Characteristics of the UTQ scheme as agreed in 2008

Participating universities appreciate the mutual recognition of the University Teaching Qualification. They appreciate uniformity where possible, and freedom for differentiation and profiling where this is desirable. Mutual recognition of UTQ schemes can take place when these schemes meet the following requirements.


Content-related characteristics:

  • The level of the certified lecturer is described in terms of behaviour ('The lecturer can….; is able to….').
  • The requirements that the lecturers must meet are in accordance with international standards for academic lecturers (NVAO, 2.1; Dublin descriptors).
  • The requirements that the lecturers must meet are derived from professional practice (NVAO, 2.1); in this particular case, it means paying attention to the result areas of teaching, educational development, educational assessment, evaluation of education, supervision of students and organisation (UFO), and/or the substantive, educational and organisational realisation of degree programmes (NVAO, 2.3)
  • It is expected that lecturers contribute to the development of their own discipline through research (NVAO, 2.3).


Assessment-related characteristics:

  • All result areas of the academic lecturer will be raised in the assessment.
  • Assessment criteria are described for all result areas of the academic lecturer.
  • How substantial the experience of lecturers must be in these result areas has been defined.
  • The assessment depends for a substantial part on the reflection of one's own professional practice.
  • There is a description of the assessment procedure.
  • There is a description of the kind of expertise required of the assessment committee.
  • There is a description of the way in which the assessment committee ensures scrupulousness, confidentiality and objectivity.


Process-related characteristics:

  • The content, scope and form of lecturers' career path developments (e.g. courses, coaching, portfolio compilation) have been derived from the requirements that lecturers in the UTQ scheme must meet.
  • In their career path developments, lecturers learn to apply the educational knowledge and actual research results of this domain.
  • The institution facilitates the professional development of lecturers to the UTQ level.