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In the audit report 2007 of the audit committee WO-Sprint, the committee reports its findings during the second audit round of the WO-Sprint programme of Platform Beta Techniek.
A significant motivation for the WO-Sprint programme are the "Lisbon objectives". In these, the European government leaders in 2000 set their goal to transform the European economy into the most innovative and competitive economy in the world by 2010. As elaboration of these objectives, it was agreed to invest more in R&D, and work towards a 15% increase in the number of graduates – especially in exact and technical subjects – from institutions of higher education in EU member states. In the Netherlands, this objective for scientific education was translated into a 15% increase in graduates in beta subjects by 2010.
The WO-Sprint programme aims to achieve this 15% objective in the "hard" university beta-technical courses as well as the so-called interdisciplinary courses. Over a three-year period (until 2008), €20 million in incentive funds will be distributed among Dutch universities with a faculty of beta, earth, or life sciences, and the three technical universities. The programme will be evaluated through an annual monitor and audit. Bureau Regioplan carries out the monitor. An independent audit committee conducts the audit. This committee consists of:
- Prof. dr. Tjeerd Plomp (chair, emeritus professor of educational science at the University of Twente);
- Dr. N. Ginjaar-Maas (former State Secretary of Education);
- Ad de Jager (former Inspector General of Education, former member of the Senate);
- Prof. dr. Albert Pilot (professor of chemistry didactics and curriculum at the University of Utrecht);
- Prof. dr. Werner van der Weg (emeritus professor of physics, from the University of Utrecht), and
- Prof. dr. Taede Sminia (former Rector Magnificus of the Vrije Universiteit).
