Lecturers' acquisition of research comeptence in Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences : Theoretical perspectives and a research agenda

The argument for many innovations in higher education provided by the Ministry of Education is the realization of a knowledge economy in the Netherlands (Ministerie van OC&W, 1999). A significant example of such an innovation to support the knowledge economy is the installation of professors (lectoren) at Universities of Applied Sciences (U.A.S.) (hogescholen) in 2001. The objectives of their research groups (kenniskringen) are: 1) development of knowledge to improve professional practice, 2) professional development of lecturers2 (hogeschooldocenten), (3) improvement of the curriculum based on practice-based research and professional experience, and (4) circulation of knowledge between society and U.A.S. Until recently U.A.S. in the Netherlands were teaching-only institutions. Since 2001 research has become part of their corporate identity (Ministerie van OC&W and HBO-raad, 2001).