The aim of this study is to investigate the Dutch higher vocational education (HVE) context for writing education, in order to find specific design criteria for a writing pedagogy. We analyzed relevant documents and interviewed lecturers to get a picture of the ideological, formal and perceived curriculum. Based on the frameworks of Ivanic and Klafki, we discovered a conflict between a competence-based learning approach associated with a social practices discourse and a transfer of knowledge model associated with a genre discourse. We also found an imbalance in the two key characteristics of HVE schools: the focus is on an orientation towards professional practice, but less attention is paid to vertical mobility and emancipation. A third result is the lack of attention in writing education for the present life significance for the students, and the exemplary significance of the writing assignments. We found that our lecturers prefer a more motivating and activating writing approach, and tentatively experiment with creative writing techniques. However, they lack professional self-confidence and support by their study programmes. Specific design criteria for Dutch HVE writing pedagogy should reconcile conflicting writing discourses, and explicitly address matters of significance in writing assignments.
