40.000.000

2008

20.000.000

2007
ni

2006

Al
um

Ph
D
TM
Tr
ai
nin
Sh
g
or
tC
ou
rs
es

M
Re
as
fre
te
rs
sh
er
Co
ur
se
s

0

Some additional information on fellowships for master programmes,
Short Courses
21%

Alumni
0%
Masters
Refresher Courses
PhD

TMTraining
9%

PhD
9%
Refresher
Courses
3%

Masters
58%

TMTraining
Short Courses
Alum ni

short courses and PhD‘s is provided in the appendix.
1.3 Stakeholders
Stakeholders of the NFP and their position within the Programme are in brief:
111
112

Financial data for the period 2002-2010 will be made available at the start of the evaluation.
Financial data for the period 2002-2010 will be made available at the start of the evaluation.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

284

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs – both in The Hague and, through the
Netherlands embassies, in the countries eligible for NFP. The Ministry in
The Hague is responsible for NFP policy making, financing, programme
supervision, external and independent evaluations; the embassies have
a role in the pre-selection of NFP candidates
Nuffic, which is responsible for NFP management, awarding fellowships,
programme monitoring and programme level reporting (financial +
progress) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (financial) administration
and accounting, and internal evaluation
Netherlands training providers, responsible for content and organization of
the training/education, quality assurance of the training/education
provision, (financial) administration and accounting of individual
fellowships and reporting to Nuffic
NFP participants (‘fellows’) participating in the training in the Netherlands
NFP fellows and alumni employers in the NFP eligible countries (including
academic institutions and academic supervisors in the case of PhDfellows).

1.4 Scope and purpose of the evaluation
Overall, the evaluation will concern the implementation of the Netherlands
Fellowship Programmes (NFP) in the period 2002 (the year in which the
programme became fully operational to 2010. For an assessment of
effectiveness and impact, the evaluation will focus on fellowships that were
completed in the period 2004 to 2009.
The evaluation will consider all NFP modalities of the period 2002-2010, i.e.
short courses, refresher courses, PhD (sandwich) fellowships, master
programmes; it will also include tailor made and multi-year agreements
(terminated with the introduction of the ‘renewed’ NFP (see further below)).
The overall purpose of the policy evaluation is to account for Netherlands
funding and other inputs provided for the NFP in the period 2002-2010 and,
based on the findings of this policy evaluation, gain lessons for future policy
development and implementation.
The evaluation aims to address the following key questions:
1.
2.

3.
4.

113

285

What were the development problems that featured at the basis of
the design of NFP in 2002 and in 2008? Are these still valid today,
and if so for what reasons?
To what extent does the NFP effectively and efficiently ‘help
alleviate quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower
at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building within the
framework of poverty reduction in developing countries’ in a
sustainable manner?
To what extent did the Programme contribute to positive public
relations for the Netherlands113?
What lessons can be drawn on the basis of the findings re 1 to 3
and serve as inputs for future Dutch fellowship policy making –
against a background of changing overall development policies?

The ‘Assessment memorandum’ of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of April 2008 specifically refers
to the importance of the public relations aspect of the NFP

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

The above key questions are further detailed below in a series of specific
Evaluation Questions (EQ), using the OECD/DAC criteria of policy relevance114,
effectiveness115, efficiency116.

1.4.1 1. Relevance
EQ 1.1 What were the rationale and objectives of the NFP as formulated in
2002 and reformulated in 2008, and are these still valid? Is there still a need
for external support to alleviate ‘quantitative and qualitative shortages of
skilled manpower at mid-career level, in the context of capacity building
within the framework of poverty reduction in developing countries’?
EQ 1.2 What have been the NFP policies in the period between 2002 and
2010? What explains the changes that may have been made to these policies
over these years? How do they relate to the overall development policies
pursued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
EQ 1.3 How have general policies been operationalized in inter alia the
selection of NFP countries, selection criteria for applicants, NFP modalities and
the selection of NFP courses?
EQ 1.4 How do the developments in Netherlands international fellowship
policies compare with the policies of other key players and the resources they
have available? What are the explanations for the main commonalities and
differences observed?

1.4.2 2. Effectiveness
As regards effectiveness, the evaluation will focus on the results accomplished
at the level of the individual NFP alumnus and at the level of the organization
at which this alumnus is/was employed. The answers to these questions are
to be segregated by gender, sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere, deprived
groups and/or persons originating from deprived regions in the NFP countries.
The assessment will include a comparison with other fellowship programmes
of other donors and self-paying students coming to the Netherlands.

General:
Which concerns about programme effectiveness have influenced the design of
NFP in 2002, and in 2008? Have they been addressed effectively?
At individual level
EQ 2.1 To what extent did the NFP fellows complete their training and was
this as planned? What factors explain the rate of completion?
EQ 2.2 How do NFP alumni assess the value of the NFP fellowship and the
training/education provided and what have been their perspectives in terms of
114

Policy relevance relates to the extent to which the aid activity is suited to the priorities and
policies of the target group (i.e. the NFP fellows and alumni), recipient country and donor (i.e.
the Netherlands Government).
115
The evaluation criterion of effectiveness is defined as the extent to which the direct results of the
fellowships, i.e. the trained mid-career professionals (=outputs) have contributed to the
sustainable realisation of the NFP programme objectives.
116
Efficiency measures the outputs -- qualitative and quantitative -- in relation to the inputs. It is an
economic term which signifies that the aid uses the least costly resources possible in order to
achieve the desired results. This generally requires comparing alternative approaches to
achieving the same outputs, to see whether the most efficient process has been adopted.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

286

career, increased responsibilities, increased possibilities to train others,
increased income, (academic) networking with peers, institutions in the
Netherlands? Did this meet their expectations?
EQ 2.3 Did the NFP alumni return to their employer and have they been able
to utilize their new expertise, knowledge, skills, aptitudes, etc. after returning
to their employer? What have been the factors and conditions that have made
this (im)possible (both in relation to the training and the employer)? What
aspects/elements of the NFP fellowship have been considered most useful in
this respect?
At institutional level
EQ 2.4 To what extent did the NFP alumni return to their employer at the
time of application and did they return to positions were they could implement
their acquired knowledge and skills? Are there still qualitative and quantitative
vacancies within the organization concerned? What other measures did these
organizations take to fill these vacancies?
EQ 2.5 To what extent can it be established that the return of the NFP alumni
has influenced the functioning of these organizations and what have been the
factors and conditions that have made this (im)possible? Attention will be paid
in this respect to the issue of ‘brain drain’.
1.4.3 3. Impact
EQ 3.1 What is known about the indirect contribution made by the NFP
(through better institutional capacity of employers of NFP alumni) to the wider
aims of socio-economic development, poverty alleviation and gender equity?
E.g. how do numbers and types of NFP trainees compare with the recipient
countries’ quantitative and qualitative shortages of skilled manpower at midcareer level, and their Education and Human Resource policies? Has the
selection of fellows corresponded with country-specific needs and
opportunities?
EQ 3.2 To what extent do the employers play an essential role in the socioeconomic development in the country?
EQ 3.3 To what extent did the Programme contribute to positive economic
and political relations for the Netherlands?
1.4.4 4. Efficiency
EQ 4.1 What were problems of efficiency that featured at the basis of the
design of NFP in 2002, and in 2008?
EQ 4.2 What has been the actual division of responsibilities between the NFP
stakeholders in NFP design and implementation (i.e. from the identification of
NFP candidates to the return of the fellows to their home country)? Did this
division effectively address efficiency concerns?
EQ 4.3 In what manner has this division of responsibilities been arranged and
have the arrangements been efficient and effective and did implementation of
the Programme meet conditions made in the different agreements?
EQ 4.4 What have been the costs (and cost components) of the different
types of fellowships (at different Netherlands training providers) and how do
these compare with a similar training/education offer provided elsewhere in
Europe, the eligible NPT countries and/or countries in the region? Are there

287

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

indications of extra costs/inefficiencies as a result of the programme being
covered by Dutch training institutions?
EQ 4.5 What conclusions can be drawn as regards the most efficient
fellowship modality?
EQ 4.6 Were any measures (such as joint degree or double degree
programmes) taken to minimalize fellowship costs? If so, why and have these
been effective?
EQ 4.7 Were any measures taken to increase the efficiency of the courses in
terms of teaching methodology, implementing modules in partner countries,
making use of ICT technology (e-learning)?
EQ 4.8 What role have the Holland Alumni network and the alumni offices at
the Netherlands training providers played?
1.4.5 5. Description & analysis of budget
EQ 5.1 What has been the financial contribution of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to NFP in the period 2002 and 2010?
EQ 5.2 In the period 2002-2010, what has been the utilization of the NFP
budget by year, country, number and types of fellowships awarded, sectors
covered, and by institution in the Netherlands? What resources have been
made available for NFP alumni associations (overall and local organizations)?
EQ 5.3 In addition to the financial contribution of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs under EQ 5.1, what other costs have been incurred in the same period
by the different stakeholders for the implementation of the NFP and how have
these been financed?
1. Lessons
E.Q 6.1. Based on the findings of the evaluation, what lessons can be drawn
that are relevant to policy and policy implementation, taking into account also
recent changes in the overall Netherlands development cooperation policies?
1.5

Evaluation methodology

In terms of evaluation methodology, the evaluation will apply, as detailed
below, the following instruments:
Review of documentation
Interviews, both in the Netherlands and, through short field visits, in a
selection of four NFP countries
On-line questionnaires
Focus group discussions with alumni and employers
1.5.1 Review of documentation
1. (Available) NFP programme documentation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Nuffic, participating Netherlands training providers): parliamentary
files, policy documents and memorandums (including project reports
and MFA comments, internal reviews and evaluations), guidelines and
administrative regulations, instructions, budgets, NFP application
forms, key correspondence.
2. Documentation on new foreign and development aid policies of the
Netherlands Government, including policies with respect to higher
education

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

288

3. Documentation concerning (a selection of) the training programmes
conducted by the Netherlands training providers (for the different
types of fellowships)
4. Policy and programme documentation concerning fellowships of other
bilateral donors (DFID-British Council, Germany, France, US – e.g.
evaluation reports of VLIR and NORAD fellowship programmes),
including evaluations conducted, plus documentation on the
experiences with self-paying students in the Netherlands (aims
pursued, procedures, relationship fellowships – foreign policy and
development policy, information on evaluation of programmes and
results accomplished, costs incurred and results accomplished)
5. International reports on effectiveness and impact of fellowship
programmes (to establish state-of-the-art), analysis of skilled
manpower needs and resources in developing countries (especially
Sub-Sahara Africa), and best practices and lessons learned on how to
address them.
The evaluation will use the results of all the surveys that are undertaken at
the Holland Alumni 2011 conference that Nuffic is organizing at the request of
the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education, Culture and Science in May
2011.117
A review will also be made of the tracer studies that have been conducted by
the Netherlands training providers and Nuffic (2009) and the tracer studies of
other donors; the outcomes thereof will be summarized and incorporated into
the final analysis.
1.5.2 Interviews
In the Netherlands, interviews will be held with:
Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DSO and others) and
the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW)
Nuffic
A sample of Netherlands training providers
A sample of current fellowship holders (representing different types of
fellowships)
A sample of self-paying students
In a selection of four NFP countries, interviews will be held with a selection of
Alumni
Alumni employers
Representatives of the Netherlands embassy
Local Ministries responsible for (Manpower) Planning
Representatives of local chapters of the Netherlands Alumni Association
(where applicable)
Representatives of other international organizations providing fellowships,
and other donors/international organizations advising on countryspecific general development policies (World bank, UNDP)
Interviews will be semi-structured and on the basis of interview lists that will
be developed during the early stages of the evaluation.

117

289

According to Nuffic’s website, the conference offers 200 participants from 40 countries and
opportunity to expand their international knowledge network, to participate in career focused
(‘loopbaan gerichte’) workshops and to return home as ‘Study in Holland ambassador’.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

1.5.3 Questionnaires
The evaluation will build on the NFP Tracer Study that was conducted by the
Knowledge Department of Nuffic’s Knowledge and Innovation Directorate in
2009, and will make use of the recently received e-mail addresses of alumni
and their employers (at least 1000).
The online questionnaire that was developed for this study and sent to NFP
alumni, and their respective employers, of the 2003-2004 to 2005-2006
cohorts (graduation deadline 31 December 2007) will be used for the NFP
alumni cohorts for the period 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 20092010 (graduation deadline 31 December 2010). The questionnaire will
concern all types of NFP courses (PhD, MA, short (refresher) courses, Taylor
Made and Multi-year Agreements) as far as NFP alumni are concerned. The
questionnaire may need adaptation in the light of the above evaluation
questions; this will be ensured during the inception phase of the evaluation.
Since it is to be anticipated that a percentage of e-mails inviting alumni and
their employers to participate is expected to ‘bounce’) and that not all alumni
and their employers will be completing the questionnaire, the questionnaire
will be sent to all alumni.
The on-line questionnaire sent to NFP alumni employers in 2009 will be
adapted as appropriate and used for a (representative) sample of) alumni
employers, employers of NFP alumni under tailor made courses and multiyear agreements.
The online system to be used will automatically generate the necessary
statistics; enable cross-tabulation, etc. The appropriateness of including open
questions in the questionnaire will be examined in the light of the experiences
with the 2009 survey. The system will be such that it allows for triangulation
with the results of the survey among alumni.
Using the above questionnaire for NFP alumni as a basis, an online
questionnaire will be developed and sent to a representative sample of selfpaying students – through the Netherlands training providers that
accommodated these students. The questionnaire will be distributed among
self-paying students in agriculture, business administration, and social
sciences, the need for this questionnaire will be determined once the
outcomes of the tracer studies conducted by the Netherlands training
providers are known.
1.5.4 Focus groups
In the Netherlands, focus group discussions (FGDs) will be held with:
Representatives of Netherlands training providers
NFP fellows currently in the Netherlands
During the proposed country visits, in each country FGDs will be held with a
selection of NFP alumni.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

290

1.6

Country visits

Short country visits (9 days maximum) are foreseen to a total of 4 NFP
countries. The country visits aim to complement and triangulate information
from existing documentation and the questionnaires. Country visits will
involve, as explained above, interviews, focus groups and additional
document study.
Taking into account:
the number of fellows sent by a country for all modalities of the NFP and
multi-year agreements118
The focus of NFP on Sub-Saharan Africa (50%)
the possibility to focus in the evaluation on the results of the scholarships
in sectors of key importance to Netherlands development policies
the possibility to compare the way of selecting candidates for the NFP
used by the embassy of Uganda with the way of selecting candidates
used by the majority of the embassies
The choice is made to visit Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda and Bangladesh. With
respect to this sample it is furthermore noted that:
Ethiopia: During the period 2002-2010 Ethiopia was on the top of the list
regarding the number of scholarships (in particular in agriculture)
received for all modalities.
Ghana: Ghana too has received a substantial number of scholarships in
the period 2002 -2010 for amongst others courses in health
Uganda: Uganda has decided to send an impressive number of midcareer professionals to the Netherlands to follow all kinds of courses. In
the years 2005 -2010 the embassy has applied an alternative method
of selecting candidates for the NFP by making use of a network of local
focal points throughout the country. Candidates working in the field of
justice, law and order, political governance, accountability/ anticorruption or primary education were eligible.
Bangladesh: The choice for Bangladesh is made taking into account the
fact that during a least 25 years fellowships have been awarded to midcareer professionals working in the sector of water management.
1.7

NFP evaluation matrix

Consistent with the EQs and evaluation scope, an evaluation matrix showing
the basic evaluation design, is provided below, including indicators at output
and outcome level.
Level
Inputs

118

Sources of information
Nuffic and Netherlands training
providers statistical data on
NFP
Nuffic and Netherlands training
providers financial data on
NFP

See also the NFP Annual Report 2009.

119

291

Indicators119
Number of fellow applications
and awarded (different
types of training/education
(by gender, country, type
of training/ education,
deprived region and/or
deprived group, (non) Sub-

See assessment memorandum NFP and NPT, April 2008.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

Level

Output

Outcome

Indicators119
Saharan Africa) and
budgets available and
utilized
Number of fellows successfully
completing the different
types of training/education
(by gender, country, type
of training/ education,
deprived region and/or
deprived group, (non) SubSaharan Africa
Assessment by fellows and
alumni of the quality and
relevance of the NFP
training provision

Number of NFP alumni
promoted/given more
responsibity after their
return from the
Netherlands with the same
employer
Number of NFP alumni making
effective use of new skills,
aptitudes, etc. within their
employing organization
Number of NFP alumni at key
positions
Number of NFP alumni who
have left their home
country (brain drain)
Development relevance of the
training provision

Extent to which NFP
training/education has met
the demand for short-term
training and capacity
building of the employers

Sources of information

Nuffic statistical data on NFP
Data Netherlands training
providers (including
statistics, exit interviews,
fellow assessments, course
reports and course
evaluations)
On-line questionnaire with NFP
alumni (period 2006-2010)
Earlier Nuffic tracer study
(2003 – 2006)
Existing tracer studies of
Netherlands training
providers
Interviews with NFP fellows
(on-going) and NFP alumni
(returned) of selected
training/education
programmes
Holland Alumni 2011
conference study
FDGs
On-line questionnaire with NFP
alumni (period 2006-2010)
Tracer studies of Netherlands
training providers
Earlier Nuffic tracer study
Holland Alumni 2011
conference study
FDGs
Interviews with employers and
alumni

Review of selected
training/education materials
of Netherlands training
providers
On-line questionnaire NFP
alumni
On-line questionnaire NFP
alumni employers
FDGs with alumni
General analysis (desk study)
of development relevance of
fellowship programmes
Analysis of selected countries’
shortages of skilled
manpower, and their related
policies and resources
Analysis of selected countries’
brain drain trends and
figures
FDGs with alumni
Interviews with employers and
alumni

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

292

1.7.1 Deliverables
The following deliverables will be produced by the evaluation team as a result
of the evaluation exercise:
Inception report – the inception report will be delivered 10 days after the
start of the assignment. It will include an updated planning of the
evaluation, design of interview guides to be used, proposed final report
structure, anticipated/encountered constraints to the evaluation and
proposed remedies, an overview of main documents (see above).
Draft country-level reports – the country-level reports will outline the main
findings of the field visits. They are to be prepared upon the completion of
each field visit and submitted within 10 days thereafter; the country
reports will be presented to the reference group for review. The country
level reports may be included as an appendix to the final report.
Draft Final report. The draft report will include an Executive Summary of
conclusions and recommendations and will clearly distinguish NFP ‘new’
and NFP ‘renewed’. It should be submitted to DSO by 1 February 2012 as
per the planning below. The draft will be discussed with the reference
group.
Final report. The final evaluation report will be submitted 3 weeks after
receipt of the comments of the reference group on the draft.
All reports will be produced in English. Summaries of the country reports will
be prepared in the language of the country concerned.
1.8

Organization and planning

1.8.1 General
The policy evaluation falls under the responsibility of the Department DSO of
the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The evaluation will be led in DSO
by J.M. de Graaf.
The maximum bid price is € 125.000,- excluding VAT for the evaluation (see
6.2.2).
1.8.2 Reference group
A reference group will be appointed for the evaluation. This reference group
will comment and advise, both in writing and during meetings, on the
deliverables mentioned above and in particular on the draft final evaluation
report of the policy review. The reference group will be chaired by L. Anten
and have as its members:
A representative of DSO
A representative of the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IOB)
A representative of Nuffic
An independent expert (to be identified)
The reference group will either meet physically in The Hague or convene by
means of a phone/video conference. The reference group will review the
inception report, country level reports and the draft final report of the
evaluation, and/or parts thereof, in terms of quality, credibility, clarity and
consistency by means written and/or verbal comments.

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1.8.3 Planning
The evaluation will take place between August 2011 to April 2012. A tentative
planning for the evaluation is provided in the table below. Timing will need to
consider academic holidays both in the Netherlands and the NFP countries.
The contract will be for the period of the evaluation.
During the tender (evaluation) period – May and July 2011- both Nuffic and
DSO will collect all necessary materials (policy documents, guidelines, project
outlines, etc.) and will make these available to the evaluators at the start of
the assignment which is envisaged for August 2011. Nuffic will also inform the
Netherlands training providers involved in NFP and request them to (i) make
sure that relevant supplementary materials are available and (ii) to inform
their partners in the South. DSO will inform the Netherlands embassies in the
countries concerned.

X
X

X
X
X

March

X

February

X

January

December

X

November

X

October

X

September

July

X

August

June

May

Table: Tentative evaluation planning

Activities
Finalization & approval Terms of

X

Reference
Evaluation tender procedure &
contracting
Inform NFP stakeholders on the
evaluation and information
requirements
Collect documentation
Document review
Prepare and discuss inception report
Develop interview guides
Interviews in the Netherlands

X
X
X
X

X
X
X

Focus groups in the Netherlands
Design/adapt and implement on-line

X
X

X

questionnaires
Field visits to 4 countries (including
preparatory document analysis,
interviews, focus groups, debriefing,
etc.)
Discuss country reports
Data analysis
Prepare draft report

X
X

Review and discuss report (reference
group)
Prepare final report

X
X

X

After the finalization of the Final Report, two representatives of the evaluation
team shall be available to present the main findings and recommendations
during a conference with Dutch and international NFP NPT and NICHE

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

294

stakeholders. This conference is scheduled for April 2012. The budget for this
event is outside the scope of the evaluation assignment.

2.

Acronyms and abbreviations

Nuffic

Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education

NPT

Netherlands Programme for Institutional Strengthening of Post-secondary

NICHE

Netherlands Initiative for Capacity development in Higher Education

DSO

Social Development Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

NFP

Netherlands Fellowship Programmes

IOB

Policy and Operations Evaluation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Education and Training Capacity

NGO

Non-Governmental Organisation

OECD/DAC

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development/Development
Assistance Committee

3.

Additional data on NFP 2006-2010 (Source:
Nuffic, 2011)
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

3.406

3.431

3.348

3.185

3.896

Master courses
Number of applicants
Number of fellows

589

565

573

897

853

Chance to obtain a fellowship

17,3%

16,5%

17,1%

28,2%

22%

% of applicants from sub-Saharan Africa

56%

69%

70%

69%

70%

% fellowship holders from sub-Saharan Africa

56%

58%

65%

61%

61%

% female applicants

24%

26%

25%

27%

28%

% female fellowship holders

44%%

50%

46%

48%

47%

-

-

-

% applicants from priority groups/regions
% fellowships holders from priority
groups/regions

56%

51%

61%

46%

-

-

-

3.913

4.391

4.331

4.92

6.807

Number of fellows

900

1.052

1.052

1.433

1.329

Chance to obtain a fellowship

23%

24%

24%

29%

20%

Short courses
Number of applicants

% of applicants from sub-Saharan Africa

53%

52%

52%

50%

58%

% fellowship holders from sub-Saharan Africa

52%%

55%

57%

53%

57%

% female applicants

30%

31%

30%

34%

31%

% female fellowship holders

44%

49%

% applicants from priority groups/regions

48%

51%

53%

-

-

25%

31%

-

-

31%

35%

% fellowships holders from priority
groups/regions

PhD fellows

295

Number of applicants

221

244

192

193

215

Number of fellows

43

28

34

68

65

Chance to obtain a fellowship

19%

11%

17%

35,2%

30,2%

% of applicants from sub-Saharan Africa

40,7%

50%

61.10%

61,1%

56,7%

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

% fellowship holders from sub-Saharan Africa

22,2%

71,4%

61,8%

63,2%

67,7%

% female applicants

34,3%

27,5%

30,2%

30,1%

63,7%

% female fellowship holders

44,1%

46,4%

52,9%

51,5%

55,4%

% applicants from priority groups/regions

-

2,6%

41,5%

37,2%

-

2,9%

51,5%

53,8%

2008

2009

2010

% fellowships holders from priority
groups/regions

2006

2007

Master
Agricultural Sciences

25,1%

36,3%

18,1%

16,9%

17,8%

Architecture

9,8%

11,8%

11,3%

8,5%

8,0%

Arts

0%

0%

0,3%

0,4%

0,4%

Business Administration

13,1%

12,7%

12,6%

14,3%

16,4%

Communication

1,4%

1,2%

1,0%

1,4%

0,6%

Education

1,9%

1,6%

1,6%

1,1%

1,1%

Engineering Sciences

8,0%

7,4%

6,3%

8,1%

8,0%

Geography

12,7%

0%

17,6%

17,7%

16,1%

Humanities

0%

0%

0,3%

0,2%

0,7%

Languages

0%

0%

0,3%

0,2%

0%

Law

3,2%

3,0%

2,6%

3,0%

2,8%

Mathematics and Computer Sciences

0,5%

0,2%

0,2%

0,3%

0,2%

Medical Sciences

4,9%

6,0%

5,6%

6,0%

5,0%

Natural Sciences

2,9%

4,1%

4,2%

3,0%

5,6%

Other

0%

0%

0%

1,2%

0,9%

Social Sciences

15,6%

15,7%

16,1%

17,4%

15,8%

Transport and communications

0,5%

0%

1,2%

0%

0,6%

Short courses
Agricultural Sciences

33,2%%

43,0%

49,9%

39,8%

51,2%

Architecture

9,9%

7,5%

6,0%

5,3%

3,7%

Arts

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Business Administration

27,5%

27%

23,9%

27,4%

18,4%

Communication

6,1%

7,1%

6,2%

5,2%

5,9%

Education

1,9%

3,6%

3,3%

4,9%

3,8%

Engineering Sciences

2,0%

2,2%

2,6%

1,6%

1,1%

Geography

11,5%

0%

0,1%

6,1%

6,8%

Law

0,7%

0,5%

0,8%

0,6%

0,8%

Mathematics and Computer sciences

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Medical Sciences

2,6%

1,4%

0,8%

2,2%

1,3%

Natural Sciences

0,4%

1,6%

0,6%

0,5%

0,1%

Other

0%

0%

0%

0%

0,5%

Social Sciences

3,6%

5,1%

5,4%

6,5%

6,7%

Transport and communications

0,7%

0,9%

0,4%

0%

0%

Agricultural sciences

25,6%

32,1%

23,5%

13,8

9,2%

Architecture

2,3%

0%

2,9%

1,5

1,5%

Business administration

4,7%

10,7%

5,9%

7,7

6,2%

Communication

0%

0%

0%

1,5%

0%

Education

7,0

0%

14,7%

7,7

6,2%

Engineering sciences

0%

3,6%

0%

4,6%

3,1%

PhD Fellows

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

296

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Geography

2,3%

0%

0%

3,1%

3,1%

Law

2,3%

7,1%

5,9%

3,1%

1,5%

Mathematics and computer sciences

0%

0%

0%

1,5%

1,5%

Medical sciences

11,6%

3,6%

8,8%

7,7%

7,7%

Natural sciences

18,6%

14,3%

20,6%

24,6%

20%

Other

7,0%

0%

0%

0%

18,5%

Social sciences

18,6%

28,6%

17,7%

26,2

21,5%

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Education institute

34,6%

27,1%

32,3%

29,3%

25,3%

Master courses
Government/semi-government

41,8%

41,1%

38%

37,3%

39,5%

Non-governmental organization

12,2%

16,1%

15,2%

13,8%

14,3%

Research centre

0,3%

0,2%

0%

0,2%

0,1%

Small business

6,6%

8,8%

6,8%

11,4%%

13%

Large business

0%

0%

0,2%

0,1%

0,1%

Others

4,4%

6,7%

7,5%

7,8%

7,3%

Not recorded

0%

0%

0%

0%

0,4%

Short courses
Education institute

34,6%

28,7%

30,8%

24%

25,8%

Government/semi-government

41,8%

43,1%

42,7%

40%

43,2%

Non-governmental organization

12,2%

15,7%

14,2%

16,9%

18,1%

Research centre

0,3%

0,4%

0,4%

0,1%

0,1%

Small business

6,6%

4,8%

6,1%

4,9%

5,3%

Large business

0%

0%

0%

0,2%

0,2%

Others

4,4%

7,1%

5,9%

6,6%

7,1%

Not recorded

0%

0%

0%

0,4%

0,3%

Education institute

58,1%

58.80%

51,5%

66,2%

64,6%

Ph. Fellows
Government/semi-government

11,6%

14,7%

34%

18,5%

18,5%

Non-governmental organization

14,0%

8,8%

0%

10,8%

10,8%

Research centre

0%

0%

8,5%

0%

0%

Small business

2,3%

0%

2,1%

1,5%

1,5%

Large business

0%

0%

2,1%

0%

0%

Others

2,3%

0%

0%

4,6%

4,6%

Not recorded

11,6%

17,6%

2,1%

0%

0%

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

% of fellowships granted to IE Institutes

67%

65%

55%

53%

48%

% of fellowships granted to universities

25%

26%

30%

32%

32%

15%

19%

Master courses

% of fellowships granted to universities of
applied sciences

8%

9%

15%

% of fellowships granted to other institutions

-

-

-

-

1%

% of fellowships granted to IE Institutes

82,7%

84,4%

85,5%

84,6%

87,7%

% of fellowships granted to universities

8%

4,7%

7,1%

6,4%

4,8%

% of fellowships granted to universities

0,6%

1,2%

0,6%

0,8

0,8%

Short courses

297

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

applied sciences
% of fellowships granted to other
organizations

39,2%

9,7%

6,7%

8,2%

6,6%

% of fellowships granted to IE Institutes*

21%

25%

23,5%

22,1%

20%

% of fellowships granted to universities*

79%

75%

76,5%

77,9%

80%

PhD fellows

4.

Contract award procedure

The contract will be awarded by means of a limited bidding procedure. At
least three organisations will be invited to submit a bid.
All information concerning the organisation, grounds for exclusion, knock-out
criteria and award criteria must be provided in the format set out in the
Annexe.The contract will be awarded solely on the basis of the information
submitted.

4.1 Grounds for exclusion
To be eligible for the contract, tenderers must satisfy the criteria listed under
‘Grounds for exclusion’.
Tenderers (principal contractors/subcontractors) who:
1) find themselves in one or more of the circumstances referred to in article
45 of the Public Procurement Tendering Rules Decree (BAO);
2) do not submit their tender by 12:00 CET on June, 27, 2011;
3) submit statements/declarations, annexes or other information that are
not correct, complete or regular;
4) act contrary to the tender instructions and/or conditions;
will be excluded from further participation in the award procedure.

4.2

Minimum requirements

Tenderers who do not meet the following minimum requirements will be
excluded from further participation in the award procedure.
1. Tenderer must have performed and completed two contracts in the area of
evaluation or research on higher education, including capacity building and/or
fellowship programmes and tracer studies, in Africa or, Asia relevant for the
assignment under consideration in 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011.
It is required that one of these contracts has generated a demonstrable
turnover for the tender of at least 125.000 euro, excluding VAT.
2. Tenderer must be familiar with the policy principles and the context in
which the NFP programmes operate and have demonstrable in depth
knowledge of recent and relevant developments in the field of higher
education in relation to fellowship programmes in developing countries,
including capacity building and/or tracer studies, as shown by (at least) one
publication, report or comparable work carried out by the tenderer produced

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

298

in 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011. The publication, report or comparable work can
be the same as mentioned under 1 or 2.
3. Tenderer needs to confirm that no relevant conflict of interest has existed,
exists or will exist performing the assignment in order to secure impartiality,
objectiveness and independence of the evaluation tendered for. Therefore
tenderer confirms that it has not been involved in the policy development
and/or implementation of the NFP), nor any other relevant interests has
existed, exists or will exist that is related to the evaluation. Whereas
“tenderer” also means any consortium member, principal contractor or
subcontractor.
As a consequence and for example a (former) staff member at one of the
Netherlands educational institutions involved in the NFP cannot have
involvement in the evaluation tendered for.

5.

Contract award

The selection process will be based on knock-out criteria (hard requirements)
and award criteria.

5.1

Knock-out criteria

Tenderers who do not meet the following knock-out criteria (quality
requirements) will be excluded from further participation in the award
procedure.
Tenderers must submit information relating to the knock-out criteria in the
format set out in the Annexe.
Tenderers must meet the following knock-out criteria:
1. Acceptance of the draft public service contract and the 2008 General
Government Terms and Conditions for Public Service Contracts (ARVODI)
included in the Annexe. By signing the Statement of Agreement,
tenderers indicate their acceptance of the draft contract and conditions.
Amendments may be proposed in the question round. It is impossible to
alter the contract once the final Information Notice has been issued.
Conditions drawn up by the contractor or sector explicitly do not apply.
No rights may be derived from the draft contract.
2. Tenderer confirms unconditionally to execute the evaluation fully
according to the specifications as described in this document and the
Annex: correctly, completely, lawfully, timely with the people and in the
qualities as offered. Tenderer confirms unconditionally to execute that all
research questions will be worked out qualitively as requested.
3. Tenderer takes care that the team actually performing the evaluation
exists of (at least):
a. One senior expert who will be designated as team leader. The team
leader needs to have at least 3 years of relevant experience in performing
evaluations and/or evaluations of higher education in Africa and Asia (or
very similar) in the last 10 years.
b. A second (junior) expert who needs to have the relevant experience to
carry out the desk studies

299

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

4.

5.

6.

7.
8.

9.

c. four local experts for the case studies, one in each of the countries
that will be visited. The local experts should have at least 3 years
experience in higher education, including capacity building and or
fellowship programmes. They need to speak local languages as required
to conduct the studies.
Tenderer confirms that this team actually does the writing of the reports,
doing the visits and interviews (etc.) and performs the activities
requested for the evaluation.
Tenderer takes care that all research questions as indicated in this
document and conclusions and recommendations are provided and at
least elaborated as requested.
Tenderer guarantees meeting the due dates mentioned in this document
regarding the evaluation especially the delivery of the final report of the
evaluation on March, 31, 2011.
All reports need to be produced in the English language.
All members of the team master the English level on a C2 level when
necessary for writing reports or communicating. Whereas under C2 level
is understood:
C2 - proficient user of the English language – can understand with ease
virtually everthing heard or read. Can summarise information from
different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and
accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself
spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of
meaning even in more complex situations.
All team members need to be independent and neither the contracted
organization nor its sub-contractors or individual team members should
have been involved in implementing, administering, etc. of NFP.

5.2

Award criteria

Tenderers who are not excluded on the basis of the grounds for exclusion and
knock-out criteria will be assessed on the basis of their score on the award
criteria.
A score from 1 (lowest score) to 10 (highest score) will be awarded for each
criterion or subcriterion. These scores will be multiplied by the weighting or
sub-weighting factor,resulting in a total score for each tenderer. The contract
will be awarded to the tenderer with the highest total score.
Award criteria for Quality and the bid price will be assessed.
The tender will be assessed and selected based on the underneath quality
award criteria with the corresponding weighting factors. Tenderer should
provide for all the information requested in the Annexe.

5.2.1 Quality (weighting factor 80%)
The quality award criteria are listed below, together with the corresponding
weighting factors. Further details can be found in the Annexe. You should
provide all the information requested.

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

300

1. Expertise and experience of the evaluation team (weighting factor
80%)
Tenderer provides the CVs of the team members that will execute the
evaluation as requested. The template in the Annexe is the template that
need to be used for submission of the CVs.
The CVs will be assessed (starting from the knock-out criteria of 6.1) on
relevancy of experience (80%) and relevancy of education and courses
(20%):
Broad evaluation experience at programme level
Demonstrated experience in capacity building and institutional strengthening
in developing countries, preferably in post-secondary education and
training
Demonstrated capacity to organise country visits in the four countries
referred to above
Experience in undertaking evaluations of similar (capacity building)
programmes would be an advantage
The necessary capacity to communicate and report in the various languages
that are required for the assignment (i.e. Dutch, English …).
The team leader will weight 25%, the senior expert 25% and the local
experts 12,5% each.
2. Technical plan (weighting factor 20%)
The extent in which tenderer is able to provide the evaluation its own
interpretation and methodology (on top of the terms of reference, knock-out
criteria). Therefore tenderer submits a technical plan for the evaluation which
will be assessed on (and will contain separate sections for) the following
aspects:
a. Interpretation of the specifications of the evaluation as described in the
tender document (fitting the terms of reference, knock-out criteria)
b. Context analysis on higher education and the role played by and the use
made of existing fellowship programmes in Africa and Asia with a focus on
recent developments and the influence on the evaluation
Tenderer takes care that the aspects mentioned are reflected in separate
sections and numbered consistently in the technical plan. The technical plan
should not exceed 10 pages, excluding annexes.

The quality award criteria are listed below, together with the corresponding
weighting factors.
Quality Award Criteria

Weighting

Sub-weighting

Sub-weighting

(70%)

factor

factor

factor

CVs

80%

Expert 1/team leader

301

25%

Relevancy of experience

80%

Relevancy of education

20%

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 – 2010

Expert 2

25%

Relevancy of experience

80%

Relevancy of education

20%

Local expert 1

12,5%

Relevancy of experience

80%

Relevancy of education

20%

Local expert 2

12,5%

Relevancy of experience

80%

Relevancy of education

20%

Local expert3

12,5%

Relevancy of experience

80%

Relevancy of education

20%

Local expert 4

12,5%

Relevancy of experience

80%

Relevancy of education

20%

Technical plan

20%

5.2.2 Price (weighting factor 20%)
You should present your bid price as specified in the Annexe: in euros,
excluding and including VAT for the period indicated. The prices bid are fixed;
no changes are permitted at any stage.
The price per month is the bid price for the year in question divided by 12.
The maximum bid price is € 125.000,- excluding VAT for the evaluation. This
is not an indication of what the bid price must be, but the price must not
exceed this amount.
Tenderer provides the bid price:
-

-

including all staff costs, office costs, overhead costs, travel costs,
housing costs, security costs, transportation costs
including all travel allowances as costs for hotels
including and excluding VAT as requested
including travel insurances and all other insurances
including all taxes like income taxes, value added tax (VAT) or airport
tax
including all subsistence expenses as meals
including all travel time
including all other general expenses like vaccinations, medications,
visa costs, communication costs like telephone, internet, currency
differences, administrative costs, service charges etc.
and all other costs

The lowest price will receive the maximum score of 10 points.The score for
other bid prices will be calculated as follows:
(Lowest price / price in question) multiplied by 10

Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) 2002 - 2010

302

The lowest possible score is 1.
No adjustments for inflation may be made for the duration of the contract.
Tenderers should therefore take inflation into account when making their bids
(indexation).

6.

Questions, timetable and submission
You can ask questions about the tender document until 12:00 CET
June, 14, 2011
You should email questions to: Ms. drs J. de Graaf, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, DSO/OO Jannie.Graaf@minbuza.nl, cc DSO-OO@minbuza.nl .
Each question should include the number of the section in the tender
document or annexe to which it relates, and quote the relevant passage.
All questions will be answered, rendered anonymous and combined into
an Information Notice. The Notice forms part of the tender documents
and will be emailed to all tenderers.
The closing date and time for submitting tenders are 12:00 CET, June
27, 2011. Tenders received after this deadline will not be taken into
consideration.
The envelope / package should bear the following words: Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, DSO/OO, attn Ms. drs J. de Graaf, Room 7C35, Tender
“Evaluation of the Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP) FEZ/IM233/DSO”, Postbus 20061, 2500 EB Den Haag, The Netherlands –
CONFIDENTIAL: DO NOT OPEN. If you use a courier, it may be necessary
to state the address for visitors.
If you wish to deliver the tender in person, you can do so on working
days between 09:00 and 17:00 at the Ministry’s central mail room,
Prinses Irenestraat 6 (side entrance). The Ministry will provide a receipt
on request.
Three copies of the tender must be submitted: one complete, original set,
one easy-to-copy set (no tabs, plastic sleeves, foldouts, staples, etc.),
and one set in MS Word/Excel on CD-ROM. The files should have the
same names and be supplied in the same order as requested in the
Annexe.
The Ministry will seek to award the contract in (end of) July 2011.
Tenderers who are not awarded the contract will be notified at the same
time, in writing and by email.
Tenders must be organised using the tabs described in the Annexe.
The Ministry is not obliged to consider any documents that do not comply
with the prescribed format or are incomplete and will not return them.
Tenders submitted by email, fax or similar means will not be accepted. If
the documents show inconsistencies, the text of the complete, original set
of documents will take precedence.
Risks relating to delivery delays or the use of incorrect or incomplete
addresses will be borne by the tenderers.
Submitted and accepted documents will not be returned.
Tenders should be sent in appropriate, sealed packaging.
Tenders should bear sufficient postage. The Ministry will refuse packages
on which extra postage has to be paid.

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The Annexe must be completed, signed and submitted exactly as
requested. Altering or making additions to the fixed text of the Annexe or
tender documents is not permitted. If this is found to have been done
without permission, the tenderer may be excluded from further
participation or any contract signed may be terminated.

7.

Conditions

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reserves the right to stop, suspend or
terminate the award procedure without stating its reasons for doing so.
2. Tenderers must bear all costs that they incur as a result of the tender
procedure. These costs are not eligible for reimbursement. By registering
as a participant, tenderers agree to this condition.
3. The Ministry reserves the right to disregard “strategic” tenders and/or
tenders with bid prices (for the entire contract or parts of it) that are not
in line with the market (i.e. that are extremely high or extremely low).
4. By submitting a bid, a tenderer declares that the references it has given
and the staffing, quality assurance system, materials etc. it has described
are representative of the quality of the performance of the contract /
resources to be used for the contract / the products to be supplied.
5. If a tenderer attaches conditions or reservations to its tender, the tender
will be considered not to have been submitted, and will be deemed
invalid. Conditions drawn up by the tenderer or sector explicitly do not
apply.
6. It is possible that the report to be compiled will be sent to the House of
Representatives. If so, the Ministry is obliged to inform the House of the
costs associated with the report and explain why it was necessary. By
submitting a tender, tenderers declare their agreement to this procedure.
7. All requested information, statements and other documents should be in
English.
8. All correspondence and documentation drawn up by the Ministry will be in
English/Dutch only. Correspondence relating to this contract award
procedure should be in English/Dutch.
9. By signing the Statement of Agreement in the Annexe, the tenderer
vouches for the accuracy, completeness and regularity of all the
information requested and supplied, and agrees to all the conditions
contained in the tender documents. Tenderers who provide inaccurate
information may be excluded from the contract award procedure at any
time.
10. The Annexe must be signed by an official authorised to represent the
tenderer and conclude binding agreements. As a rule, it should be the
representative enrolled in a commercial or professional register at the
Chamber of Commerce.
11. The requirements and criteria set out in this award procedure and the
information provided are based on the Ministry's best estimate of the size
of the contract. Tenderers may not derive any rights from this information
(e.g. relating to numbers, specifications or the timetable). The
information is intended to give an indication of the contract award
procedure and provide a basis for comparing tenderers.
12. Barring exceptions set out in the Copyright Act (Auteurswet), no part of
this document may be reproduced (other than for the purpose of this

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award procedure) by means of print, photocopy, microfilm, or in any
other form without the written permission of the Ministry (intellectual
property).
13. This tender document was drawn up with due care. If a tenderer
nevertheless finds contradictions or flaws, it should inform the Ministry of
them as soon as possible before the closing date for submitting tenders.
If it later emerges that this document contains flaws or contradictions
that were not reported by the tenderer, the Ministry cannot be held
responsible.
14. The Ministry invites tenderers to ask any questions and make any
objections they may have concerning the tender documents. Failure to
take up this invitation may affect any subsequent claims. Reference is
made in this regard to the judgment of the Court of Justice of the
European Communities (ECJ) in case C-230/02 (the Grossmann
judgment) of 12 February 2004, case law 2004, p. I-1829.
15. By signing the tender, a tenderer undertakes to maintain confidentiality
with regard to all information obtained in connection with this award
procedure and not to provide any information to third parties. An
exception can be made for subcontractors or third parties who provide
assistance in the preparation of the tender. In such cases the tenderer
remains responsible for ensuring compliance with the duty of
confidentiality.
16. Publicity regarding this award procedure is only allowed after obtaining
the written approval of the Ministry.
17. The present tender has not come about under the influence of an
agreement, decision or conduct that contravenes Dutch or EU competition
law.
18. The Ministry will observe confidentiality with respect to any information
provided by tenderers and will use this information only for the purpose
of this award procedure.
19. The tenderer undertakes not to make any statements of any kind that
could harm any of the other participants. Tenderers who breach this
condition may be excluded from further participation in this award
procedure.
20. The Ministry reserves the right to check the accuracy of all the
information provided by tenderers, to request official supporting
documents and to contact referees directly.
21. Oral communications, undertakings or agreements have no legal force
unless confirmed in writing.
22. To guarantee objectiveness and independance performing the contract,
tenderer (and each organization of the joint tender) declares to have no
financial relation or any other conflict of interest (during the term of the
contract) that may influence execution of the contract. Tenderer agrees
that conflict of interest can be stated by the Ministry.
‘Conflict of interest’ includes employing an employee of the Ministry or a
former employee who left the Ministry less than two years ago who is or
will be directly or indirectly involved in the current award procedure or
the performance of the contract. In such an event, a tenderer should
report this to the Ministry. If the Ministry has legitimate reasons for
assuming that, contrary to a tenderer’s declaration, a conflict of interest

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does in fact exist, the tenderer will be excluded from the award
procedure.
23. Organisations that are involved in this award procedure as external
advisers to the Ministry or in any other way are not permitted to submit
tenders.
24. This contract award procedure (including tenders submitted) is subject to
Dutch law.
25. Tenderers must maintain their offers for 120 days after the closing date
or for such further period as is necessary for the judge hearing
applications for provisional relief (voorzieningenrechter) to give a
decision.
26. A condition for contract award becoming final is that the parties reach
agreement on the contract. The contract is included in the Annexe.
27. Once the contract award is final, the contractor must initial every page of
the contract and the conditions upon signing the contract.
28. Government policy is aimed at reducing the administrative burden for
businesses and the public sector. To this end, the Ministry will introduce
e-procurement and e-invoicing (probably from October 2011) by means
of the Government Procurement Portal. Accordingly, the tenderer
awarded the contract undertakes to do the following within four calendar
months after being requested to do so by the Ministry:
 to exchange invoices and/or orders electronically in accordance
with the Ministry’s technical instructions (including the Dutch
government’s message standard) and conditions;
 to make available an electronic product catalogue in accordance
with the Ministry’s technical instructions and conditions;
 to make use of the the Government Procurement Portal and use it
for purchases in relation to this contract, and to provide the
service level required for the information systems concerned;
 to bear the use, implementation and maintenance costs, which will
be in reasonable proportion to the value of the contract.
For more information see: www.logius.nl.
29. In the event of a dispute between parties to this contract award
procedure arising from the procedure, including a dispute that only one of
the parties involved regards as such, the competent court will be The
Hague District Court.

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P.O. Box 4175
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The Netherlands
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The Netherlands
T +31 (0)10 453 88 00
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E netherlands@ecorys.com

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