FCE Vakmanschap in ontwikkeling

What FCE Vakmanschap in ontwikkeling does

FCE Vakmanschap in ontwikkeling, legally Stichting Opleidingskunde and operating as the Foundation for Corporate Education (FCE), is a Dutch foundation founded approximately 35 years ago (1989) by Joseph Kessels and Cora Smit, headquartered in Utrecht. It operates as a platform for knowledge sharing and professional development among HRD, Learning & Development, and organisational development practitioners. Its core business is the design and delivery of multi-day to multi-month professional education programmes ('leergangen') — notably Adviseren & Ontwerpen voor Leren in Organisaties (AOLO, 10 months, €9,750), Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering (one year, €7,090), Dialogisch veranderen (3 months, €3,300), Leiderschap in strategische leervraagstukken (one year, new pilot from January 2026) and Digitale innovatie begeleiden — supplemented by the annual FCE Festival, free or low-cost proeverijen taster sessions, the HRD Café podcast, practice-based research (Open Keukenonderzoek) and a broad alumni network.

FCE's underlying technology is non-technological: its offering is built on a distinctive, practice-oriented learning philosophy delivered by credentialed practitioner-teachers in deliberately small cohorts (maximum 12–18 participants). Core teaching capacity is concentrated among partners affiliated with Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, with supplemental guest teachers drawn from the wider Dutch HRD community. The foundation holds CRKBO registration in the Netherlands and runs Belgium distribution in partnership with HRD Academy, with the Facilitation Academy supporting the Dialogisch veranderen programme.

The revenue model is professional services: course fees are charged to individual participants or their sponsoring employers, with invoiced payments on 14-day terms and optional instalment arrangements. The foundation does not have shareholders; surpluses are reinvested into practice-oriented research whose outputs feed back into programmes and the FCE Festival. Go-to-market is event- and community-driven (festival, proeverijen, podcast, blog, newsletter) with consultative direct sales, channel partners for Belgium and digital innovation, and CRKBO-backed credibility for institutional buyers.

Name

FCE Vakmanschap in ontwikkeling

Legal name

Stichting Opleidingskunde

Website

https://corporate-education.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FCE (Stichting Opleidingskunde) is a Dutch foundation that designs and delivers multi-month professional education programmes ('leergangen') for HRD, L&D and organisational development practitioners in the Netherlands and Belgium, reinvesting course fees into practice-based research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Education / Corporate Learning & Development Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundational PM & Delivery Methods (Waterfall/Agile/Hybrid) (EDABAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Operational Excellence (OPEX) & Performance Management (KPI/OKR) (EDABAKAH), Onboarding & New-Hire Training Programs (BPACANAF), Employee Training, L&D & Certification Events (THAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Professional education programmes
• Corporate learning training
• HRD L&D development
• Organisational change facilitation
• Learning intervention design

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Education Programmes (Leergangen): FCE generates revenue primarily through multi-day, multi-month professional development programmes and workshops targeting HRD, L&D, and organisational development professionals. Revenue is earned through course fees charged to individual participants or their employer organisations. The main programmes include Adviseren & Ontwerpen voor Leren in Organisaties (10-month programme, €9,750), Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering (year programme, €7,090 excl. VAT, including accommodation), and Dialogisch veranderen (3-month, 6-day programme, €3,300 excl. VAT). Additional revenue streams include shorter workshops, the FCE Festival, and one-off events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

FCE delivers multi-month professional learning programmes (leergangen) for HRD, L&D, and organisational development practitioners, including the 10-month Adviseren & Ontwerpen voor Leren in Organisaties (AOLO), the year-long Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering, the 3-month Dialogisch veranderen, and the new Leiderschap in strategische leervraagstukken trajectory. Programmes combine in-person workshop days, small cohorts, personal coaching, portfolio and proeve (competence) assessments, and alumni community events, with proceeds funding practice-based research.

Product overview

FCE (Foundation for Corporate Education / Stichting Opleidingskunde) is a Dutch educational platform for HRD and Learning & Development professionals offering a portfolio of multi-day to multi-year learning programs. The core offerings are its Leergang (full programs) including Adviseren & Ontwerpen voor Leren in Organisaties (AOLO) — the flagship 10-month program — the annual FCe Festival, Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering (a year-long personal development program), Dialogisch veranderen (a 3-month dialogic change facilitation program), Leiderschap in strategische leervraagstukken (a new 2026 senior program), and Digitale innovatie begeleiden (digital innovation facilitation). Programs combine theory, practice, personal development, and peer learning in small groups, with revenues reinvested into practice-based research. Some programs are delivered in partnership with Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, and HRD Academy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Adviseren & Ontwerpen voor Leren in Organisaties (AOLO): A 10-month leergang for HRD professionals and L&D advisors to strengthen their consulting and design expertise.
• Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering
• Dialogisch veranderen
• FCE Festival
• Leiderschap in strategische leervraagstukken

Products and services

• Adviseren & Ontwerpen voor Leren in Organisaties (AOLO) A 10-month learning programme (leergang) for HRD, L&D, and training professionals to strengthen their advisory and design competencies in organisational learning. Covers designing learning interventions, advising with impact, portfolio-based assessment, and a proeve (competence demonstration). Maximum 18 participants per cohort; €9,750 excluding VAT.
• Leiderschap in strategische leervraagstukken A one-year collective action-learning trajectory for senior L&D advisors, HRD managers, change managers, interims, and directors, designed to connect learning processes to strategic organisational challenges. Developed by Saskia Tjepkema and Pieterjan van Wijngaarden; pilot cohort starting January 2026.
• FCE Festival – Bouwen aan Beweging An annual multi-day flagship festival event focused on building momentum and renewal within organisations, combining workshops, research presentations, and networking for L&D professionals. Held annually in November; participation is included in the AOLO programme at no extra cost.
• Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering A year-long personal development programme (formerly Faciliteren en begeleiden van effectieve verandering) focused on using personal authenticity and development as the lever for professional craftsmanship as a facilitator and guide of change. Develops 7 competencies including personal authenticity and designing effective interventions. Delivered in partnership with HRD Academy; €7,090 excluding VAT, including accommodation.
• Digitale innovatie begeleiden A programme exploring how to initiate and sustain positive organisational change through social technology and digital innovation, addressing employee renewal and engagement in online networks.
• Dialogisch veranderen A 3-month, 6-day programme (formerly Waarderend faciliteren) for professionals facilitating dialogue and change in teams and organisations, grounded in dialogic organisation development and Appreciative Inquiry. Delivered by Arjan van Vembde in partnership with the Facilitation Academy; €3,300 excluding VAT (€2,900 early-bird).

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants in AOLO reported career advancement (including transitions into leadership roles overseeing learning and development) and the development of a personal professional foundation applicable for years ahead.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kessels & Smit, The Learning CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA large proportion of FCE's core instructors are affiliated with Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company, acting as advisors, coaches, and researchers. Key figures including Erik Deen, Mariël Rondeel, Theo Visser, Jeroen Hellings, Suzanne Verdonschot, Pieterjan van Wijngaarden, Saskia Tjepkema, Koen Weber, Martijn van Ooijen, Joeri Kabalt, Lieve Scheepers, and Ton ten Broeke are listed as core teachers connected to Kessels & Smit. Directors Theo Visser and Pieterjan van Wijngaarden are also from Kessels & Smit. The partnership involves co-development of programmes and shared publishing (e.g., Opleidingskunde textbook).
• HRD AcademycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHRD Academy is the Belgian partner responsible for administering registration and all communication for the 'Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering' programme. FCE works with HRD Academy to extend reach into Belgium and Dutch-speaking Belgium. The HRD Academy manages the KMO-portefeuille payment option for Belgian participants.
• Facilitation AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Facilitation Academy collaborates with FCE in the organisation of the 'Dialogisch veranderen' workshop, providing marketing and operational support for the programme.
• CRKBO (Centraal Register Kort Beroeps Onderwijs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCE Stichting Opleidingskunde is registered in the CRKBO (Central Register for Short Professional Education), indicating it meets quality standards for short professional education programmes in the Netherlands.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Vlerick Business School: Belgian/Flemish business school with executive education programmes spanning HR, leadership and organisational development. Comparable to FCE in serving Dutch-speaking HRD/L&D professionals in the BeNeLux market, but as part of a much wider MBA and executive portfolio.
• Nyenrode Business Universiteit: Dutch private business university with executive L&D, leadership and management programmes. Comparable as a higher-education provider targeting senior Dutch professionals for organisational learning and leadership development, though much broader in scope than FCE's HRD-practitioner niche.
• TIAS School for Business and Society: Dutch business school with executive education programmes including HR, leadership and L&D tracks. Comparable to FCE in targeting mid-career professionals with executive-level training in the Dutch-speaking market, but with a broader management curriculum and larger institutional scale.
• Schouten & Nelissen: One of the largest Dutch corporate training providers, offering broad L&D, leadership and professional development programmes. Comparable to FCE as a Dutch B2B L&D training provider, but much larger in scale and offering a wider portfolio rather than a specialised HRD-practitioner niche.

Direct peers

• HRD Academy: Belgian L&D training academy that administers FCE's 'Authentiek begeleiden van effectieve verandering' programme in Belgium. Comparable as a Dutch-speaking L&D professional training provider serving the same HRD/coaching/change-facilitation persona via short to mid-length programmes.
• Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company: Dutch L&D advisory and training firm that shares faculty, leadership, and content IP with FCE (including co-published textbooks). Closest comparable: a Dutch-speaking L&D professional training and consulting house operating in the same market and customer segment.
• Roffey Park Institute: UK-based institute offering residential leadership, management and HRD learning programmes. Comparable to FCE in using a high-touch, residential, small-cohort format aimed at HRD and change practitioners, and in combining practice research with programme delivery.
• ISBW: Dutch business and management training institute offering short professional courses for working professionals. Comparable to FCE as a Dutch B2B training provider in the management/professional-development category, though with a more commoditised, course-catalogue model.
• SIOO (Interuniversitair Studiecentrum voor Organisatie en Verandering): Dutch interuniversity centre offering postgraduate programmes in organisational change and learning. Directly comparable to FCE: similar target audience (HRD/change professionals), similar multi-day/multi-year residential programme model, and similar positioning as a niche, high-quality Dutch L&D educator.

Others

• ATD (Association for Talent Development): US-based professional association for the talent development / L&D field, offering conferences, certifications, publications and learning programmes. Comparable to FCE as a thought-leadership and community hub for L&D practitioners, but operating as a membership body rather than a niche educator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC...
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fce-foundation-for-corporate-education

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FCE Vakmanschap in ontwikkeling