Talent development has gained a higher place on the agenda of policymakers and educators in many countries over the last decade. However, focus is mostly on the identification and fostering of gifted and talented pupils in compulsory education, but not so much on students in higher education. Gifted children eventually become gifted students. Offering honors programs is a best-known way to make provisions for these students.
Surprisingly, a structured inventory of honors programs in Europe had never before been made. The project ‘Honors in northern Europe’ is a first step. Why have honors programs for gifted and talented students been developed in some European countries and at certain higher education institutions (HEIs), but not in others? The differentiated development of programs so far is explained and future scenarios are explored.
Eight factors influencing the development of honors programs are evaluated, including local educational philosophy and traditions, the selectiveness of the education system, competition between HEIs and cultural and political views towards excellence.
This exploratory research is based on a first structured overview of honors programs in higher education in eleven northern European countries, which was prepared in 2014. Focus was on the development of programs in the Benelux area, the Nordic countries and the German-speaking countries. Policies were analyzed, key persons were identified and interviewed, and all HEIs were contacted. Using these methods, national overviews were created of the culture towards excellence, talent development policies and the current proliferation of honors programs. Honors programs have been identified in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Denmark and Finland. In these and other countries a slow shift is visible, with more space available for excellence and talent development in national discourses.
Inspired by American examples, the Netherlands are the first European country where honors programs have developed. From the late 1990s, an extensive infrastructure has been put in place, with all universities and most universities of applied sciences now offering one or more honors programs. Government subsidies through the national Sirius Programme have supported this development. This has led to a rich landscape of honors programs, with different aims, objectives and results. In the last decade, other countries have followed.
Belgium, and especially its Flanders region, is catching up and honors programs are developing here. In the German-speaking countries a system is in place to support individual talented students from private foundations, both financially and in the form of programs and networks. In Germany, nine honors programs were found up and running throughout the country. In addition, the Excellence Network of Bavaria facilitates both financial support and a number of selective study programs. In Austria, programs are successful mostly at two specialized universities. In Denmark, talent development has firmly established itself as a policy goal over the last decade and honors programs have been established at six HEIs.
The differentiated development of programs so far is explained and future scenarios are explored. Further plans for more research on this topic will be elloborated.