Designing a flexible approach for higher professional education by means of simulation modelling

Operational flexibility is a prerequisite for innovations in higher education. Educational programmes have an operational structure which restricts their flexibility. Design principles from the fields of operations management and instructional design were applied for the design of a flexible approach in educational programmes. In a case study, the curriculum and operational data from an institute for higher professional education in the Netherlands were used to develop a discrete-event simulation model, in order to demonstrate effects of operational changes on the flexibility of their educational programmes. Programme coordinators of the institute validated the model and considered it as a feasible solution for organizing their educational programmes, and as a contribution to educational innovation.