Traditionally there was an intensive collaboration between education, business and research organisations in the Dutch agri-food sector. The last decade this situation however has been changed drastically due to developments in agri-business itself but also caused by a shifting attitude of policymakers based on considerations about the role of government in contemporary societies. The move from "government to governance" has had its impact on the structure of the knowledge chain from knowledge creation, via development and dissemination to application and use. About ten years ago the functional labour division in the knowledge chain was clear and accepted by all stakeholders: research institutes are responsible for R&D, extension services disseminate the results and agri-business just applies the knowledge. Schools merely educate young people for the labour market; teachers have regular contacts with researchers and extension workers who are free to share their (public) knowledge. Nowadays two fundamental changes are emerging in the knowledge chain.(1) The new governance approach, connected to neo-liberal opinions, results in a shift away from the traditional functions in the knowledge chain. Extension services have almost disappeared, public research is being commercialised and education (professional and vocational) starts advising regional business partners. (2) Epistemological and axiological views concerning scientific knowledge on the one hand and analyses of the learning processes on the other, have resulted in a modified role of knowledge, in education as well as in business and research. These two emergent developments both have their impact on the position of schools for vocational and professional education in their regions. Knowledge no longer is considered as just a transferable commodity, but knowledge needs to be constructed by individuals to become part of their cognitive and mental competences. Schools extend their learning environments from class rooms to workplaces in business. Contacts between educational institutes and business partners are being intensified. These contacts provide opportunities for exchanging knowledge for the benefit of the students and the business employees or entrepreneurs as well. In the current neo-liberal governing approach schools are encouraged to act as market partners not just for students but also for the knowledge seeking (regional) business parties. However for the sake of the so called knowledge economy, the knowledge that is being exchanged ought to represent the latest findings in science and technology. Therefore part of the governance approach is to reinforce co-operation between education and agri-food research institutes.Researchers of Wageningen University and Research Center have developed an instrument for monitoring and evaluating the co-operation between partners in the knowledge chain (research, education and business). The co-operation is denoted knowledge arrangement and the instrument provides indicators for the success of knowledge arrangements. In the context of the knowledge economy these arrangements are directed towards societal questions (landscape, environment, innovation, animal welfare etc.). To judge the successfulness of an arrangement, three dimensions are included in the instrument: (a) uncertainty and ambiguity of knowledge involved in describing or solving the societal question; (b) the knowledge transfer processes; (c) participation of stakeholders.