Costs, benefits and financing of dual education in Flanders

Costs, benefits and financing of dual education in Flanders

After a series of pilot projects on dual learning, the Flemish government adopted a decree for the structural implementation of dual learning. On 1 September 2019, dual learning was definitively introduced in secondary education. Dual learning offers students a training course in which they acquire skills on the workplace and in a school, centre for part-time education or Syntra-course. The learning process therefore consists of a lesson and work component that are geared to one another and together form a coherent whole.

For the system to be successful, the cooperation of enterprises, sectors, training providers, educational organisations and GO! with regard to dual learning is crucial. This requires clarity on what dual learning entails in practice and the resulting costs and benefits for these actors, as well as on the financial aspects of the system. Therefore, SYNTRA Vlaanderen (the agency responsible for the workplace component of dual learning) decided to have a cost-benefit analysis carried out to map and measure the costs and benefits of dual learning for these actors.

This study aims to carry out a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the costs and benefits of dual learning in Flanders for enterprises, sectors, training providers and educational networks, and this for a varied set of 12 programmes:

  • Electromechanical engineering (TSO)
  • Construction (BSO 3rd grade)
  • Bread and Pastry Cooking (BSO 3rd grade)
  • Automobile Maintenance Mechanics (BSO 3rd grade)
  • Logistics (BSO 3rd grade)
  • Hair Care (BSO 3rd grade)
  • Chemical Process Techniques (Se-n-Se)
  • Health care assistant (BSO 7th year)
  • Childcare worker (BSO 7th year)
  • Interior designer (BSO 7th year)
  • Fast food employee (BSO)
  • Employee gardener (BuSO)


The report (with management summary) is available through this link.In addition, policy recommendations are formulated on the financing of dual learning in Flanders based on a global reflection on the possibilities of financing dual learning, taking into account the results of the cost-benefit analysis and with inspiring examples from the Netherlands, Austria and Spain (Basque Country).

arrow team members
foto Miriam Van Hoed
Miriam Van Hoed
Senior Expert Innovation & Competitiveness
foto Ella Desmedt (Ph.D.)
Ella Desmedt (Ph.D.)
Senior Expert in Education, Evaluation & Governance
foto Kathy Goffin
Kathy Goffin
Expert Labour Market & Socio-Economic Policy
foto Marieke Carpentier (Ph.D.)
Marieke Carpentier (Ph.D.)
Senior Consultant/Researcher Regional Development & Labour Market