Tilburg University: Language courses with vouchers

From August 2006, every student at Tilburg University will receive twelve language vouchers. Each voucher will be worth one ECTS credit. Using these vouchers, students can take an average of two language courses at the Language Centre during their studies. Students who want to take more language courses will have to pay for these. Employees of Tilburg University will not receive language vouchers. Students can use a language voucher to take a language course at the Language Centre that isn't a compulsory part of the curriculum. However, the vouchers do not offer a guarantee of admission to language courses: full is full. Nonetheless, the system is meant to reduce the former waiting lists - about 150 students every semester - for language programmes. "For some students, signing up for a language programme was free of obligation: students frequently didn't show up, as a result of which other students missed their chance." By introducing the vouchers, the Language Centre forces students to realise the consequences of their choices. "Now students will think twice before spending a voucher", says head of the Language Centre, Guust Meijers. Eurogates. Forum of education news