Society faces major challenges such as poverty, housing, and climate change, to name just a few. To help countries worldwide address these issues sustainably, the United Nations formulated seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. Within ARC Research Center – the research center of the Creative Business domain at Inholland University of Applied Sciences – Philippa Collin conducted research on how to bring these goals to life. Her conviction: “Collaboration is the foundation for getting started on the SDGs. It is our task to teach students the language to talk about collaboration.”

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At the end of August, Philippa stepped down from her work at Inholland to enjoy early retirement. In recent years, she worked on projects focused on personal development in relation to sustainable change. She explored the question: how do you encourage students to actively contribute to a more sustainable world? Her research led to several meaningful projects, including two international collaborations: Games for Goals and the ESC-IDG Hub. In both projects, collaboration was central – not only as a means, but also as a goal in itself.

Games for Goals

In the Games for Goals project, four European universities of applied sciences from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal worked together with three NGOs to develop educational games designed to introduce primary school pupils to the SDG’s.

The collaboration took place through annual ‘mobilities’: intensive project weeks in which international student teams co-designed a game around a sustainability issue. In total, they developed three games , now translated into five languages and made freely available, along with an accompanying methodology on quality sustainability education.

An achievement to be proud of, but according to Philippa, the process was just as valuable as the product. “Students learned to collaborate in an international context, to uncover implicit cultural values, and to engage with different perspectives on learning, teaching, and motivation. Some partners from other countries, for example, viewed students primarily as producers of a final result, while at Inholland we aim to create space for personal growth and to nurture intrinsic motivation.”

These conversations about values led to something essential: “Students learned to reflect together, to align, and to make differences explicit and discussable. They learned to truly listen, to let go of assumptions, and to create something new together. They developed a shared working culture and a common language. That experience is at least as valuable as the game they created.”

ESC-IDG Hub

Many students – and lecturers as well – feel overwhelmed by the scale of societal issues such as climate change, social inequality, and the transition to a circular economy. They want to make a difference but often don’t know where to begin.

To address this, the IDG Hub was founded in collaboration with the Expertise Network for Systemic Co-Design: an interactive meeting space where research is conducted into people’s concerns and motivations for action. At the same time, the hub is a place where societal transitions and sustainability issues are addressed collectively and systemically, grounded in the Inner Development Goals (IDG’s).

Together with colleagues, Philippa developed a practical training program for students to explore these inner skills. The training consisted of a short introduction, followed by interactive exercises and reflection moments. The design was accessible, but the effect profound. “Students recognized themselves in the themes. They interacted with each other more openly, felt more connected to themselves, to others, and to the world around them. This created trust and a sense of agency.”

The ESC-IDG Hub applies a dynamic approach with the student at the centre. “The gap between knowing and doing is large. The IDGs help students bridge that gap, starting with themselves”, Philippa explains. “It’s not about knowing more, but about getting to know yourself better so that you dare to take action – based on your own values, within your own discipline.”

Collaboration as a force for change

What connects both projects is the understanding that sustainable collaboration does not emerge automatically. It requires awareness, language, practice, and the courage to move forward – even step by step. “By guiding students in their personal development and taking them seriously as partners in the learning process, we create space for genuine collaboration. And that collaboration is essential for sustainable development and for creating a world we want to live in”, says Philippa.

On 15 and 16 October, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, together with the other partners of the Center of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoE CI), is hosting the annual Society 5.0 Festival. This festival focuses on creating a human-centered digital society in which technology serves as a means to enhance the well-being of both people and the planet. This fourth edition is themed “Shaping Hybrid Realities” and will take place at The Social Hub Amsterdam City. Admission to the Society 5.0 Festival is free for Inholland students and staff: registrer via the CoE Ci website.

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Due to digitalisation, our lifeworld is becoming increasingly hybrid. The world as it appears to us – how we see it, understand it, and navigate it – is a blend of digital media technologies and physical environments. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive experiences (IX) are set to deepen this fusion in the coming years.

This shift to hybrid realities has far-reaching implications for our everyday lives and our democratic society. How does this impact our shared sense of reality, mental well-being, relationships, and how we shape and experience public space?

At the Society 5.0 Festival, we explore new ways of working to shape a desirable future society. During this two-day festival – filled with workshops, performances, installations, and talks – creatives, researchers, citizens, technologists, educators, designers, students, and (policy)makers come together to access, generate, sense, and reclaim our hybrid future.

Find out more about the Society 5.0 Festival en register via the CoE Ci website to claim your free tickets.

From 26 to 29 September, the 33rd edition of Europe’s largest international conference for higher education will take place. This time, it is being held in Rotterdam, with Inholland University of Applied Sciences as one of the host institutions. At the annual EAIE conference, education professionals come together to learn, discover trends and meet up

Various different workshops, sessions and lectures will take place during the EAIE conference. Visitors can also take part in the Campus Experience in Delft and Rotterdam on 26 September. In the morning, you’ll see examples of our practice-based education, we'll engage in discussions about internationalisation policy and activities. In the afternoon, you’ll either have the opportunity to explore one of our Living Labs situated on the scenic Southbank of Rotterdam, or visit our green campus in Delft. 

In the Living Lab in Rotterdam students from different disciplines, teachers, researchers, the professional field and community members come together to work on current and future challenges. During the experience in Delft, participants from a wide range of countries including France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden and Mexico will find out more about our education, our labs and the special projects taking place in Delft.

Flappy Project
One example is the Flappy Project run by Mauro Gallo (Biomimicry lecturer). Given the growing world population and increasing demand for food, it is essential for agricultural and horticultural production to increase. However, pests and diseases pose a significant threat to crop yields and can reduce them by up to 10 per cent. Moreover, growers are increasingly restricted in the use of chemical pesticides. This calls for an alternative, sustainable approach.

Through the use of hovering drones, these diseases and pests can be monitored and controlled at an earlier stage. The drones must be small enough to fly between the plants and able to stay airborne for a sufficiently long time. It is also important to optimise energy efficiency in order to achieve an effective and sustainable solution. This can help growers to grow crops sustainably. If it were up to Mauro, several different crops would be grown in a single greenhouse in the future: 'In this scenario, the "Flappy" drones could monitor the crops, help to prevent problems and even let growers know the optimal time to harvest.’

The place where green & technology come together
In short, Inholland Delft is a dynamic environment in which students, researchers and businesses come together to work on pioneering projects and solutions to the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. From robotics and artificial intelligence to renewable energy and biotechnology, a wide range of disciplines are represented.

Campus innovation 
Besides this special project, Richard Oerlemans, director at the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Computing and location director of Inholland Alkmaar, will open the Campus Experience in Delft. With his extensive experience in higher education and his passion for developing talent, he has transformed the Sticky Campus in Alkmaar into a dynamic learning environment: 'I believe that the Sticky Campus in Alkmaar is a true breeding ground for innovation and collaboration. It is a place where knowledge, talent and businesses come together and where new ideas can come to life.'

Study associations
Finally, the two study associations of Inholland Delft, S.V. Futurum Mundus Clementia (FMC) and V.S.V. Sipke Wynia, will also be present. These two study associations focus on different disciplines and areas of interest. They provide a platform that not only allows students to connect with fellow students but also allows them to develop further outside the classroom. By organising lectures, workshops, excursions and social events, the study associations contribute to students' academic, professional and personal growth. They provide a community in which students can support, collaborate and inspire each other.