New MHBO programme saves students a year

Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Summa, and Yonder are jointly launching a new vocational education (MBO) program for ICT. This new educational pathway will make the transition from vocational education (MBO) to higher professional education (HBO) easier and more successful. More than a quarter of the vocational education (MBO) students eligible to participate have already registered.

The MHBO program is designed for students in the final year of their vocational (MBO) ICT program. During this year, they gain an intensive introduction to the HBO (higher professional education) environment. They work on HBO-level assignments. Successful completion of these assignments results in exemptions. They can then begin the second year of their HBO program directly.

The first group of students will begin in August 2026. These students are enrolled in the IT Expert and Software Developer programs at Summa and Yonder. The high level of interest demonstrates that the program is a good fit for students' needs.

During the vocational education (mhbo) year, students demonstrate their mastery of higher professional education (hbo) knowledge and skills. They work on assignments that teach them to analyze, advise, design, and collaborate on complex projects.

"Yonder students primarily do internships in their final year. Summa students attend classes at school," says Lieke Buiks, coordinator of the vocational higher professional education (mhbo) program at Fontys ICT. "That's why we developed a tailored approach for both schools. This way, all students have the opportunity to achieve the learning objectives at the higher professional education level."

Students work on assignments in six-monthly periods. This allows them to earn exemptions for their first year at Fontys. In the final six months, they spend two days a week on-site at Fontys ICT, working on a project for a real client. This helps them get accustomed to the university of applied sciences.

If students have earned all their exemptions, they no longer need to complete the first year of their higher professional education program. "Instead of four years, they'll then study for three years for their bachelor's degree in ICT. Or one year instead of two for an associate's degree," says Buiks.

This is the first time Fontys, Summa, and Yonder have jointly developed such a program. This collaboration creates a strong regional network. Vocational and higher professional education institutions are collaborating to improve guidance and reduce dropout rates in higher education.

Thanks to the new program, students can obtain their degrees faster. They can also start working sooner in the ICT sector. There's high demand for professionals in fields such as AI, cloud engineering, and software development.

The first MHBO group will start in August 2026. In the following academic year, students will progress to the second year of their HBO program at Fontys. Interest is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

More information about the MHBO programme can be found at the Summa website.

Photo caption: Some vocational students about to start their higher professional education (mhbo) year.