Erasmusarts 2030 nominated for education grants

Nine teaching teams from senior secondary vocational education (mbo), universities of applied sciences (hbo) and research universities (wo) have been nominated for the Dutch Education Awards 2026. Erasmusarts 2030, the redesigned Medicine degree programme at Erasmus MC, has also been nominated.

The Dutch Education Awards are presented annually to teams from universities of applied sciences, universities and senior secondary vocational institutions that ‘have developed an innovative educational initiative’. On 25 June the nominees will find out who has come first, second and third within their own sector.

For each sector, 2.5 million euros is available. First place receives 1.2 million euros, second place 800 thousand euros and third place 500 thousand euros. With that money, the teams can finance (future) projects aimed at educational innovation.

Erasmusarts

The Erasmusarts 2030 programme replaces exam-focused education with active, contextual learning. Students learn to take charge of their own development. They work together with external organisations, patients and professionals on current challenges in healthcare. As a result, they can see more clearly why they are learning something and how they can apply it. The new curriculum is a coherent whole in which students grow step by step into doctors and professionals.

Suicide prevention

In the research universities, teams from TU Delft and Leiden University have also been nominated. In Delft, students learned step by step how to deal with complex technology and in Leiden they developed e-learning modules on suicide prevention for psychology students and healthcare staff.

In the universities of applied sciences, the prizes go to Hogeschool Utrecht, De Haagse Hogeschool and Hogeschool Inholland. The teams developed a ‘digital education lab’, use theatre to make difficult themes discussable in the classroom and combat student dropout at the teacher training college (pabo) through a complete renewal of the educational programme.

Cross-sector

Since 2023, senior secondary vocational education has also been taking part. This year, DC Terra, Koning Willem 1 College and Gilde Opleidingen have been nominated for education in healthcare, technology and in a cross-sector programme.

Education minister Rianne Letschert will present the prizes on 25 June during the ComeniusFestival in Nieuwegein. That is also when it will be announced which place the teams have achieved.