CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION IN DUTCH HIGHER VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (Edukacja obywatelska w wyzszym szkolnictwie zawodowym w Holandii)

The aim of the paper is to present citizenship education in Dutch higher professional education (HBO - Hoger Beroepsonderwijs). In the first part of the text, the authoress describes the Dutch higher education system and the importance of HBOs for this system. Then, the paper presents the aims of citizenship education. In Netherlands, there is a very direct connection between citizenship education and competencies which are required on the labour market. The goal of the education is to help students become good employees and citizens for the future. The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science together with the organization COLO (Kenniscentra voor Beroepsonderwijs en Bedrijfsleven) define the basic competencies and qualifications required from the graduates. The Dutch higher education is described as competence-based education and civic competencies constitute its important part. In the next part of the text, the authoress presents how the citizenship education is incorporated into the higher education and implemented in real life. Higher vocational schools are socializing agents and offer not only business competencies or the competencies required at the labour market, but also those that are of social, cultural and political character.