Students from the Inholland programmes Business Innovation, Creative Business, and Applied Mathematics/Data Science claimed the top spot at the Emerging Technologies Olympiad 2025 in Hong Kong. “We proudly congratulate all students, lecturers, and coaches who contributed to this remarkable achievement.”

The event, organised by the Königsberger Bridges Institute, brought together more than forty international teams presenting innovative solutions using emerging technologies to address pressing social challenges. 

Three interdisciplinary Inholland teams 
Inholland was represented by three interdisciplinary teams: Betternative, Aithos, and HoloMed. The students combined their expertise in business, creativity, and technology to demonstrate how AI, XR, and machine learning can contribute to a more sustainable and socially responsible world. 

• Betternative won gold with a machine vision application that helps consumers make more sustainable clothing choices.
• Aithos earned bronze with an AI solution that builds data-driven marketing strategies within minutes.
• HoloMed received an Award of Merit for their immersive image-to-3D educational tool that enhances medical learning. 

“While all finalists presented technically impressive demos, our students stood out through a crystal-clear problem-solution fit and powerful storytelling,” said Inholland coach Richard John. 

Learning beyond borders
The students spent ten days in Hong Kong, collaborating with international peers and receiving valuable feedback from industry experts. In addition to the awards, they returned home with new insights, global connections, and a shared ambition to make technology more accessible and impactful.

Looking ahead
Within the Creative Business domain, Inholland continues to invest in education on emerging technologies, both locally and internationally. The next step is the Emerging Tech Minor, launching in February 2026.

Lucia Domingues Rosa (20) is a Creative Business student in Haarlem and is discovering various ways in which she can use her passion for film to promote self-acceptance and meaningful dialogue.

Searching with an open mind
‘I'm not an entrepreneur yet, but I am very enterprising. I am eager to learn and creative, and I am currently exploring what I enjoy doing. I take that exploration seriously, and it also requires perseverance to do it that way. When I work with other people, I like everyone to feel at ease. I do that, for example, by being as communicative as possible, but also by being ready to help others. Sometimes I go a bit overboard. Then I am so busy with others that my own work gets delayed. It is important to do something you enjoy, because then you are more motivated to work harder and you can deliver better quality. My search is characterized by my open mind. By looking further, you often see more things than you thought you would. My open mind allows me to see many opportunities for growth.’

Taking initiative opens doors
‘In the first year of my studies, I participated in Kunstbende, a competition for young creatives that provides a platform for their work. I submitted a short film and ended up taking second place. Even though I hesitated for a long time about whether to sign up, I don't regret it for a second. Thanks to this competition, I met lots of other people with the same interests and ended up in the creative sector. Exactly where I wanted to be.

Later, I saw a call for a project at a fort on Instagram. At first, I thought it was a scam because it was a completely new project that had never been done before. I was wrong. When the second call came out for young creatives who wanted to organize the AANGAAN 2.0 festival together, I was approached myself. How cool is that?

We locked ourselves in the fortress for four days with eight creators to make art around the theme of Light. In the end, all the results were shown during the festival and visitors could come and see them.

By seizing these different opportunities, which are outside my comfort zone, I am growing enormously. If you keep waiting, nothing will happen. No one will come to you on their own to ask you. You have to show initiative and make yourself visible. Then doors will open.

This summer I went to Italy for four weeks to attend a school for filmmakers. We immersed ourselves in all aspects of film and explore all the different roles. We made a short film as a group. This took us through the entire process of pre-production, production and post-production. We were taught by professionals from the industry. I had saved for this for a long time, had never lived on my own before and now spent a month in Italy with 20 strangers. Great, isn't it?'

Self-acceptance and daring to express yourself
‘My passion lies in making films or short videos that focus on people's stories. My goal is for viewers to be able to recognize themselves. It doesn't have to be true, but it does have to be realistic so that you can convey feelings. I hope that by watching my films, people will dare to open up more. That it can open up a dialogue and people can get to know each other on a deeper level. Self-acceptance and feeling comfortable enough to share are important pillars in my work.

A great example for me is Emma Branderhorst. She is a young director who always chooses to use a female protagonist. She became known to a wider audience through a national advertisement and is now on the rise. I had a short conversation with her and that really inspired me. I am now even more motivated to continue in film.’

You get more out of it when you step outside your comfort zone
‘At Start Up Campus Haarlem, I followed the Start programme and the Community programme. I meet lots of new people here and also learn about other sectors. It's great to see that there are other people who are ambitious to do more than just the standard stuff. It really complements my studies. 

SUCH offers me space to grow personally. I think it's so cool that this exists. It's a good and accessible way to do new things. If you can, I would say “go for it and take the workshops at SUCH!”. In any case, I advise everyone to just go for it and not sit around. You don't have to start big to be successful. You get more out of it when you step outside your comfort zone. Of course, sometimes there are things at school that are less fun. But then I get my energy from extracurricular activities and that way I enjoy my time at Inholland to the fullest.’

Susanna Appelman (23) is an International Creative Business student in Haarlem. She moved from China to the Netherlands and works on her business which helps organizations with cross border marketing between China and Europe.

Gap to my goals
I’m always on the look, seeking for new things and improving myself. People will put me as flexible, helpful and willing to learn. Even though I enjoy trying new things and I’m not afraid of challenges, I often feel like what I do is never quite good enough. People tell me I’m doing great, but I set the bar high for myself. That pressure pushes me to keep learning and improving, and it’s also why I always feel there is a gap between where I am and where I want to be. I’m a fast learner and have passion for a variety of things. For example, during my minor in Digital Marketing I developed a strong interest in tech, which opened up new perspectives beyond my main studies. In China, people recognize me more for my artistic side, while in the Netherlands I’m seen from a more business-oriented perspective. That’s why I chose an internship in Ecommerce, so my art and excel-mind goes hand in hand.

I know both worlds
I liked it so much, that I start working on the idea of starting my own creative agency in cross-border marketing between China and Europe. My ideal clients are companies looking to enter each other’s markets. I can help them set up their operations in the local context because I not only speak the language, but I’m also familiar with both cultures and how business is done in each.  In China we work with a completely different digital environment, some markets can only be set up with a Chinese ID. I can fix that with my local networks. That’s the benefit of knowing both worlds.

Finding first clients
I didn’t find that many competitors to be honest. And I do notice that companies missing opportunities because they think this cross-border execution is too complicated. That’s where I came in. But since I’m new on the market, I need to convince my first clients to proof my added value in their business. That’s probably the hardest part of starting your own business, finding the first clients. Once they worked with me, I hope they’ll also experience my qualities as good communication, flexibility and creative ways of problem solving.

People often see me as a sweet person, but I can be surprisingly direct when needed. That usually catches people off guard. The same goes for my artistic side, many don’t expect it. Fun fact: I’ve studied piano for years and hold a high-level certification, used to be a pianist in five-star hotels, and have created art my whole life. Music and art have shaped how I think, how I express, connect, and communicate. They influence how I approach storytelling in branding, adding depth and emotion to my work. For me, creativity and strategy aren’t separate, they’re two sides of the same coin. That’s exactly where my art and Excel-mind come together.

Test ideas with like-minded people
The last year I joined the Start and the Community programme of SUCH. For me, as an introverted person, I didn’t know what my goal was in the beginning. But being surrounded by all these motivated young people, helped me a lot with it. What stood out most to me was the community manager - Jorien. She genuinely remembers the participants and always keeps us in mind when opportunities come up. She's constantly looking for ways to build meaningful connections that are helpful and interesting for everyone involved. That personal attention made the experience feel truly supportive.

Now I know, I’m not alone. The sense of community was really great. Also, the different workshops gave us the opportunity to experience a lot of things in a short time. During the workshop you could easily test your ideas with like-minded people. The fresh perspectives were a welcoming alternation after four years of school. SUCH is different than what we learn at our courses.

To students who are considering starting their own business, I would say: go to try! You need to fail, before you actually know what you are doing. See it as an iterative process. Sometimes you will start with an idea and end up with something totally different. Just start, go out there and check it out!

What happens when students from different countries meet in a virtual world to learn, create, and explore together? Students from Inholland University of Applied Sciences (Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab Amsterdam) and the Latvian Academy of Culture found out during ‘Creativity Connected’, an international education project where virtual reality (VR), creativity, and collaboration came together.

For two weeks, Dutch and Latvian students worked together on an international assignment in virtual reality. Not in a physical classroom, but in a shared digital environment designed as a virtual playground. Through avatars in platforms like VRChat, they explored what a creative space of the future, the year 2050, could look like. The assignment challenged them to think beyond borders and co-create new forms of creativity.

Collaborating across borders
The project took place within a COIL framework (Collaborative Online International Learning). Its goal was to enable international cooperation without the need for travel, while exploring how VR can support intercultural communication, artistic expression, and innovative education.

“VR not only made it possible to work together remotely”, says Farah, a Tourism Management student at Inholland. “It also gave me the freedom to experiment and express myself in a different way.”

The project was initiated by Kasia Głowicka, researcher at Inholland’s Authentic Leadership research group en developer of the creativity curriculum (Comenius Senior Fellow, 2023). For this project she developed a specific series of sessions in VR. She collaborated with her Inholland colleague Esther Bouw (lectorate Design Thinking), Ieva Zemīte (Latvian Academy of Culture), and Avinash Changa (WeMakeVR).

Supported by a VIS innovation grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the project bridged education and industry. Avinash brought in his expertise in immersive storytelling, which inspired students to explore VR as a sensory, poetic, and expressive medium.

Immersive creativity
The results were both creative and culturally rich. One team designed a virtual “gallery walk” where you begin with antic art collection and follow up to the modern Dutch dance club. Another team build a story-telling theater about the future of art classroom with hollograpic decore. One group even presented an immersive poem in which floating words, sound, and movement blended into a live VR performance.

But the most valuable outcome was the experience itself. Students learned to collaborate in an international context, developed both digital and social skills, and grew in self-confidence. “I was hesitant at first,” one participant shared, “but presenting as an avatar soon felt liberating.”

The sense of connection between students was strong. Many kept in touch after the project, and some collaborations even turned into friendships.

The future of learning
“Connected Creativity in VR” shows how technology, creativity, and international collaboration can reinforce one another. By literally stepping outside their own reality, students discovered new ways of thinking, working, and creating. A project that not only anticipates the education of tomorrow – but already offers a glimpse of it.

Press here for Dutch

First experiences in the virtual space

During the initial VR onboarding session, students from Inholland and QUT met in small international teams for an interactive introduction. They used immersive VR technology—a virtual environment that, through VR headsets, makes users feel truly present and together in a shared digital space. In the second session, they worked on learning assignments from the Creative Business program in The Hague, using two key methods:

• The Co-Design Canvas, developed by Wina Smeenk, Professor of Societal Impact Design at Inholland.
• Playing personas, a method that helps bring target audiences to life through role-play, as described in the Co-Design book by Jeremy Kerr, Associate Professor of Visual Communication at QUT's School of Design.

Australian students used avatars and the playing personas method to reflect on various concepts developed by Inholland students. This enabled them to provide constructive, embodied feedback to improve the concepts and prototypes. Simultaneously, the research explores how co-design in VR can foster empathy and connection through immersive and embodied experiences.

Jeremy Kerr: “We are exploring how co-design can take place in new ways using the latest technology. Rather than relying solely on Zoom, Teams, and virtual whiteboards to collaborate across borders, we’re looking at embodied co-design in specially designed virtual spaces. This is a whole new way to experience creative collaboration.”

How dit the project begin?

The project emerged from a partnership between Inholland, QUT, and the EdTech-team, enabled by a VIS grant awarded after a successful pilot in July 2024. The project has since been further developed and is now being tested in practice with students.

For many students, this is their first time collaborating in a VR environment. They gain firsthand experience of working in virtual teams, developing cross-cultural communication skills, digital literacy, and in-depth knowledge of co-design methods.

Project leader Claudia Mayer, lecturer Creative Business and researcher at Societal Impact Design within the ARC Research Center, emphasizes: “This immersive form of co-design offers students a unique learning experience. They develop not only technical and content-specific skills but also learn to collaborate with people from around the world.”

Next Steps

Now that the VR sessions are complete, a feedback session was held to exchange experiences and perspectives. The group will also co-author an article about this innovative approach to education and collaboration. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Wina Smeenk, Professor of Societal Impact Design, concludes: “Through this research, we’re gaining valuable insights into how VR experiences can support cross-border co-design. We saw that students truly felt like they were working together. In their gestures, we observed early signs of empathy—for example, when an Australian avatar of a 12-year-old girl was comforted with a gentle pat on the head by a Dutch student. We’re also learning more about integrating VR technology into education and research.”

Press here for Dutch

Last Monday evening, five promising DJs, all students from The Hague, gave their best show at the Paardcafé for the audience and a professional jury, including programmers from event venues and organizers such as Paard, Danzig, Clubhopping, and Stappen in The Hague. Ikram participated in the DJ Contest last year but was not chosen at that time. This year, she delivered a performance that blew everyone away!

Unique style that crosses cultural boundaries
Ikram, born in Madrid and of Moroccan descent, grew up with electronic beats, Arabic music from her mother, and Latin rhythms, which sparked her love for diverse music styles. A trip to underground raves in Germany strengthened her connection to music and laid the foundation for her own unique style. Her sound is a fusion of influences that crosses cultural boundaries.

Festival performances
In the coming months, you can see Ikram performing at various festivals in The Hague, including the Liberation Festival on May 5th at the Malieveld, where she will perform on the Sena Performers Stage (18.45) . The other finalists, including another Inholland student (Kevin Sewnarain), will perform at the Liberation Festival on the HI The Hague Student Experience.

Real-world impact
The videos will play a significant role in BBR's outreach efforts, helping to attract new volunteers, board members, and employees to the area. By combining research, creative storytelling, and video production skills, the students crafted compelling narratives that align with BBR’s goals of promoting Rijswijk as a vibrant and enjoyable place for work and leisure.  Here you can watch one of the videos.

Valuable collaboration
Christel van de Reijt, who wears two hats as a board member of BBR and Workspace Manager at TUI Nederland, was highly impressed by the students' creativity and professionalism. Her feedback highlighted the value of this collaboration in bringing fresh perspectives to local community projects. For the ICB program, it is very valuable that companies and organizations give our students the opportunity to carry out 'real' assignments to gain practical experience. This project demonstrates how powerful the collaboration between education and practice can be in achieving positive changes in society.

The future of sustainability starts with yourself. The Expertise Network for Systemic Co-Design (ESC) is proud to present the ESC-IDG Hub. This platform, launched on 27 January, brings together professionals, researchers and students to develop skills and devise solutions for sustainability challenges. The hub can be accessed at www.esc-idghub.nl. In addition to a website, the hub includes a traveling exhibition that than can be visited in the Expo space at Inholland, Amsterdam until 6 February.
 

Starting point for innovation
The ESC-IDG Hub focuses on addressing societal transitions and sustainability challenges. The platform combines the development of individual skills and capabilities with systemic co-design, a method for tackling complex problems together in a structured creative way. Think of problems such as climate change, social inequality and the transition to a circular economy.

Many of us can feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of such challenges and don't know where to start taking action. This is why authentic leadership has an important place in the ESC-IDG Hub. IDG stands for the Inner Development Goals and emphasizes how personal growth contributes to achieving a sustainable society and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides a starting point: From being to acting.

Collaboration and personal development

The ESC-IDG Hub responds to the urgent need for development and focuses on three main objectives:

• Creating awareness among students and teachers about the importance of inner development in relation to societal transitions.
• Community-building: creating a network in which students and teachers can exchange experiences, exercises and tools, among other things.
• Integration into education: providing practical tools to integrate the IDGs into curricula and projects within higher education.

Jürg Thölke, professor of the Authentic Leadership research group and involved in the ESC-IDG Hub, explains, “At the core, you can only meet societal challenges through awareness of yourself and your place in the world. That the topic is sufficiently highlighted and normalised is essential. This hub is an important part of that and helps us think, develop and learn from each other. So that together we can realise more impact.”

Traveling exhibition as a place for connection
In addition to launching an online platform, where interested people can subscribe to the WhatsApp group to stay informed about the various activities, there is a physical exhibition. This interactive exhibition gives visitors a glimpse into the hub's projects and methodologies and aims. On the one hand, it acts as a research instrument to collect information from visitors for the further elaboration of educational interventions and on the other, to create a place for meeting and connecting.

Philippa Collin, researcher and project leader explains, “With this hub we want to strengthen connections and initiate a local ecosystem where education, research and practice meet. The exhibition plays an important role in this: it provides inspiration, invites visitors to think about their own contribution and helps them make the connection with their intrinsic motivation. Ultimately, we hope that everyone in education, students, teachers and staff, will see themselves playing a role in the challenging social transitions ahead.”

The exhibition can be visited in the Expo space of Inholland, Amsterdam until 6 February. After that, the exhibition will start a journey to visit other partners in the Expertise Network for Systemic Co-Design: Inholland Den Haag, Hogeschool Utrecht, Haagse Hogeschool and Hogeschool Rotterdam. The exact exhibition dates will be listed on the website.

 Want to know more about ESC-IDG Hub?
Powering something big starts from something small within yourself. Those who want their work to be meaningful and to explore their own potential to contribute to societal transitions can join the hub at www.esc-idghub.nl or for more information contact Philippa Collin at philippa.collin@inholland.nl.

About a year ago and through grassroots initiatives, the Creative Business domain (CRB) embarked on a mission to integrate Immersive and Extended Reality (XR) media and technologies within their education. Shant Bayramian, who was then a lecturer in the Creative Business program, initiated the XR Production Lab with the sponsorship of the EdTech team of Inholland– a one week program where students develop XR products for societal aims. You can read more about it here. 

Over the coming months after such an initiative, we established an educational partnership with the Immersive Tech Week Rotterdam, one of the largest Extended Reality (XR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) events in Europe which was also mentioned on IRIS here (in English and Dutch). 

Fast forward to a couple of months and we are moving closer to our strategic aims: building connections with the industry, scaling up the XR educational offering, and conducting applied research with and about XR. More generally speaking, we truly believe in educating the creative business leaders of the future on the sustainable and ethical usage, development, and implementation of emerging technologies and media. Our partnership with the Immersive Tech Week presented a chance to accelerate the above mentioned goals. We were able to represent Inholland UoAS and the various programs within the Creative

Business domain at ITW by participating with a hundred students; ten lecturers, researchers, and other staff members; six student presentations from the XR Production Lab; and student participation in the cross-institutional and national hackathon (in which the group our students were in managed to win second place). We are proud of all our colleagues and students who participated and partook in the Immersive Tech Week. We have fostered new relationships with the industry and other educational institutions and we aim to bring the knowledge and experience obtained from the inspiring event back to our Inholland community to shape the future of XR and emerging technologies adequately. 

Let’s continue to accelerate XR education within our UoAS by empowering colleagues and students, sharing knowledge, and staying inspired! In the academic year of 2025-2026, the CRB domain will be launching an “Emerging Technologies” minor which will offer a larger and more structural XR educational offering. Please contact shant.bayramian@inholland.nl for more information. 

We would like to thank all the programs, colleagues, students, enablers, and partners who helped realize this educational partnership, and more generally, the integration of XR into CRB’s educational programs and research center: VRDays Foundation, Rotterdam UoAS, SURF, and the EdTech Team at Inholland UoAS. 

Thank you to Jonathan Dobbelaar, a third year Creative Business student in Rotterdam, for filming and editing the after movie. 
If you would be interested in collaborating in the field of XR and/or AI, please contact Shant Bayramian.
 

“Fabricated is designed to give visitors insight into how digital technologies are affecting our society. Our goal is to make complex topics such as AI and misinformation understandable and tangible. With interactive games and experiences, the exhibition bridges the gap between abstract digital concepts and everyday reality. I hope that visitors to the exhibition will feel more confident and better equipped to participate in democracy,” said Susannah Montgomery, researcher at the Media, Technology & Society Research Group at ARC research center.

From the Netherlands to the United States
After touring the Netherlands and other European countries from May to July, fabricated was on view in September as the first exhibition in the Expo space during the opening of Inholland's new building on Pina Bauschplein in Amsterdam. After that, the exhibition was on view at prominent events such as the Society 5.0 Festival (Oct. 9-10) and DigiQuest (Nov. 21-22). In the meantime, fabricated took a three-week trip across the United States ahead of the presidential election. There it made stops such as The LOVE Building in Detroit (Oct. 21-24), The Ohio State University's Translational Data Analytics Institute (Oct. 29 to Nov. 5) and The STEAM Factory in Columbus (Nov. 8).

The exhibition also received rave reviews in the US: “From the moment I ‘met’ Alex, the AI news reader, I was sold. In our polarized society, we need more bridges like fabricated to help people better understand each other and their digital world,” said an American visitor.

Fabricated returns to Inholland Amsterdam
In the coming months, the research team will publish articles and reports on how residents of the United States and Europe understand important digital issues, such as misinformation, AI and content moderation. These insights, based on interviews and surveys conducted during the tour, provide a better picture of how societies deal with digital challenges.

Part of the exhibition will return to Inholland's Expo space in January as part of an exhibition on Digital Rights. With this, fabricated continues to contribute to the conversation about the role of technology in our society for the time being.

Listen to the interview with Susannah and Andy on Instagram during the exhibition of fabricated at The LOVE Building in Detroit.

Research group, living labs and expertise networks: the research center of the Creative Business faculty of Inholland University of Applied Sciences sits at the intersection of theory and practice. It is the place where research, education and practice come together. Recently, the research center received a new name: ARC. Applied Research x Creativity. What does that mean? What are living labs and research groups? And what can ARC mean for Creative Business teachers and students?

In the second episode of this podcast series, Roos Gerritsma, associate professor at the research center, lab-lead of the Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab and PD candidate, and Koos Zwaan, professor of innovation in the music industry and lab-lead of the International Music Industry Lab, answer these questions.

If you have questions or want to know more about opportunities to work with the research center? Feel free to contact the professors directly or email Hilda Bakmaz.

Societal challenges require interdisciplinary collaboration and this was the aim of the Erasmus plus Blended Intensive programme, Regenerative Cultural Practices that Inholland university, Creative Business, organized in Ercolano, Southern Italy this autumn. Approximately 60 Students of tourism, social work, landscape architecture, business communication and even biology - from four universities across Europe, came together to work on sustainable tourism in Ercolano, a poor suburb of Naples.

In post-industrial settings such as the metropole area Naples, tourism can offer a pathway to development, that is to say; if the pitfalls of unsustainable urban governance can be avoided (Horgan and Koens, 2024). Stimulating dialogue between students and local communities encourages the identification of solutions that meet the unique needs of the area, exposing students to understand how regenerative cultural heritage management can promote alternative pathways for development (Gerritsma and Horgan, 2024).

Ercolano has a lot to offer in terms of natural and cultural heritage, only the local community doesn’t always profit from this and (hence) they don’t feel ownership. The management of this heritage is in the hands of a small group of people and they struggle to identify ways to give the heritage “back to the community”. Seeking new perspectives, students were invited to work on a set of concepts that can improve quality of life and place, working closely with local civil society organisations.

The collaboration between various disciplines, various academic levels and above all; different cultures was quite the challenge for the students. They really needed time to get to know each-other and understand each-other, while they were under pressure to develop a prototype within a few days.

But eventually this discomfort brought personal growth and the embracement of change. If we want to educate our students to be changemakers, it means we have to keep training them in these situations.

Eventually the students got to present their designs to a group of local stakeholders and experts in the field of cultural heritage and they were surprised by the creativity and freshness of the ideas of the students.

This project eventually allowed a deeper understanding of the meaning of resilience, because it didn’t just focus on resilience of the local community, but also created resilience in the team of students and teachers.

This BIP was the highlight of the collaboration of a few months of collaboration between Inholland University, the university of Naples, Federico II, Munster Technological university and Vilnius Technical University, together with the local partner; the social enterprise “Variabile K”. What emerged is an intensive, interdisciplinary programme combining online masterclasses with practical experience in the field.

The Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) model allows for short, intensive programmes leveraging innovative ways of learning and teaching, in hybrid settings. Enabling new and more flexible mobility formats, BIPs can open up student mobility to all backgrounds, study fields and cycles. Besides, it is a great way to stimulate collaboration, between the domains from Inholland. Teachers from TOI and GSW joined the colleagues from CRB to develop, teach and evaluate this project. The next edition will be hosted by the domain of TOI and it will be called “Regenerative placemaking, the power of Nature” focussing on renewable energy eco-systems.

<sub>Gerritsma, R., & Horgan, D. (2024). De Urban Leisure and Tourism Labs als broedplaatsen voor interventies op het gebied van duurzaam toerisme: het delen van inzichten vanuit onderwijskundig onderzoeksperspectief op regeneratieve placemaking in Amsterdam en Rotterdam. Toeristische interventies, 129-140.

Koens, K., Stompff, G., Vervloed, J., Gerritsma, R., & Horgan, D. (2024). Hoe diep is uw lab? Inzicht in de mogelijkheden en beperkingen van living labs in het toerisme. Tijdschrift voor Destination Marketing & Management, 32, 100893.</sub>

Nuno Bastos Martins (25) is an International Creative Business student in Haarlem and moved from Portugal to the Netherlands. He started his own video production company to create promotional content for hotels.

Actions speak louder than words
“I come from an entrepreneurial family. My parents started and owned different kinds of businesses like restaurants and furniture shops. As a kid, I was always around and observed their behavior. But also helping by serving food and coffee at the tables. I loved it.

I would describe myself as hardworking, ambitious and honest. In a team I always try to bring my ideas and creativity. I see the client’s side so we can try to exceed their expectations. In a team I’m mostly the one taking the step forward and taking initiative to start something. I like to be in control of my own time and income. Starting my own business was just one step away, and an easy one to make. Sometimes I find it hard to give control in, when I can do it myself as well. It takes an effort to get me comfortable in that position. And in that case, actions speak louder than words. With my business I want to achieve the highest quality content and that comes with reliable and effective behavior of myself and people I work with.”

It’s all about connections
“I started my own video production company where I create high quality promotional content for mainly hotels. There is a lot of competition in our market. If you want to stand out, you need to specialize yourself and build a strong portfolio. I choose hotels. It’s a market that allows me to travel as well. Travelling is one of my passions. So, hotels from all over the world can fly me in, let me stay in their hotels and I take care of the best shots possible. Hotels need content the year round, so that gives me a lot of opportunities to travel among all the seasons. One of my last shoots was in Czech Republic where I shot short term rental apartments. It was a really nice experience, and the client was satisfied with the results. That’s the most important.

To enter a market, it’s all about connections. I have a couple of connections in Portugal, Luxembourg and Czech Republic. So, I started to focus on the countries where I already have a network. But since I live in the Netherlands, I would love to have a few good entry points here as well. How I’m approaching the market? Find some hotels with a need of better content, set my portfolio, send some e-mails, call them and go there.”

Admit your errors and take responsibility for it
“As a videographer I hope that my customers experience a sense of partnership. Once they worked with me, and they started seeing me as a partner from their hotel. Of course, I want to deliver high quality products and being able to tell their story that is emotionally impactful. If the client is proud of the final product and confident that working with me was the right decision, I did a good job. Hopefully they recognize my values: Hardworking, ambitious and honest. Sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances where you need to deal with. I would say: admit your errors and take responsibility for it. Don’t underestimate honesty if you want to build true partnerships.

If people say that they can count on me, anytime, and I went beyond their expectations with the results, I’m happy.”

No rush, do your research and pay your taxes
“I joined the Start program of Start Up Campus Haarlem. It helped me to understand how the Dutch business market works and how the business culture is different from other countries. It also helps me to verify some misinformation. After the program I’m sure of my step that opening my own business was the right one and I’m doing it with the right information.

Being in an environment with other people that also want to start is really motivating. I saw so many creative ideas. I didn’t feel so afraid of starting because I saw also other people starting at the same level and sharing their experiences.

My advice to other entrepreneurial students would be: no rush, do your research and pay your taxes. Just pay it and don’t run away from it. I heard many people have financial problems due to it. Prevent this for yourself. If you are serious about your business, make your business your priority. Make time for it and above all, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride and have fun with it as well.”

Derrick Kammeron (42) is a Communication student in Amsterdam, moved from Suriname to the Netherlands two years ago and is now setting up his own Media and Communication agency. 

Driven and creative mind
“I see myself as a driven and creative mind who makes purposeful choices to bring myself and teams to a higher level. I love to support people and am very empathetic. Empathy helps with good collaboration. When I enter somewhere, I start by observing. This is my way of gaining people skills. After that, I know exactly how to cooperate. I have the ability to assess others' feelings well. Usually my coming into a team leads to better cooperation. I don't want to dwell on things for too long and look for things I can do. There has to be movement. My creativity drives me in this, sitting still is not an option for me. Where it stops, I push boundaries and go further.” 

The story has to impress 
“That's why I started my own Media and Communications agency. I would like to work business to business to support organizations in the field of communication. I can do this in two ways. With a good communication and content strategy for brand awareness or a good campaign, for example. But I am also a video and photographer. I make videos and photos with a unique story where there is room for emotion and growth. The story has to impress. So not a boring corporate or promo video, but something that really sticks.” 

Can you read my mind? 
“In Suriname I worked in television for eight years from video editor to programmer. In 2010, I switched to the government. In the Surinamese government, I contributed to the innovation of government communications. I was also behind the creation of the National Information Institute which I co-managed. In 2022, I left for the Netherlands. I gained practical experience in Suriname and now I am studying here to develop my strategic skills even more. So that soon I will have a complete offer in my Media and Communication agency. My previous work experience helps me with this. I take more time for the deeper layer in a story. I am not a screamer. I listen, observe and consult. Afterwards, I often hear “Can you read my mind? This is exactly what I had in my head'. Then I know: we have a match!” 

Build relevant portfolio while studying 
“For a school project 'Children's Resistance and Friendship' we were asked to create and execute a communication strategy around an event. I also made an after movie. I consciously choose school projects that also tie in with my business. We are currently making an advisory report and accompanying corporate story for an eco-holiday destination in Suriname to attract more Dutch visitors. Thus, I am already working on a relevant portfolio and focused practical experience. 

I am also part of SUHolland, a community of students with Surinamese roots studying at Inholland. For this community, I want to produce a documentary about the student life of Surinamese students. Recently we met the district chairman of Amsterdam Southeast and I also made a video of that. These are great opportunities, which I approach with both hands.” 

Turn your talent into your business 
“In February 2024 I started at Start Up Campus Haarlem. Because of the program I now know where to start, how to turn my idea into a business model and what values are important to me. Doing business in the Netherlands is new to me. It is a unique opportunity and I love participating. My advice to other students who want to do business? Try to make your talent your business. If you have passion for something, you'll find that it goes much easier and that money is not the driving force. I feel more comfortable with people who are happy and proud of my work, rather than what they paid for me.” 

I prove it will work 
“I want to gain enough experience in the Netherlands so that when I go back to Suriname, I can make an impact there. I came here to investigate what needs to be different in Suriname, in terms of communication. I found that answer during my studies. So you have to base everything on research. Measuring is knowing. You have to do a lot of testing and ask for feedback. That's also going to help with politics. What do people want?  What are they sitting on? What's going on in their minds? That's the foundation. And from there you tune your communication. Then you start noticing a different movement at the political level as well. Because you respond to people's needs. I'm so convinced. Give me a team and I'll prove that it's going to work!” 

How can Inholland University of Applied Sciences create a neuro-inclusive learning environment for all students and staff? In April, about thirty-five colleagues and students discussed this subject during the Community of Practice Diversity (CoP) Neurodiversity & Inclusion. Jonathan Evans, lecturer of Creative Business, joined to raise awareness on this topic and share practical tips. "Neuro-inclusion and an Inholland-wide approach are important," he says. 

Jonathan currently works full-time as a senior lecturer and coach in the Creative Business domain. In September, he will start as a researcher for two days a week, together with Joke Hermes, lector of Inclusion and the Creative Industries, focusing on inclusion within this domain. It was special for him to participate as a co-host in the CoP on neurodiversity and inclusion, together with our Business Innovation student Flann who is focusing on this topic for his graduation project. "Three years ago, at the age of 33, I was diagnosed as autistic. This CoP was one of the first occasions I was able to talk about this to a large group of people within my workplace," explains Jonathan. "It is important to convey commitment on certain issues to Inholland staff and students." 

Unique perspectives of neurodivergent people 
Neurodivergent people have unique perspectives that fall outside of neurotypical norms. This includes not only autism, but also ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Dyslexia and other forms of neurodiversity. Many people are diagnosed late or undiagnosed, especially women, ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of awareness and action on this topic. "By speaking up, you bring about positive change," he says. 

Challenges and privileges 
Partly due to his late diagnosis, Jonathan himself faced several challenges. "When I was diagnosed, a lot of things fell into place, but it's also a process of ups and downs," he says. He emphasizes the importance of a support network and understanding team leaders. "It is possible to flourish as a neurodivergent person, but there must be neuro-affirming conditions to make this possible." 

Changes within Inholland 
Within Inholland, small adjustments can be made to accommodate neurodivergent people. This includes more accessible buildings, better signage, visualisations on the website and stimulus-free spaces. Estelle Kleuskens, a former student of International Creative Business, wrote her thesis on neurodiversity and a produced several creative concepts, including a sensory hub. 

Future Vision for Inclusion 
Jonathan hopes that all Inholland programmes will be able to work on being more neurodivergent friendly within their educational programmes. "An inclusive, Inholland-wide approach is important. Embedding educational models such as 'Universal Design for Learning' and 'Compassionate Pedagogy' would help." He emphasizes that the responsibility for topics such as neurodiversity should not lie with a few ambassadors, but that a universal approach is needed. 

Jonathan is looking forward to work on this topic in his combined role as a lecturer-researcher. "It is important to listen carefully to each other and to work together to achieve Inholland's inclusive mission and vision," he concludes. Jonathan will also be working with Flann on his graduation research on neurodiversity. "Flann also highlights the experience of employees in his research, and I look forward to working with him. When it comes to diversity issues, it is important to listen carefully to each other. During a training on inclusive teaching by the Diversity research group, I saw many good examples that we can build upon. However, we need to do more and achieve this together with others." 

Community of Practice On the way to Keti Koti with Howard Komproe 
During the Community of Practice on Thursday 20 June, you can talk to comedian, presenter and actor Howard Komproe about history, freedom, impact, connection, bubbles and allyship. This session will take place at Inholland University of Applied Sciences in The Hague, in the Mauritszaal from 14:00 to 16:00. You can sign up via this form. 
 

Augustin Ravidat (23) is an International Creative Business student in Den Haag and moved to the Netherlands from France. He started his own content creation agency and is a songwriter and rapper.

Half work is not an option
“People will know me as a hardworking, optimistic and creative guy who has a lot of ideas and the capabilities to create and finish creative projects. Half work is not an option for me. And I think that I will bring that mentality to the table in new projects. I bring stability and commitment to the team. I was born in the south of France and grew up in Pays de Gex just near Switzerland. I started working when I was sixteen years old in the hospitality industry. After high school I went to Lyon, but I just did not like it. It did not match my expectations. I had a friend living in Den Haag, who studied International Creative Business. He told me that the study was interesting and would give you a lot of directions to go to. He invited me to come over and I stayed.”

Best professional experience ever
“During the first two years, me and this friend, stayed together and in my third year I got an internship in Thailand. Another friend from high school lived there. He just started his online business and he needed help for launching his YouTube channel. Going there was my best professional experience ever. We worked a lot in Thailand. In the beginning I worked on his online business which is creating content about dropshipping for the French market. But from the start we wanted to make videos. We kept on discussing what would work and what wouldn’t. I gave him ideas and edited the videos. I liked it so much that this was the start of my own business as well.”

I speed up creative projects
“I want to help content creators put out the best possible content they can make. I give them innovative ideas and relieve their pain if it comes to video editing, data analytics and algorithms. My talent is to help creators find success in their journey but above all I’ll make sure that the creative projects are getting finished right on time. I know how creative brains work. You get excited, you start creating and then your head is already busy with the next project. Here is where I come in. I would say: let me cover that part, so the creators can stay creative in their own way. It is a win-win. Clients know me as a reliable, nice person to work with and as a fast-working editor. I speed up creative projects in ways where it is usually lacking time. I am proud of that.”

Great way to express my thoughts
“Next to my study and content creating agency, I’m into music. The friend that got me in Den Haag is a great musician. I started writing lyrics in the summer of 2020. For almost four years now, I’m writing once a week. Not a full song, but I try to stay consistent with it. I don’t know how to play an instrument, but I know how to rap and put words on the tempo. And honestly, I love it! The first time I tried it, I felt the vibe immediately. It’s a great way to express my thoughts. I knew how to express myself back then, but music helped me open up even more than before. I have a lot of friends who are, comparing to me, more into music and want to be out there. I just want to help musicians with good lyrics, creative ideas or structures so they can focus on the music. You can find my published music on Soundcloud and in the near future I will be releasing on Spotify with another friend. Sounds good right?”

You can’t fail if you don’t give up
“I joined the Start program at Start Up Campus Haarlem. I met people with the same mindset, with all diverse backgrounds and it gave me exactly the environment where I want to be in. It gave me a lot of other perspectives. You know, every person is unique. For students who are considering starting their own business, I would say: don’t stop! If you think that your idea is good. Just start and never stop. At some point it will work. My friend from Thailand always says: You can’t fail if you don’t give up. So, never give up!”

The Leisure & Tourism Lab (ULTL), with locations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, has been accepted as a member of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). This makes them the first lab focused on tourism and leisure to be admitted to this network, a remarkable achievement! ENoLL is the international, non-profit, independent association of benchmarked Living Labs. Their objective is to foster the global development of Living Labs as open innovation ecosystems based on co-creation and cross border & cross-sectoral collaboration. In their assessment of the ULTL, ENoLL says: “ULTL shows a strong and inclusive governance model, engaging a wide range of stakeholders effectively. Also, a solid track record in running living lab projects, with a focus on urban leisure and tourism is presented and it demonstrates as well a clear interest in regional and international innovation. Their considerable experience in living lab operations is supported by compelling proof.

From the Creative Business Research Center, the Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab was the first to apply for accreditation by ENoLL with the aim of gaining experience with membership of the network: what can we contribute to the network and how does it benefit us? With this experience, we can see if it could also make sense for the other labs within our faculty to apply for membership.

Peggy van Schijndel, managing director of the Creative Business Research Center: "I am proud of the colleagues and partners who, for years, have allowed these living labs to become beautiful places for learning and development, of the students who, year after year, demonstrate their valuable contributions, and of the unique blend of expertise that we as Creative Business Research Center bring to the research in these living labs: in the field of systemic co-design as well as regenerative placemaking and sustainable tourism. The issues are big and complex, and we feel the urgency to contribute to them though practice-based research every day. I am confident that membership of ENoLL is going to help us grow to the next stage!"

We are currently facing several crises that deal with the disturbed balance between humanity and the earth. To change this, no solutions are yet available and looking for them alone is insufficient to restore the balance. The process of how to get there will also have to change, with not only the interests of people at heart. Our relationship with nature must change.  But how do we do that?      

Symbiocene   
The term symbiocene was introduced by author and environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht¹. The term is derived from the word symbiosis, which in biology stands for the long-term coexistence of two or more organisms of different species. In the symbiocene, relationships and connection of all living things are central. Albrecht's premise is that all living things such as humans, animals, plants, bacteria, fungi, microorganisms, form an integrally connected whole. Man is not at the top of the pyramid, but is an equal part. That gives humans a more humble place. That helps to deal with climate issues differently.   

But what does it mean, living in the symbiocene?   

Summer Research School  
From June 28 to 30, 2023, the Summer research school Symbiocene took place on Zeeburger Island, a collaboration between the Inholland Sluislab and the Centre of Expertise for Creative Innovation (CoECI) initiated by An Kramer. An is a researcher at the Inholland Research group Design Thinking and also the linking pin between the Creative Business Research Center and CoECI. During the Summer research school, thirty participants examined together the question: What does the Symbiocene mean on the Zeeburger Island?   

Co-research   
Ten students from various programs, ten residents and ten researchers worked together in small diverse teams. Precisely the varied composition made that everyone's individuality was in demand. Where one person knew everything about edible plants, another knew about sound engineering, and a third person just had two right hands and could turn an idea into something tangible.  

No fixed goals, but results  
Precisely because of the open approach of the research question, the participants were able to choose their own fascination, such as protecting nature, or, on the contrary, speculatively seek how nature would make devices to communicate with us humans.   

Making and sharing art as a research outcome  
The assignment to the participants was not entirely open-ended. They were asked to work toward an experience circuit: a route across Zeeburger Island offering guests an experience, based on their researched fascination. In between, the teams shared their ideas and showed prototypes they made. The very act of making things together produced different end results.  

Documentary and book  
The search for symbiosis on Zeeburger Island has been recorded in a documentary and a booklet. For inspiration for everyone who, on a small or larger scale, is looking for ways to connect with nature in an essentially different way.  The documentary follows one of the teams. You see how they search together for what the symbiocene could mean and eventually arrive at a surprising idea and result. You also see the joint assignments, and the final experience circuit.  

In the booklet you will read the background of the concept of the symbiocene, and find the different results of the teams and the background of their search. In addition, you will get to know the participants through small nature portraits. 

Follow-up event - Make Place! 
There will be a follow-up to the Symbiocene Summer research school on Sunday 7 April, including a keynote by Glenn Albrecht, the founder of Symbiocene, live from Australia! More information about the programme will follow soon. You can already register via an.kramer@inholland.nl 

Amber Straathof (20) is a second-year International Creative Business student in The Hague and makes custom sneakers with her own company 'Customizies'. She has already made more than 200 custom sneakers.

‘Everywhere I go, I see opportunities’
'I am creative and driven. Everywhere I go, I see opportunities. And ten new business ideas pop into my head every year. Yes, I am an entrepreneur. 

Although I like to take the initiative in a project, I can also move along with a team. The most important thing for me is that we achieve a result in good cooperation. In a group I bring positive energy and always that creative angle. That is my strength.

I am also a bit impatient and quick. Then I sometimes say to myself: 'Tone it down, Amber'. Haha! The funny thing is, when I started my own business, I went into it with full focus. Then, I am very precise about it. I won't stop until it's perfect.'

Hague Skyline for the Alderman
‘With my company Customizies, I specialize in customizing sneakers. I buy the sneakers and paint them on commission. It is customization. There are endless possibilities, examples are Pink Blossom, Rick and Morty cartoons, Lion King, and Feyenoord sneakers. I have already done over 200 commissions. One of the nicest assignments was a pair of sneakers for Hilbert Bredemeijer, the Alderman for Education, Youth, Sports, and Services of The Hague. National Vitality Day in September 2022 was the Hague Sneaker Day. On the sneakers, I drew the Hague Skyline. I was invited to the city hall and got to hand this pair to him myself (photo). It is so cool that I allow others to express themselves through their sneakers. They are unique messages. This is also how I am found around gender reveal parties and weddings. That I can be a part of that, I find very special.’

There is a market for this
'At sixteen, during corona time, everyone started picking up old hobbies. I started a new one! That's how I started. With a pair of sneakers, paint, and a video on TikTok. That immediately had over 100k views. Then my entrepreneurial brain went on: 'There's a market in this'.

It wasn't immediately perfect, it was just fun. I experimented a lot. Different paint, different sneakers, more complex designs. At first, I only shared this with my friends and family. But social media pushed my videos well. Then my friend said, 'If you want to do something with this, you need to invest in professional materials.' And that's what I did then. I follow trends closely. At one point, brown shades were in. They were not for sale in stores, but I could make them very quickly. I make what my generation wants. That catches on.

I work on a personal product. That includes a personal process. Think about listening carefully to the client's wishes and coordinating and sending photos in between. I want them to experience a sense of pride and joy when they have the sneakers on. I want my clients to feel confident in their shoes. Literally and figuratively. That's also what makes my job so much fun.'

Equal sparring partners
'In September I started the Growth program at Start Up Campus Haarlem. The monthly workshops give me lots of practical information as well as lots of ideas. That is so valuable to me. The group is full of equal sparring partners. When I ask a question or have a challenge, immediately everyone starts thinking about me. Everyone wants to help. Every time, I go home motivated and inspired. That helps me so much.'

Everyone starts somewhere
'To anyone considering entrepreneurship, I would say: do what you love. If you're doing something you enjoy, it doesn't feel like you're working. I often experience people who are afraid to present themselves. In entrepreneurship, you have to. Remember: Everyone starts somewhere. Start small, and then don't be ashamed of it. Social media is a perfect tool to go public with your business. It has done so much for me.

Experiential learning is paramount to understanding what is conceptually and creatively possible within XR. Students' positive feedback underlines XR's role in professional and career development. The XR Production Lab is a hub for collaborative learning, soft skill development, and an innovative teaching approach, making education more interactive and impactful.

Students gain insights, conceptualize ideas and develop prototypes
During an intensive week, twelve groups of students gained insights into conceptual frameworks and practical case studies, then conceptualized an idea, and finally developed their own prototype. The projects covered diverse topics like cultural exploration, mental health, community engagement, and career exploration. Utilizing tools such as Blockade Labs, Luma AI, Blender, and Unreal Engine, students with limited prior knowledge were able to create prototypes, which they pitched on the last day.

Best XR ideas
Four finalists presented their XR projects to a panel of diverse judges and were being assessed on value, applicability, and innovativeness.

• AR Scavenger Hunt App by Adelina Baranauskaite, Sophie de Bruin, Lisa van der Heijden, and Afanaisa Richardson: An AR app like Pokémon Go, designed for introduction week at Inholland. It features a themed quiz, chat function, and leaderboard to enhance student interaction and campus engagement.
   
• Inholland Support App by Simeon Mavrov, Vila van Dijk, Mirte Bosgraaf, and Lily Taroenodikromo: An AR digital companion app named 'Holly' that offers emotional support to students, particularly those studying abroad, encouraging them to share experiences and engage in activities.
   
• VR Emotional Expression Space by Devante Abhelakh, Udai Alsadi, Tessza Laszip, Rick Riemersma, and Feline Top: A VR project creating an underwater rage room where students can express emotions in a safe, private space, helping them manage stress.
   
• Virtual 360-Degree Campus Tour by Mylene Trippenzee, Zuzanna Dziedzic, Anna Kedlicka, and Annemijn Repelear van Driel: A solution for international students, providing a virtual 360-degree interactive tour of our campus in The Hague, mimicking the experience of an open day visit.

The jury awarded the “Inholland Support App” with the grand prize of tickets to the Immersive Tech Week Rotterdam and the possibility to further develop and execute the project. 

Explore the virtual exhibition of the students’ projects here.

According to Frank Radstake of ANVR, developing a new sustainability ambition for the travel sector is important and urgent: “There is a political and social reality that we as travel companies have to deal with such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the blending obligations for airlines in 2030 and the UNWTO Glasgow Declaration. In addition, there are also moral and ethical reasons why we will have to work on this. Above all, there is also an economic necessity; if we want to continue to have a 'license to operate' in the future, we will have to undergo a transformation to a sector where intrinsic sustainability, equality and inclusiveness are the norm.”

Read the entire news release here.

On September 15 and 16, Guido Stompff, professor in Design Thinking, and Roos Gerritsma, associate professor in Societal Impact Design, were present at the SMARTDEST final conference in Barcelona, on behalf of the entire Inholland team that has been working on the Amsterdam case for this EU H2020 project for the past 3.5 years. Also on the team were our Creative Business Research Center colleagues Swen Waterreus, Ko Koens, Donagh Horgan and Ellen Bulthuis. 

On Friday, September 15, Roos presented the work that zooms in on insights gained around the unclear field of who all is (not) involved in developing new tourism policy. On the basis of almost 30 interviews with various stakeholders, it became evident that there is no clear picture about this and that this once again indicates the complexity of shaping such a policy. The obvious way to do this in the Netherlands is through participatory methods, but participants in such processes increasingly fail to see the point. ‘Cuckoo-clock participation’, in which a party comes to collect or bring information once, is not helpful either, but it is common. Congressmen from cities like Vienna, Lisbon, Naples and Barcelona recognized this. One of the questions we continue to ask from our Research Center is: how then? Can our Urban Leisure & Tourism Labs in Amsterdam and Rotterdam change this? Three policy makers from the City of Amsterdam also traveled with us; we will explore these questions with them in the coming years. 

On Saturday, Guido was the moderator of the public debate that was led by him around four central themes. Representatives from various backgrounds were invited, ranging from activists, scientists and journalists to the hotel industry, and managing director Maya Janssen participated from amsterdam&partners. Among other things, she explained that amsterdam&partners focuses on the common interest in helping to shape the city in which we want to live, work and recreate. These were fascinating conversations, during which we realized once again that the more southern countries seem to focus more explicitly on the political arena and the importance of the ‘urban commons’. These were fascinating conversations, once again realizing that the more southern countries seem to be focusing more explicitly on the political arena and the importance of the 'urban commons' (shared facilities in a city, such as infrastructure, hospitals, parks, etc.). 

European cities are changing rapidly and increasingly becoming a 'mobility hub' of a mix of temporary users (from expat to exchange student, from resident to tourist), with all the consequences that this entails. This phenomenon will also remain on the research agenda for colleagues in the New Urban Tourism research group in the coming years. 

In the coming weeks, all research data will be collected from all cities, you can find more information via this link: www.smartdest.eu

These exhibitions were inspired by how advocacy campaigns use visual communication to make often invisible challenges like privacy, equality, and freedom of expression more relatable. Last week  the students showed the exhibition in the main lobby of Inholland The Hague.

Even during the quiet summer months, the international media knew where to find professor New Urban Tourism Ko Koens. He was interviewed by The New York Times about the intention of the Amsterdam city council to no longer allow cruise ships to moor in the city center, at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam right next to Central Station. This is to deal with the pollution and the large number of tourists brought by the more than one hundred cruise ships that visit Amsterdam every year.

And nonprofit online magazine Reasons to be Cheerful also wanted to hear Ko's views in an article about Barcelona's strategy to combat over tourism.

The New York Times: “Party time is over”
Ko Koens says in the article:

Reasons to be cheerful: “Barcelona’s bold strategy”

The article includes the following quotes from Ko:

The Hague, August 30, 2023 – The Sustainable Media Lab at Inholland University is bringing attention to the crucial topic of digital rights right in the heart of The Hague. The Digital Rights Expo, led by three student project groups, sheds light on the importance of safeguarding citizens' digital rights, particularly within The Hague's Morgenstond neighborhood.

Last semester, students dug into the impact of digital rights on the lives of Morgenstond residents through conversations and engagement. Building on these insights, the three student groups have created prototypes that each showcase a different aspect of digital rights. In collaboration with Digital Rights House, this initiative aims to increase awareness and open discussions about this important issue.

Event Details

Date: September 11th - 22nd
Location: The Hague City Hall, Atrium Spui
Admission: Free

For more details, read the full article about the Digital Rights Expo in The Hague city newspaper at Newspaper Link. If you can't make it to the exhibition in person, you can explore the digital version of the exhibition here: Digital Exhibition Link.

Susannah Montgomery, Deputy Director of the Sustainable Media Lab, explains the students' approach: "Our students come from different creative backgrounds within our institution. We challenged them to use their creativity to find playful, participatory, and portable ways to get every day citizens thinking about what a responsible digital society means. Their exhibits, from funny comics to touching true stories, thoughtfully explore how technology in our digital age affects the quality of peoples’ lives."

The Digital Rights Expo demonstrates the power of innovation and teamwork in sparking conversations about the significant impact of digital rights on our lives today. Ready to join the conversation? Stop by for an informal Q&A about the exhibition, featuring current and past students along with our partners at The Hague City Hall on Monday, September 18th, from 15:30 to 16:30.

This project is part of the larger Inholland Digital Rights Research initiative, co-founded by Professors Wina Smeenk, Ander de Keijzer, and Ben Wagner. To learn more about their research, visit Research Link.

Inclusive place
A goal of the board is to have open hours about two days each week the upoming academic year. As the board members themselves are diverse, Edgar Dale’s is an inclusive place. ‘We have two people on our staff who are queer and we are culturally diverse’,  says Loren. ‘It’s a judgment-free safe space’.

The Expertise Network Systemic Co-design, the Systemic Design Association and Pakhuis de Zwijger are joining forces and organizing the Amsterdam hub of the RSD12 Symposium from October 10 to 12. RSD stands for Relating Systems and Design Thinking and is an annual conference where several ESC professors have presented before. Instead of having everyone fly to Georgetown, where RSD12 takes place, this year the conference has 12 hubs around the world. This will allow everyone to be inspired without flying long distances.

The overall theme of the RSD conference is "Emergence in Entanglement," and in Amsterdam we have a program full of examples, stories and research around the question of how to navigate systemic change and transitions. We explore four different societal challenges: the sustainable and circular society, the healthy and vital society, a safe and fair digital world and education in times of transition. Around each theme there will be keynotes, workshops and presentations, both plenary and in breakout sessions.

"We could not have done this conference on our own as Inholland. The strength of ESC lies in the fact that we can pick up and organize larger projects together" - Wina Smeenk

Program and tickets

Each part of the day is dedicated to a social transition, which we consider a system. You can find the program on the website of Pakhuis de Zwijger, which will be added to in the coming weeks. Tickets for the three-day conference can also be purchased through this webpage.

Evening program

On October 10 and 11 two book presentations will take place. Wina Smeenk will be presenting her book "The Co-Design Canvas" on the evening of Oct. 10 (in English) and Bas van den Berg presents his book "Regenerative Education in Times of Transition" on the evening of Oct. 11 (in Dutch).

More info and registration for book presentation Wina: https://dezwijger.nl/programma/the-co-design-canvas 

More info and registration for book presentation Bas: https://dezwijger.nl/programma/onderwijzen-in-transities

Keep an eye on our website and LinkedIn to stay informed about the program.

For questions, ideas or workshop suggestions, please contact Frank Evers at frank.evers@inholland.nl

At the beginning of June, we had the privilege to participate in the European Media Management Association (EMMA) Conference, held on the 8th and 9th of June at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. With CB cluster manager Jannerieke Hommenga and we (Natalia Berger and Susannah Montgomery) dove headfirst into the conference's theme: "Perspectives on Media Trust".

As media experts assembled from all corners of the globe, we engaged in vibrant discussions and debates, highlighting the profound transformation our media landscape is currently experiencing due to advances in artificial intelligence (AI).

One of the standout moments for us was our presentation on the "hot" topic, "ChatGPT in the News: Examining the socio-technological phenomenon of artificial creativity in Dutch media discourse," as part of the Innovation and Media Trust section. Our work generated a compelling dialogue that extended well beyond our presentation, marking a milestone in the discourse around AI and media. 

Our exploration of ChatGPT, an AI text-generating model developed by OpenAI, underscored AI's intricate and sometimes contentious role in society. The launch of ChatGPT in Dutch print media sparked a multifaceted discourse, oscillating between admiration for its high-quality outputs and anxieties about its broader societal impact. We highlighted the necessity for wider public engagement, a better understanding of AI capabilities, and a shift in our approach towards content production and media management. We also emphasized the urgency for enhanced regulatory frameworks, verification technologies, and informed, interdisciplinary discourse to navigate AI's transformative potential.

This presentation was linked to our greater needs analysis research for the MediaNumeric Erasmus+ project. This was also an opportunity to promote to our academic peers the upcoming MediaNumeric Academy: an online course to develop crucial data-driven skills in content, journalism and storytelling.

Distinguished speakers like Dr. Eli Noam from Columbia Business School and Professor Emeritus Robert Georges Picard, a senior research fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, enriched the discussions, expanding our understanding of the rapidly evolving media economics.

The EMMA Conference, as always, served as a platform for enriching intellectual exchange, invaluable networking, and warm camaraderie. As the EMMA president, Dr. John Oliver from the University of Bournemouth, aptly noted, "EMMA is like a wedding: a lot of familiar faces, far nephews, uncles and aunts are here, and you are happy to see them all."

We eagerly anticipate the next conference, which will take place on our home turf at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands. It will provide an excellent opportunity to continue the discussions sparked in Pamplona and delve further into the transformative potential and challenges that AI technologies like ChatGPT present to our society. 

Are you interested in learning more about our research, participating in EMMA 2024, or how to become an early tester of our MediaNumeric Academy? Reach out to susannah.montgomery@inholland.nl or natalia.berger@inholland.nl for more details!

It is with extreme sadness and a heavy heart that we have to announce that Mina Milusheva, one of our first year International Creative Business students from The Hague, unexpectedly passed away on Friday June 9^th. 

Since receiving this distressing news, Maurice Kemper (team leader) and Barış Altınöz (Mina’s PD coach) have been to see some of Mina’s closest friends on Saturday and have met with Mina’s parents on Sunday.

Mina was a part of our student community and her hobbies and interests included music, singing, psychology, poetry, and fencing. She was originally from Bulgaria with her family residing in Dubai. Her presence added to the diversity of our campus and Mina will be sorely missed. Losing Mina is a blow for both her fellow students and our teaching and support staff.

Memorial gathering
We plan to hold a memorial gathering for Mina in the Mauritszaal at Inholland The Hague on Tuesday June 13^th from 13.00 to 14.00 pm, both students and teachers are invited to attend. This will be a moment for us to come together and remember Mina. Following the memorial gathering, a book of condolences and a remembrance “corner” will be set up outside of Crea Lab 2-012 to leave your message for Mina’s family, boyfriend and friends.

We extend our condolences to Mina's family and friends, and to anyone who knew her at our university. If you have any memories or stories about Mina that you would like to share, we welcome you to do so.
Please know that we are there for both students and teachers alike and our door is always open if you need help or someone to talk to.

Management, lecturers and staff of (International) Creative Business The Hague

Together with Popcoalitie, a partnership of several affiliated organisations in the Dutch pop sector, researchers from Inholland University of Applied Sciences, have drawn up a new research and innovation agenda for the pop-music industry. In it, the most pressing themes and issues that need research or innovation, are being mapped out. This new agenda was presented to the organisations affiliated with the Popcoalitie on 12 April. The next step is to be a matchmaking meeting that will be held on 6 June. Organised with the support of CLICKNL, the aim of the meeting is to form cooperatives that want to start up research or innovation projects.

Post-COVID impulse
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the music industry was clearly in need of a fresh impulse. The shutting down of live pop music during the pandemic had major repercussions for creatives, organisations and employees in the sector. It also highlighted issues that had been ongoing for some time before the pandemic, such as fair compensation for creatives, the vulnerable employment situation faced by employees and their irregular working hours. At the same time, the pandemic also forced the industry to experiment with new revenue models, such as hybrid and online performances. With the venues, clubs and festivals once again open, the industry is now having to contend with serious staff shortages, and this has further increased the already high workload on employees. And all this against the continuing backdrop of social issues, such as inclusion, diversity, climate change and digital developments.

Setting an example for other sectors
Koos Zwaan, Associate Professor of Innovation in the International Music Industry at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, feels strongly that the social impact that music has on the pop sector serves as an example for other sectors. ‘Music has the power to connect and visualise and for many people it even plays a key role in their identity,’ he insists. ‘Exploiting the power of this connection and visualisation so that it impacts social issues calls for smart collaboration initiatives between the pop sector and knowledge partners, such as higher vocational education institutions and universities. And this can be achieved through research and innovation projects that provide an impulse to innovation and collaboration in the industry.’ In the International Music Industry Lab, which is actually led by Koos Zwaan, Inholland is working with partners from the field on projects exactly like these.

Research and innovation themes
Themes in the research and innovation agenda have been developed with input collected from representatives across the whole pop sector during various working sessions. Input was also harvested from visitors at the Congress Podia Festivals Evenementen (in September 2022), No Man’s Land (December 2022) and Eurosonic Noorderslag (January 2023).
Its main themes are: talent development, professionalisation, inclusion & diversity, new digital technology & business models, mental & physical well-being, the societal impact of pop music, climate impact and internationalisation. The full agenda can be downloaded from the website. 

Speaking on behalf of the day-to-day management of Popcoalitie, Martijn Kramers says that its agenda offers opportunities for innovative solutions that will strengthen the industry and underscore a healthy and sustainable music ecosystem. ‘You need look no further, for example, than fair practices for all stakeholders, inclusivity for employees and the sustainability of activities. In fact, everything that forms part of the value chain of the Netherlands’ pop-music sector.’

Matchmaking
The next step is to bring together parties from the broader field of pop music, researchers from other universities and universities of applied sciences, as well as parties that can finance collaborative projects. To this end, Inholland and the Popcoalitie, supported by CLICKNL, are organising a matchmaking meeting. The objective of this meeting is to form partnerships that will focus on questions from the agenda and that will initiate further research and develop and implement innovations for, and with, the pop sector. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, 6 June, 2023 in the A-lab in Amsterdam.

HI The Hague Student Experience
The ‘Hi The Hague Student Experience’ is created for all visitors who want to taste the atmosphere of The Hague as a student city. You can dance the whole day to music performed by student DJs who participated in the DJ contest.  And you can participate in all kinds of fun sports and game activities planned by the students of The Hague.

Participation Inholland
Multiple Inholland students collaborate for the Liberation Festival. International Creative Business students work on an assignment to explore how to properly communicate the message of 5 May to young people. Students of our Student Success Centre came up with different game activities for the Student Experience area. The Inholland Wheel of Fortune decides what game you will play. You spin the wheel, participate in the game and win a fun prize. 

Find out what else you can do at the student area on studyinthehague.com.  

Attendance of mayor and the executive board of higher education institutions
During the Liberation Festival,  there will be a special welcome in the afternoon for mayor Jan van Zanen and members of the executive board of the participating higher education institutions. From Inholland, Marije Deutekom will be present at the ‘Hi The Hague Student Experience’ to meet students and other board members.

ICB-student winner DJ contest
The winner of the student DJ contest in The Hague is our own ICB student Florian Wessiepe. As the winner, he is allowed to play on 5 May, at 19:00, on the main stage of the Liberation Festival. Will you come and support him?

Opening hours of the festival  
The ‘HI The Hague Student Experience’ is located directly to the left of the entrance of the Liberation Festival and is open from 12:00-20:00. The festival site itself opens at 12:00 until 23:00.

Come celebrate freedom with us!

Aftermovie Liberation Festival 2022
Find out what  the festival was like last year, filmed by Creative Business student Mikki Toirkens.

Initiator Caribbean community
Imani Hooi is a third-year International Creative Business student. She has a Caribbean-Dutch background and is the initiator of the community Caribbean United The Hague. The community was created to fulfill the need of Caribbean students to connect with fellow students.  

Joining Caribbean United The Hague 
The first informal meeting was successful and certainly shows a desire for more. Soon there will be more fun and informative gatherings. In addition to informal gatherings, the community will also focus on growth, knowledge transfer, and personal development.  

Do you want to join Caribbean United and be the first to know about upcoming gatherings?  Please join the WhatsApp group and follow the community on Instagram.

Eszter Jámbor (22) is an International Creative Business student and moved to Haarlem from Hungary in 2018. She started her own business as freelance photographer in the music industry.

Bringing new ideas to the table
“I am a go-getter. Since I moved here and figured my goals out, I am trying as much as possible to reach them. My strength? I bring creativity and new ideas to the table. I like to do/learn something new/different every day. Following the crowd is not my thing, and I never really fit in. But lately I realized that this benefits me. Honestly it sped up my professional life - I had the time and mental clarity to figure out how to move forward and act on it.

I work as a freelancer photographer with events and artists in the music industry. My clients are event organizers and electronic music producers/DJs. Originally photography was a hobby since I was 14 but I worked as a waitress and I kind of liked the job (talking to many different people, learning about food/drinks, listening to music all day), but the pandemic messed things up. I found myself working in a supermarket and I really didn’t like that job. I was in survival mode but I came to a conclusion that if I don’t like my job it affects all the other areas of my life and it becomes miserable. I made the decision to start freelancing thanks to this experience and a talk with a good friend of mine who is a freelancer as well. Ironically, I had no clients at this point, but I thought I’ll figure it out when I have the pressure on me.”

Fix-it mindset
“I come from the countryside of Hungary. My parents are really hardworking, and they taught me ‘you have to work hard, to get somewhere in life’. That affected me a lot. I don’t think they took me seriously when I told them I want to be a photographer, but they never told me not to go for it. Family is first for me and it was when I moved away that I realized how amazing my parents’ mentality is.  We are not victims. We just do everything we can for what we want and when it still doesn’t work out, it’s not meant to. When something goes left, not blaming anyone but focusing on the solution. Fix-it mindset over victim mindset. I like asking my dad and brother about negotiating and business communication and my mother about legal/financial stuff. They are my leading example and they help a lot.”

Scrolling on Instagram and I see the event organizers use my images/videos
“The events/music industry is a big system. We (creators/producers/organizers/venues) all want to give people a good experience during a night out. We all rely on each other. I personally like helping musicians with their personal branding as well. My goal is to help people and events getting the exposure they need. It’s not enough to be good at our craft, we must show people what we do.

I think flexibility is key, and I seek feedback from clients and actively extend my services to fit their needs. What makes me ultimately happy is when I hear ‘Oh my god Eszter, you make me look so good’ or when I scroll on Instagram and I see the event organizers use my images/videos.

The most important thing is that clients are satisfied with my service. Having their vision realized in a form of photo or video is success. Event organizers find me more often, they see my work or hear about me from other organizers. That’s the best marketing. Word of mouth. It’s also about energy. The best thing about a creative field is that you attract people who have similar mindset and the other way around. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to pursue this path and keep dreaming bigger and bigger.”

Happiness on the long term
“Last semester I joined the Growth program at Start Up Campus Haarlem. It helped so much!

Firstly, I feel connected to likeminded people who are going through the same path (in different fields) and sharing our struggles/success is very valuable. I’m also grateful for all the advice we got on networking in general.

Secondly, I learned to take feedback objectively and not personally.

If you are a student and consider starting your own business, I would say: find out why your idea makes you happy. Is it just the money that could come with it or something else? If it’s something else, does it bring you happiness on the long term? You must know where your values lie. Chase after happiness instead of money. That’s my best advice.”

As a student you are looking for pleasant, affordable and safe housing in the city where you study. This may sound simple, but things are different in practice. If you want to get your own room in your student city, you are often dealing with waiting times, high rents and (too) small rooms at locations you would actually prefer not to live. The student housing providers want to do something about this. They are going to build affordable student housing in your city, taking your housing needs into account. To do so, they need your input. 

Survey 
We are conducting a survey to find out how many students will be living in your city in the coming years and how these students want to live. This knowledge will be used to build enough student housing to meetstudents' needs. This research is carried out by student housing providers in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Universities of Applied Sciences and Research Universities. If you really want to make a difference in housing for students, please participate in this survey. 

Participation 
To participate, please click on the following link: www.wonenalsstudent.nl 

The survey consists of about 40 questions and takes around 10 minutes to complete. You can fill in the questionnaire using your smartphone, tablet or computer. The questionnaire will remain active until April 22.  Your answers will then be processed anonymously. 

How do I stay informed of the results? 
Results will be available on the website after the summer.

Showcased projects
Curious to know what kind of projects were showcased? Here are a few examples!

The Star Dust student team developed a media kit about the importance of safe digital storage for journalists in conflict areas. During the community day, visitors participated in a quiz and an interactive VR experience to build awareness and empathy among our learning network.

The Social Media and Justice League student team developed educational materials to help teach young students media literacy skills. During the community day, this team created a playful gamified journey for visitors to test their own skills with identifying fact from fiction.

The Pop-up Podcast student team launched their investigative podcast about current trends in Sustainable Media. You can listen here to the first episodes on Misinformation and Algorithmic Bias.

Interested in learning more about our Sustainable Media Lab or joining us for future events? Reach out to: sustainablemedialab@inholland.nl.

Do you want to decide for yourself which internal information you want to receive? From now on you can, whether you are a student or an employee! How do you do that? Check out the video below, select the widget of your Creative Business faculty and/or the location where you work or study and add it to your homepage. From now on, as soon as you log in, you will see exactly the information that you find most relevant.

Do you have news that you want to share with students or colleagues from other programs within our faculty? Send your message to Hilda Bakmaz (research) or Gerard Möhring (education): they are contact persons or content editors for our Creative Business domain.How does it work?In the video below, colleague Rosalie tells you how to 'set' and view location and domain news on Iris. Still need help? Send an email to news@inholland.nl.

And then this…

In addition to location and  faculty news, we also have the 'In the media' section, a digital clipping service with links to messages about Inholland University of Applied Sciences that have appeared externally in the media. You can also add this widget to your homepage. You do this in the same way as with the location and  faculty news, via 'My widgets'.

Via inholland.nl/nieuws we also have a news page for prospective students, relations and the professional field. We have also updated this page. You will find general news at the top, location news below and the overview 'Education and research' (faculty news under a different title).

Who does what?

The editors of the Inholland Communications & Human Resources staff service provide/maintain the general news. Each faculty provides its own news service; Hilda Bakmaz (research) and Gerard Möhring (education) provide the news from our Creative Business faculty. News by location is managed by each location's WIR team. Do you have any questions regarding this email? Let us know and email Hilda.Bakmaz@inholland.nl or Gerard.Mohring@inholland.nl

The students of the Sustainable Media Lab have made creative and experiential media products to help you understand how and why media can shape, nurture, and impede justice in our society.  The Sustainable Media Lab will be hosting the Community Day on Friday, January 13th from 14:00-17:00 in the Mauritszaal at Inholland The Hague. 

The projects of the Sustainable Media Lab were made possible thanks to partnerships with Sound & Vision The Hague, Municipality of and The Hague Humanity Hub.

Jordy Twisk (25) graduated from the Technical Computer Science program at Inholland Alkmaar University of Applied Sciences in 2021. He now works full-time at B2S, spins as a DJ under the name Jordan Ville in clubs, and organizes events with friends in the area where he lives.

I like things that are not yet there or that are unique!
I am a creative guy! Coming up with and creating the whole concept is what I like. During my graduation internship, they also saw that I was enterprising, and I got to work. I learn quickly and am very eager to learn. I like things that are not yet there or that are unique! The social aspect of work is very important to me. In my current job, I connect so well with the team. That is super!

‘We can do that too’
I come from Abbekerk, a small village in North Holland. About 2,000 inhabitants live there. When we cycled to a party with eight friends in 2019, we thought, 'We can do that too!' We contacted the youth association and then started small. The first edition sold out two weeks in advance. We continued, and each edition got bigger and bigger. Besides NYE parties in a church & Pool parties in the pool, among others, we also picked up our fair Saturday in recent years. After this year our pub, which we worked with, had to make way for new construction, so we picked up the full 4-day event this year. But conceiving and building it up is perhaps even more fun than the party itself. And to do this together with friends is absolutely fantastic. Together we created a foundation from which we organize everything. Our goal is to organize cool events in unique locations.

Gather the right people around you
During Corona, we noticed that the absence of contact for young people is a huge lack. The young people from the village had nowhere else to go. I wanted so much to meet new people again. That's why I'm glad we were able to organize something again then. When we heard that you could organize a festival for up to 750 people outside, we got together immediately. In 3.5 weeks we organized everything. From nothing to a sold-out festival!

I guess I can call myself the creative brain of the organization. I like to focus on surprising details, decor, special effects, and other show elements. It's great when people come in and think 'wow' what a cool look this is. That makes me very happy! Everyone in our team has their own qualities. You must gather the right people around you. If you are not good at something, find someone who is. Then you build a team.

‘Just do it. Just start’
During my studies, I missed being an entrepreneur. When I was tipped off to SUCH's Start Program, I knew immediately, that this is what I'm going to do. I didn't think beforehand that I would get so much out of it. I still use the knowledge from the workshops in my work. Both in setting up the events within the foundation and in all the other events I co-organize.

Entrepreneurship is simply doing. Just getting started. Try it! Go out on a limb, we did. Everyone makes mistakes, and that's really where you learn the most. Then you know "We're going to do this better next time'''.