In 1992 a number of Dutch institutes for higher professional education set up so-called co-operative education, one of them being the Hogeschool van Utrecht. With its 23,000 students and 2,400 personnel, it is one of the largest institutes for professional education in the Netherlands.

C-op education is offered by the faculty of Economics and Management, one of the six faculties of the Hogeschool van Utrecht. It houses 12 different courses of economics and management, four of which are also offered in the form of co-operative education: Business Economics, Logistics and Economics, Commercial Economics and, finally Communication.

Co-operative education means three years of full-time education and, alternately, three semesters of working, thus totalling four-and-a-half years, which is half a year longer than regular higher professional education. The main objective of co-op education is to promote the interaction between education and the labour market.

The first year of co-op education involves full-time studying, but it is practically oriented, which means that even in the theoretical modules much attention is paid to automation and communicative and practical skills. An essential part of the first year is the module called 'labour market communication', in which students are required to make a SWOT-analysis of themselves and are trained in job application (both writing the application letter and taking the interview).

During the three working periods Co-op students are temporarily hired as employees, instead of having a work placement (with tends to be only partially compensated at most). The working periods, therefore, have to meet a number of criteria. During the first working period co-op students are supposed to be involved with executing tasks mainly, although they should also be able to experience a number of policy matters.

The second and third working periods should correspond with their particular education. In these periods it is particularly vital to be able to put into practice the subject matters the students were offered at school. The activities should at least be at intermediate professional level. After the third working period students are supposed to be able to function at higher professional level.

• commit themselves for a longer time to a particular company than students that work for a company than students that work for a company on a work placement basis, and, consequently are;
• more productive at reasonable cost
• highly motivated
• experts in their respective fields
• well-informed of the latest trends
• communicative
• easy to break in and flexible

Since 1992 a considerable number of co-op students have been employed. Generally speaking, the reactions from the companies that temporarily hired co-op students are very positive. The Hogeschool van Utrecht, too, frequently hires co-op students, because they show that they feel responsible for their work.