Fontys OSO (Opleidingscentrum Speciale Onderwijszorg) is a higher education institute for continuing professional development in education, offering post-graduate courses at Masters level and post-Master professional development in the field of special educational needs and inclusive education.
Through its collaboration with Roehampton University Fontys offers even access to the Roehampton EdD International.
OSO is a department in Fontys University of Applied Sciences. Through its consultancy programme Fontys OSO also supports schools and regional networks in developing high quality educational provision for all pupils, at primary, secondary and vocational level. In addition OSO department supports the development of interagency collaboration, focusing on education, child and youth care, social work, health care and employment agencies. Fontys OSO also has an exciting, developing research programme which is carried out by its four lectoraten (research centres).
Facts & figures
Fontys OSO started in 1929 as an interest group for the professional development of workers in special educational needs and as the protector of children with handicaps. Originally it was a Catholic organization and one of the oldest post-graduate teacher education institutes in The Netherlands. With approximately 3,900 post-graduate students Fontys OSO is also the biggest institution of its kind in Holland. 450 Lecturers/researchers are working at Fontys OSO (155 full-time equivalents). Fontys OSO ranks 13th within Fontys University of Applied Sciences (out of 37 schools). It’s the institution of Fontys that only offers awards at Master level.
Masters programmes
Fontys OSO has has been accredited by the NVAO for a Master SEN-programme (Special Educational Needs). Currently about 3,200 students are enrolled. Besides this Master SEN, Fontys OSO also offers two Academic international masters programmes in collaboration with partner institutions:
- The Roehampton University (academic) MA SEN for Dutch students. (part-time; 2 years; 90 ec points).
- An Academic MA/Mgr SEN & Inclusive Education (Erasmus Mundus, EU-programme, in co-operation with Roehampton University and Charles University Prague (for both EU and non-EU students) this is a joint award from Roehampton University, London and Charles University, Prague.
Fontys OSO lectoraten (Professorial Research Centres)
Fontys OSO currently has 4 lectoraten. Lectoraten are research centres led by lectors, at Universities of Applied Sciences. Lectoraten connect higher education curricula, professional practice and research on a range of topics of social relevance. The research groups exist usually of lecturers or other colleagues from the field of investigation.
A lector is a professor at a University of Applied Sciences. In 2010 the following lectors are working at Fontys OSO:
1. Dr Gaby Jacobs; Professional Values in Critical Dialogue
2. Dr Anita Blonk; Evaluative Performance In The Field Of SEN
3. Dr Christine Lloyd; Internationalisation & Inclusive Education
4. Dr Hans Schuman; Interprofessional, Interdisciplinary and Interagency Collaboration
International affairs
Fontys OSO is developing its international work, particularly through the research activities of the lectors and lectoraten. In addition it has also:
- A number of international projects:
- in Middle and Eastern Europe (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia)
- EU-projects in the field of ‘transition to work’, inclusion and ‘students with disabilities studying at universities’
- research projects working with partners in Hong Kong, Australia, USA, UK, Nepal, Bhutan, India and Africa.
- the development of networks to exchange ideas and examples of good practice with alumni from the Erasmus Mundus programme from different countries throughout the world.
- Memberships of international organizations:
- CARN (www.did.stu.mmu.ac.uk/carnnew/ )
- EASPD (www.easpd.eu)
- EARLI
- RI Education Commission
- Association for Positive Behavior Support (http://www.apbs.org/ )
- International Society of Critical Health Psychology
- British Psychological Society: http://www.bps.org.uk/
- Fellowship of Higher Education Academy: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/
Contact information
For mail, please use our p.o. box:
P.o. box 90900
5000 GA Tilburg
Phone: +31 877 877 133
Telefax: +31 877 875 900
E-mail: oso@fontys.nl