Summary
The development of ICT education through the eyes of a pioneer Anyone walking through the corridors of the institute today will see a dynamic environment: thousands of students, international classes, project rooms and an educational model that is closely intertwined with professional practice. It is hard to imagine that this same institute once began as a small, manageable study programme, where teaching took place mainly in classrooms and on paper. The history of the institute reads like a story of constant change — a development closely linked to the evolution of the discipline itself.

In the early 1990s, when Frens Vonken began his career in higher education, the landscape looked fundamentally different. The current Fontys did not yet exist in its present form. Study programmes were housed in separate institutes, such as the PTH and other universities of applied sciences that would later merge into what was then known as Hoger Onderwijs Zuid-Nederland (HOZN) — the predecessor of Fontys.

The institute itself was small: fewer than fifty employees and around eight hundred students. Communication lines were short, the structure straightforward. Education took place in classrooms, with lecturers at the front and students taking notes by hand. Computers were available, but only in special computer rooms. Students rarely had their own computer at home, let alone a laptop. The education followed a strict rhythm: eight weeks of courses, followed by interim examinations that were conducted entirely on paper and marked according to meticulous procedures. Everything was organised, controlled and predictable. At the same time, the field of computer science was still in a relatively early phase. Education was strongly technically oriented. In the first year, roughly half of the programme consisted of mathematics. Computer science was closely linked to technical disciplines such as electrical engineering and was seen as a specialist field of expertise.

Nevertheless, the first changes soon became apparent. A need arose within the work field for a different type of professional: not only technically skilled, but also strong communicators and capable of connecting technology with people and organisations. This led to the development of the People and Computer Science study programme — an initiative in which Frens Vonken was closely involved. With his background in both psychology and computer science, he found himself at the intersection of these two worlds. The study programme marked a significant shift: from purely technical education to a broader approach to ICT. It was a first step in a development that would later become characteristic of the institute: the constant adaptation of education to the changing demands of the work field.

The changes in education ran parallel to rapid technological development. Whereas in the early years computers were still cumbersome devices with black screens and green text, this changed radically with the advent of the personal computer and later the graphical user interface. Software became more accessible, and applications more broad in their versatility. Students no longer merely learnt how systems worked, but also how they could be used. The introduction of the internet marked another turning point. Information became universally available, and the role of the lecturer changed radically: from primary source of knowledge to facilitator in an increasingly rich learning environment. Whereas lecturers used to compile their own course materials — complete with detailed instructions and screenshots — students nowadays work with a multitude of tools and resources, with independence and experimentation at the heart of the process.

As the field grew, so did the institute. Student numbers rose sharply, eventually peaking at around 4,400. This changed not only the scale but also the nature of the organisation. Whereas previously almost everyone knew one another, a more complex structure emerged with different study programmes and specialisations. Eventually, separate streams — such as Technical Computer Science, Computer Science and Business Informatics — were brought together into a single broad bachelor's degree programme: HBO-ICT. This consolidation reflected a broader trend in the work field, where boundaries between disciplines were blurring and collaboration was becoming increasingly important.

Another important development was the internationalisation of education. What began with a few separate international classes grew into an integral part of the institute. International students, initially often in small, separate groups, were gradually integrated into mainstream education. The teaching staff also became more international. Whereas previously almost all lecturers were Dutch-speaking, a significant proportion now consists of international colleagues from dozens of different countries. This development was partly driven by the institute’s growth and the increasing demand for ICT lecturers. The international context enriched the education, but also brought new challenges, such as bringing together different teaching styles and curricula.

In the early years, research was not part of the university of applied sciences. The institute was essentially an educational organisation. It was only later, partly due to changes in the higher education system and the introduction of the bachelor’s-master’s structure, that research was given a formal place. With the introduction of research groups, a new dimension emerged: applied research that contributes to the topicality and relevance of education. Although this development is still ongoing, research now has a firm place within the institute.

Perhaps the greatest change is evident in the roles of students and lecturers. Whereas students used to be primarily recipients of knowledge, they are now expected to be much more independent. They work on a project basis, present to large groups and navigate a complex, digital world. Lecturers have evolved alongside this development. Their role has shifted from that of knowledge transmitter to coach, designer and facilitator of learning processes. At the same time, one aspect remains unchanged: the need to continue learning in a field of expertise that is developing at breakneck speed.

Looking back, one common thread is clear: change is the constant. From the introduction of computers to the rise of the internet and current developments in artificial intelligence — time and again, the institute has adapted to a changing world. And that movement will continue. Despite predictions that study programmes and schools would lose their significance and that just-in-time learning would become more important in practice, the need to learn in a safe and challenging school environment at the start of a career remains. The institute is expected to continue to play an important role in this regard in the future. Not as a static organisation, but as a place that evolves alongside technology, society and the work field — just as it has done for decades.