Frequently asked questions
For your convenience we have made a list of the most frequently asked questions. If you have specific questions about the Fine Arts Monitor (Kunsten Monitor), click here.
Around 90% of Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences participate in either the HBO Monitor or the Fine Arts Monitor. All graduates from these universities are approached and asked to participate in the survey. Around 40% of these graduates have completed the questionnaire, which amounts to more than 20,000 graduates.What is the HBO Monitor?
The HBO Monitor is an annual survey of recent graduates of Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences (in Dutch: hogescholen). It provides a detailed overview of the situation encountered by graduates after leaving education and entering the labour market, and of postgraduate life in general. It also sheds light on the extent to which HBO institutions adequately prepare students for the labour market.
Who are the respondents of the HBO Monitor?
The HBO Monitor is intended for all graduates of Universities of Applied Sciences in all fields of study. This includes graduates of full-time, part-time and dual programmes leading to bachelor, master and Associate degrees. For graduates of HBO Fine Arts institutions a specific Fine Arts Monitor (in Dutch: the Kunsten Monitor) has been developed.
When is the HBO Monitor conducted?
Graduates receive a letter in the autumn - approximately one and a half years after graduation – with the request to fill in an online questionnaire. Graduates from academic year 2017/2018 are thus approached in the autumn of 2019, graduates from 2018/2019 in the autumn of 2020 etc.
Who conducts the HBO Monitor?
The HBO Monitor is conducted by the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), under the support and guidance of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. The field work is performed by DESAN Research Solutions.
What results does the HBO Monitor provide?
The survey provides a wealth of information, for example on how graduates look back on various aspects of their study programme, how employable they are, which jobs they fulfil and which skills they possess and use in performing those jobs.This information can be used by for example secondary school students to choose a HBO programme that is right for them, by universities for benchmarking and career advice to students, and by policy makers and other stakeholders wishing to monitor the transition from study to work.
What is the difference between the HBO Monitor and the Fine Arts Monitor?
The HBO Monitor and the Fine Arts Monitor (in Dutch: the Kunsten Monitor) are comparable in many respects, but there are differences in emphasis. The Fine Arts Monitor has been developed specifically for (graduates of) Dutch fine arts education, and as a consequence includes questions that are only relevant for that specific educational sector. At the same time, the core information from the Fine Arts Monitor on the transition to the labour market is included alongside that from other sectors in the results of the HBO Monitor.
What is the coverage of the HBO Monitor?
Around 90% of Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences participate in either the HBO Monitor or the Fine Arts Monitor. All graduates from these universities are approached and asked to participate in the survey. Around 40% of these graduates have completed the questionnaire, which amounts to more than 20,000 graduates.
I received an invitation to fill in a questionnaire, where can I do so?
You received an invitation to participate in the HBO Monitor and wish to participate? You can start filling in the questionnaire now! You can find your login data in the invitation letter.
I received an invitation to fill in a questionnaire, but don’t want to participate. What should I do?
If you don’t wish to participate and don’t want to receive any further correspondence, you can unsubscribe by sending an email to hbomonitor@desan.nl. Don’t forget to include your login code in the email!
I am a part time student, does the questionnaire apply to me as well?
Yes, part time students also belong to the target group of the HBO Monitor. There is even a special edition for part time students, so that the questions are optimally matched to your situation.
I am a master student, does the questionnaire apply to me as well?
Yes, master students also belong to the target group of the HBO Monitor.
What are the employment prospects for my programme?
You can find more information on the labour market and job prospects for your programme on the website of the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market.
I am having trouble connecting to the questionnaire, the link is not working. What should I do?
Go directly to the questionnaire:
The link doesn’t work when entered in the Google search field. The link needs to be entered in the address bar of your browser:
I was “thrown out” of the questionnaire and can’t log back in.
If your connection was incorrectly terminated while completing the questionnaire, you need to wait 10 minutes before you can resume completion. After 10 minutes the questionnaire will become accessible again.
I recently graduated from a University of Applied Sciences, but did not receive an invitation, what should I do?
Graduates receive an invitation to participate in the HBO Monitor around a year and a half after graduation. You should receive your invitation soon. If you don’t receive an invitation, please contact us.
How did you obtain my e-mail address?
The University of Applied Sciences that you graduated from is participating in the HBO Monitor, and made your e-mail address available for this purpose. The use of this e-mail address is strictly limited to the sending of the invitation to participate in the survey and to inform you in case you win a prize for participating. All addresses provided by your university are then permanently deleted, unless you indicated that you wish to participate in follow-up questionnaires.
Why should I participate?
By participating in the HBO Monitor you not only have the opportunity to let your university know how you look back on your study programme, but you also help future students to choose the study programme that is right for them! By collecting data from graduates, we can provide an accurate picture of employment prospects and the extent to which study programmes prepare students for the future. What’s more, you have the chance of winning €500!
When is the prize drawn?
The prize draw takes place in July and the winner is informed about the prize via the e-mail address to which the invitation letter was sent.
What happens to my data?
All collected data are processed carefully and are only used for the HBO Monitor. The data in the file are never traceable to individual persons. Do you want to see how former cohorts filled in the HBO Monitor? See the results here.
Our university is not participating in the HBO Monitor. Is this still possible?
Certainly. Your university isn’t participating but you are interested? Contact one of our researchers for a non-binding conversation. They will be happy to help you.
When do we receive our university-specific report?
The report for your university will be provided in early April, so that you have time to prepare for a possible visit by the auditors from the accreditation office. See here the most recent version of your report.
Can other universities see our results? Or can we see theirs?
Since 2011 the university-specific reports have been made available via secure environment (portal with password). The results from your university can thus only be seen by your university, unless you choose to share your results with others..
Is there anything we can do to improve our response rate?
There are various ways in which you can help to raise your response rates. Thorough updating of your alumni address files for example, or actively informing students at the time of graduation that your university participates in the HBO Monitor and strongly appreciates their feedback. Alumni can also be kept informed via alumni websites and social media.