Education

Discover the value of standards for future-oriented education.

Standards are best practices for making products, providing services, applying methods and managing processes. For example, there are guidelines for sustainable construction that guarantee energy efficiency and safety, or for AI applications that ensure transparent and responsible use of technology. Standards make innovation reliable and applicable in practice.

By integrating standards into education, learning remains relevant in a rapidly changing society. For students and academics, standards are a valuable source of knowledge and provide a clear frame of reference for projects and bachelor's or master's theses. Those who work with standards use the same language and quality criteria as the professional field. This is a clear added value for future-oriented education.

Marc Van Overmeire

Emeritus professor of mechanical engineering, VUB

Standards are indispensable for students who want to learn good craftsmanship. They are a reliable source of knowledge and represent the latest technological know-how in a field.

Who are you?

Select your profile and discover what standards can do for you.

Benefits of standards for students

Relevant and up-to-date knowledge

Standards reflect the latest insights and best practices from the industry. This means that during your training, you will already be working with knowledge that's relevant today and tomorrow.

Quality boost for your bachelor's or master's thesis

Standards are valuable resources to consult during your thesis. By using practical guidelines as supporting evidence, you can take the quality of your research to the next level.

Preparation for the job market

By working with standards, you develop a reflex to critically assess whether what you are doing is in line with applicable agreements and best practices. This allows you to become familiar with them in different contexts. This gives you a head start in the job market.

What students say

Indy Verheyen

Alumnus wood technology, HOGENT

We have various subjects in which standards are used. While writing my thesis, I looked at many standards. With the NBN Edu portal, this is very easy and, what's more, completely free of charge.

Gentiel Acar

Alumnus of Ghent University

If you're a student or researcher wanting to conduct relevant research, or an organisation wanting to have a good business model, it's better to use today's standards. It makes your research much more credible and stronger. The big advantage of NBN is that, as a student and academic staff member, I have access to all standards via the Edu portal.

What does NBN offer students?

This is how NBN supports you in working smoothly with standards.

Edu portal

As a student, the Edu portal gives you free access to more than 50,000 standards. It's the source for up-to-date professional knowledge, a strong thesis and a smooth start to your career.

Access the Edu portal

E-learning

Discover our e-learning courses on standards, quality management and writing standards.

Discover the full range

Thesis Award

Put your research on sustainability in the spotlight and win great prizes.

Benefits of standards for academics

Bridge between theory and practice

Standards illustrate how knowledge is applied in a business context. This provides you, as a teacher or professor, with tangible resources that are relevant to practice.

Working with the latest knowledge

Standards are updated every five years and reflect the latest insights and best practices from the industry. This allows you to tailor your coursework and research to the most up-to-date knowledge from the field.

Quality boost for your research

Standards are valuable sources of practical knowledge that strengthen the content of research, publications and supervised student projects.

What academics say

Kim Willems

Professor of Marketing, VUB

What's the added value of standards for students? For some, it's useful when writing their master's thesis. But on the day of their first job interview, it is definitely a major added value. Textbooks and scientific literature don't teach us everything. The industry is often ahead of what appears in academic literature. Demonstrating your knowledge of standards during your job interview shows that you have an affinity with the sector.

Vincent Rhymes

Professor of Mathematics and Computer Security, KU Leuven

A research paper or thesis without a single reference to standards? That's not a good start. In our Electrical Engineering department, theoretical research must always have a link to practice. And in practice? That's where standards come into play.

Marc Van Overmeire

Emeritus professor of mechanical engineering, VUB

Integrating standards into courses and lectures? That's a no-brainer. Standards used to seem like a dusty old business. Now they are closely linked to everyday reality. In many jobs, you can't do without them anymore.

What does NBN offer academics?

NBN supports you with practical tools, teaching materials and inspiring initiatives to easily integrate standards into your courses or research.

Edu portal

As a teacher and academic, the Edu portal gives you free access to more than 50,000 standards for up-to-date professional knowledge and high-quality support for research and education.

Access the Edu portal

Info sessions

Invite NBN for a guest session on standards: what they are, why they matter and a demonstration of the Edu portal.

Book an information session

E-learning

NBN supports you with e-learning courses on standards, quality management and writing standards.

Discover the full range

Business Game

Discover the value of standards in an interactive game. Invite NBN and join in!

Play the game

Thesis Award

Encourage your students to submit their sustainability research for the Thesis Award.

Help shape tomorrow's standards

Are you an academic? Use your research and practical knowledge to help develop standards. Your knowledge and insights make new standards relevant and effective.

Prof Dr Hendrik J Kockaert

Faculty of Arts, KU Leuven

Standard development allows academics to translate their scientific expertise into concrete, internationally applicable guidelines that strengthen both practice and education.

Universities and colleges with a statutory or decreed service provision receive a 50% discount on participation in NBN committees.

Discover how you can participate

Want to learn more about standard development? Register for the free webinar Standardisation: The Basics.

Free access to standards

As a student, teacher or academic, you can access more than 50,000 standards via the Edu portal. Discover the value of standards for your coursework, research and thesis.

Discover the Edu portal

Any questions? Contact us!