At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.

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Ghent University's Education Objectives

Quality Assurance at Ghent University

1. Multiperspectivism: our programme develops reflective practitioners capable of taking management positions in a healthcare context. We equip our students with the necessary skills to work creatively, interdisciplinarily and in a problem-solving manner. The interdisciplinary nature of our programme stems from our students’ diverse education backgrounds, which include professional and academic Bachelor’s diplomas, Master's diplomas, and each contributing their unique prior education and varying levels of professional experience. Lecturers from different departments and faculties teach our course units, each possessing demonstrable expertise in the discipline(s) relevant to our study programme.
2. Talent development: depending on their prior education, students either be admitted directly into the Master's programme or take a preliminary academic bridging programme or preparatory programme, including an adequate offer of study (track) counselling. Our offer of electives allows students to add personal accents to their curriculum.
3. Evidence-based: our lecturers are highly qualified, motivated and involved. They teach our students to look for, manage and assess research evidence. Students also learn how to apply research evidence in healthcare practice, fostering an attitude of lifelong learning.
4. Curriculum: our curriculum enables students to acquire the necessary competencies to carry out three roles: scientist, manager, and professional. The Master's dissertation is the culmination of their efforts: students can prove they have acquired the necessary competencies in an integrated manner.
5. Integration of theory and practice: our curriculum consists of theoretical concepts and a considerable amount of active teaching methods, such as group assignments and case studies. We hone our students’ critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and learning capacity and keep them up to date with the newest international developments in the discipline.

1. Generalisation and specialisation: our programme emphasises the acquisition of essential generic competencies (healthcare management and policy) and academic-scientific competencies. In other words, it combines a generalist approach with a specialist one. 
2. Work and study: we are not a distance learning programme. However, we welcome students who are working their way through university, as well as regular students. This mix of experiences within our student body has an inspiring and enriching effect. 
3. Committed and expert lecturers: our programme boasts a dedicated team of lecturers from various disciplines and faculties. They combine their research expertise with a passion for teaching and a continued enthusiasm for the quality of their lectures. Various lecturers have practical experience in healthcare management and policy. We focus on immediate and intensive personal contact between our lecturers and students.
4. Active teaching methods: our students apply academic-scientific knowledge to healthcare management and policy in practice. To achieve this, we utilise active teaching methods, a Master's dissertation grounded in empirical research within a specific professional context, and guest lecturers from the professional field.
5. Intensive quality assurance: a defining feature of our study programme is our continuous focus on quality and organisation. If adjustments are called for, we can act swiftly and efficiently. In equal measure, we monitor the quality of our assessment to ensure that it aligns with the learning outcomes and that our exit level is up to standards.
6. Stakeholder involvement: an intensive co-operation with our stakeholders (partners) is crucial to achieving our goals. In addition to our lecturers, our students are our partners in realising our mission and vision. In so doing, we want to give them a shared responsibility in their study career. Finally, we place great store by the social embedding of our programme. We achieve this through our resonance board, which is our channel for involving employers and alumni in the assessment and development of the programme.

1. Responding to the needs of students with different study backgrounds: students entering our Master's programme directly (i.e., without taking a prior bridging or preparatory programme) require special attention and coaching at the start of the academic year.
2. Various healthcare sectors: a point to consider is focusing sufficiently on the different healthcare sectors.
3. Although internationalisation is part of our curriculum, its aspects are not always very visible in the course sheets. We need to make our students more aware of existing study-abroad opportunities.
4. Work placement: some of our students and prospective employers have indicated that a work palcement would enhance the curriculum. Following our recent curricular review, we have included it as an elective. 
5. Feedback: contrary to student expectations, our student numbers affect our ability to always provide individual feedback.

This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2022. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.

This information was last updated on 01/04/2025.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.