Workers Will Be Able to Use STAP Budget to Continue Developing Skills at Dutch Universities With a €1000 Discount

Workers and job-seekers in the Netherlands can apply for a STAP budget up to €1000 for training and development from the central government, Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), consisting of 14 Dutch universities which work together to strengthen the university sector, has announced.

The STAP budget, or in Dutch known as “STimulans ArbeidsmarktPositie” is an incentive which aims to improve the position of employees in the labor market, Erudera.com reports.

According to a statement issued by UNL, it will soon be possible to use the budget for the Lifelong Development (LLO) offer of the universities in the Netherlands, so individuals can pay €1000 less per year.

“This is possible if someone is no longer entitled to student finance for a course. Thanks to the STAP budget, workers and job seekers can continue to develop more cheaply,” the statement reads.

In its statement, UNL says that the STAP budget is the most important step for the development of personal learning rights for everyone living in the Netherlands as through the model; every worker can attend one week of training every year.

The association of universities points out that higher education institutions in the Netherlands offer various courses, education, and training that is suitable for those who want to continue developing after completing their studies.

“Continuing to develop yourself is important on a personal level, but also for society as a whole. With their LLO offer, universities contribute to societal challenges such as climate change, health, digital security or an inclusive and innovative society. They strengthen the sustainable employability of highly educated people, and thus also the maintenance of our strong knowledge economy,” UNL’s statement adds.

It further said that new offers will be published in phases during the coming months at every university.

Earlier, the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, MBO Council and NRTO, and Universities of the Netherlands issued a joint proposal to offer training to Dutch people for one week in a year.

The annual National Student Survey (NSE) published last year by Stichting Studiekeuze123, an organization established by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, indicated that more than 78 percent of 137,000 university students and 66 percent of 195,000 higher professional education students in the Netherlands were satisfied with their education in general.

The survey was conducted between January 2020 and March 2021 and involved over 330,000 WO (academic orientation) and HBO (professional orientation) students.