The Life Sciences degree programme was assessed by Netherlands Quality Agency (NQA). NQA convened an assessment panel which studied the self-evaluation report and undertook a site visit September 20th 2022 on location in Nijmegen, Netherlands. The total audit comprised the regular NVAO-accreditation and the accreditation for the Cequint special quality feature Internationalisation.

The panel assesses the Bachelor degree programme Life Sciences of the HAN as good with regard to the Quality of Internationalisation. Three of the underlying standards (3, 4 and 5) are assessed with a judgement good. Two standards are assessed as satisfactory (standards 1 and 2).

Standard 1: Intended internationalisation. The degree programme has based its internationalisation goals strongly on the framework, policy and goals developed at a higher level set by SABC and HAN. The degree programme is advised to be more ambitious when setting its own goals and to specify them more clearly in the competences and in the intended learning outcomes of the Life Sciences programme.

Standard 2 International and intercultural learning. The intended international and intercultural learning outcomes correspond partly with the programme’s internationalisation goals. From the actual educational practice the degree programme can derive more specific competency descriptions and learning objectives for internationalisation. That will enhance the visibility and monitoring of the international and intercultural learning and teaching. The assessment of intercultural learning outcomes needs attention.

Standard 3 Teaching and learning. The Life Sciences programme has reached a good level of performance on this standard. In fact, the curriculum, the teaching methods and the learning environment consist of relevant elements that contribute to Life Sciences students reaching the international and intercultural learning outcomes of the programme. The panel thinks highly of the content and the structure of the curriculum, and lecturers use a wide variety of teaching methods and tailor these to the specific class/student group composition, specifically in the personal development learning line. It recommends the programme to set higher goals for student mobility and to ensure that every student experiences at least one international component in an international context outside HAN.

Standard 4 Staff. The staff on the Life Sciences programme is properly qualified and sufficiently numerous to deliver the curriculum. Plenty of staff members have relevant internationalisation experience, intercultural competences and language skills. HAN and SABC pay good attention to the professionalisation of the LS staff members in general, and with regard to international and intercultural competences in particular.

Standard 5 Students. The composition of the student body is in line with the degree programme’s internationalisation goals; past and current cohorts are truly international. Students in both Dutch and English-language variants enjoy an international education with attention for international and intercultural skills and experiences. International (and local) students are well supported during intake and during their study to reach the international and intercultural learning outcomes. While there is room for more outgoing student mobility, the panel suggests using the positive testimonials of LS graduates on their international experiences to enhance this component of the programme.

The panel concludes that over the years the Life Sciences programme has matured into a good quality programme with distinctly international and intercultural features. The current educational practice in teaching and learning, staff capacity and student guidance and services clearly demonstrate the international character of the LS degree programme. In view of the future development, the panel advises the programme to be more specific in setting internationalisation goals and learning outcomes and be more ambitious in implementing the envisaged goals and outcomes.