DigiQuest is organized by Inholland University of Applied Sciences and IBCOL. The student-focused event is scheduled for November 17 at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam. In this impact-driven gathering, students and professionals will explore together how developments such as blockchain, AI, and big data can contribute to solving the big challenges society is facing today.

Blockchain Olympiad
In 2020, Inholland University of Applied Sciences participated for the first time in the International Blockchain Olympiad, an annual competition for students. Participants are challenged to solve social issues using emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain. Inholland came in third that year. That stage award in the prestigious competition got attention and sparked conversation. This is how the idea was born to bring the Olympiad to Amsterdam.

Project leader Richard John: "We were keen to collaborate with the Olympiad to find even more creative answers to the big problems we face today. It was our wish to set up a bigger event around the Olympiad. We are proud that this year's Olympiad is taking place in Europe for the first time, having previously been held in Hong Kong, Canada, and Bangladesh, among others. On November 17, students and partners will immerse themselves in the Nemo Science Museum, Amsterdam, to learn how you can use technology to influence the future."

Leap forward
Initiator Peggy van Schijndel: "Beyond just showcasing the role technology can play in social innovation, the initiative is focused on making a tangible contribution to society. This is achieved by having students work on real social challenges presented by our partner organisations, including companies like Deloitte, The Next Web, and OpenAI, as well as non-profit organisations like Oxfam Novib and The Rainforest Alliance. They will pitch diverse challenges during various workshops that will be taken up by students. We are in an important phase of technical development and innovation. It is a leap forward that also makes us face new challenges, for example, in the areas of rights, inclusion, privacy, and data ownership. These issues will all be addressed."

During the event, there will be panel discussions and active workshops, for example, on education for Generation Z and the societal side of this development, such as privacy and human rights. Richard: "Digital space is going to play an important role in education. That's why Inholland already wants to embed it as much as possible in tuition. It is very nice that we can explore this development together with so many partners from the field. The international aspect of the event, with participation from students around the world, adds a valuable global perspective to the discussions. It's fascinating to hear how students from different cultural backgrounds perceive and adapt to these digital advancements.”

Intersection between technology and society
Peggy: "DigiQuest is open to anyone who recognizes the importance of incorporating technology to address significant societal challenges. While the event welcomes participants with technical expertise, it particularly emphasizes the inclusion of students from a variety of fields, such as Creative Business, innovation, care and welfare. They may have less knowledge of technology, but they are aware of the social issues at stake. It's really about that intersection between these technical developments and pressing issues."

The event thus targets a wide audience, including students from other educational institutions who are participating in the Olympiad. The municipality of Amsterdam will issue a challenge for secondary school students. They will investigate how technology can be used to solve a typical urban issue. "That way, there is something for everyone," Richard says. "For a start, it's a great opportunity for our students to get to know the business community and future employers. Furthermore, during DigiQuest you will learn how to use AI and blockchain for your own future, both professionally and personally. And finally, it's just a fun day where you meet students from all over the world and have free access to Nemo."

Learn more and register now!

With the start of the new academic year and the relaxation of some Corona measures, it is good to see you all again at campus. We see that education at our campus locations is starting to go back to normal.

The press conference from yesterday brought us more good news: as of the 25th of September there are no more restrictions for higher education. That means: no more distance of 1,5 meter and no more wearing face masks in our buildings. Also, we no longer have to consider the rule of being together in groups of less than 75 people.

For staff members the advice to work from home will be slightly adjusted: work at home if possible. If necessary for your work, you will come to the university of applied sciences. Discuss with your team and your manager what’s the best way do this.

Self-testing

Even though it is not mandatory to do so, we are still advising you to regularly do a self-test, when coming to the buildings. In the case of a positive self-test, we would like to ask you to stay at home and make an appointment for a PCR test. Doing a self-test is also wise even if you have been vaccinated. Note: If you have symptoms, stay at home and make an appointment for a PCR test at the GGD.

Furthermore we hope you are considering getting vaccinated. To contain the spreading of the virus it is important that as many people as possible are vaccinated. If you have any questions on how to obtain a vaccine in the Netherlands, please consult the information from the Dutch government.

It can be a little bit exciting to go back to campus and meet your fellow students and teachers. If you have concerns, or feel anxious about this, be open about it and talk to your mentors, fellow students, your team or manager.

We wish you a very good academic year!

ITEA is a career day for (international) students and graduates who are looking for a job or an internship in the Amsterdam metropolitan area. The event creates an opportunity to meet interesting internationally oriented start-ups, scale-ups and corporates. ITEA is a joint cooperation of Inholland University of Applied Sciences, the University of Amsterdam, VU University of Amsterdam and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Focus on circular economy
All took place in an informal and playful environment that is perfect for networking. During the job fair the actual companies could meet students through interactive sessions. Several workshops and pitches were given by companies such as Waldom, AB InBev, Henckel and Gartner on multiple topics.

This year’s focus was on circular economy. It showed how companies in a changing world deal with the growing impact of sustainability to eliminate waste and to re-use natural resources. Panel discussions allowed to dive deeper into this subject.

Key-note speakers such as Herman Mulder (Chair SDG Impact Economy Foundation) and Jos Akkermans (VU Associate professor Sustainable Careers and Organizational Behavior), and a workshop on the best ways to apply by Adams Multilingual Recruitment made it look like a live event.

Personal career advice
An interesting extra feature of ITEA is the personal career advice by professional career coaches in one-on-one sessions. Many Inholland students benefited from this free coaching. Inholland students represented 20% of all attendees, a new record!

One of the highlights was the panel of three international alumni of Inholland who were interviewed about their experiences after graduation.

Mark your calendar for the seventh edition of the Amsterdam international career event ITEA on November 6, 2020, organized by four universities of Amsterdam, including Inholland University of Applied Sciences. You can register for free to meet international companies, to attend workshops and to get personal career coaching. This time it will be an online event. Some of the workshops will be broadcast from The Student Hotel at the Wibautstraat in Amsterdam. We hope to create a live vibe! ITEA 2020 provides a platform for international companies and international talent in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. This year’s talent edition will pivot around Circular Economy and support international talent in finding starter jobs, internships and research opportunities. Don’t miss it!

'We wanted to hold this kick-off at the construction site of the future Sluisbuurt', explains Karel Koch, lab leader at the SLUISlab. The site is being readied for construction Amsterdam municipal engineering office and the construction company Dura Vermeer. Over the next ten years, these two partners will bear joint responsibility for the development of this new neighbourhood. 'Currently, we are hard at work preparing for the infrastructure', Karel says. 'While the site itself is not yet safe enough, we did manage to get permission to organise our kick-off week right next door at ‘Keet Zeeburgereiland.'

Nautilus
'The plan was to move our SLUISlab into a temporary location in the Sluisbuurt starting in September 2020', Karel continues. 'The idea was to have a temporary café as well, but the city has put those plans on hold for the time being. We did, however, find a place in a building in the adjacent neighbourhood, the Sportheldenbuurt: Nautilus. From now on, the SLUISlab researchers will be there every Thursday, together with CGI learning coordinator Esther Bouw and her students.'

Esther Bouw adds: 'Community surveys and trying out new things are important to the CGI students, and with an eye to doing those things right, we were very eager to visit the site itself!' Over the next twenty weeks, Esther will supervise an equal number of students as they explore multidisciplinary issues in connection with ‘placemaking’ for the Sluisbuurt. This involves experiential concepts of a temporary nature, aimed at making the public space attractive, in cooperation with neighbourhood residents. CGI students are enrolled in a wide range of study programmes at different Inholland locations. This group comes from the Leisure & Events Management, Nursing, Facility Management, Tourism Management (Dutch and English-taught) and Creative Business (Dutch and English) programmes.

‘Placemaking Picnic’
Over the course of the kick-off week, and under the supervision of artist Rob Voerman and industrial designer Davy Wouda, the students designed and built a podium and festival furniture. This offered a great way to get to know one another and to get started working together in teams straight away. Cris van Dijk, a Nursing student, had this to say about the experience: 'Just dive right in, that's what I learned during the week. We turned out to be better at working with our hands than we thought! When you combine your strengths, you can create something amazing from humble means.

The start signal for the CGI semester came Friday during the ‘Placemaking Picnic’ programme, in a presentation led by Karel Koch and Noor Mohamed, a Leisure & Events Management student.

Tour of the construction site
The programme also included a new construction quiz and a tour of the construction site. Merel de Boer and Myrthe Dortants from the Inholland team, who were tasked with preparations for the new construction in Amsterdam, ran a game to teach the students fun facts, such as that the silhouette of the Sluisbuurt was inspired by the Canadian city of Vancouver.

During the tour, Roelof Veen (environmental manager) and Roy Belmer (construction manager) from the City of Amsterdam explained that sand had been trucked in and spread over the site, creating a layer up to 5 metres deep in some places. This layer of sand ensures that, over time, the underlying soil will settle under the weight, becoming more compact and creating a stable underground that can support the infrastructure. To accommodate the building's foundation and other aspects, a portion of the deposited sand had to be excavated. This provided a sneak peek of the contour of the Inholland building – which is already clearly visible!

Visible in the community
Kim Hagenaar, coordinator of the SLUISlab, looks back at the event with satisfaction: 'The great thing is that here, through the SLUISlab, we're bringing together not only the new construction team of the Inholland Service Organisation, the CGI students and lecturers and colleagues from the Creative Business research group, but employees of the City of Amsterdam as well. By doing so, we're uniting placemaking, new construction and innovation with regard to learning and research. In Nautilus, we will also be working together with students, researchers, residents and partners from professional practice. This will make us quite literally visible in the community and make it easier for us to explore the possibilities for our students. Luckily, I'm seeing a great deal of flexibility and trust from all parties: we're diving right in!'

Students who took part in the Creative Growth Initiative (CGI) SLUIS Lab, the Creative Growth Experience (CGE) SLUIS Lab and the CGE ULT Lab minors delivered amazing, sustainable connective concepts, as shown by the various online final presentations. Many of the student teams focused on issues relating to the Sluis neighbourhood on Zeeburgereiland, to which Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam/Diemen will relocate in a few years’ time.

Social function
Good access is extremely important not just for Inholland students and colleagues, for instance, but also for neighbourhood residents and businesses planning to set up operations in the new district. It all starts with a ferry that will provide a temporary connection between the Eastern Harbour Docklands and Zeeburgereiland. The municipality of Amsterdam is already studying the possibilities for installing a temporary ferry line and the related infrastructure measures and products. But how great would it be if the ferry had a social function as well? Where neighbourhood residents can connect with each other? Two student teams mulled over this in the SLUIS Lab.

Team 1 consists of Nancy, Celine, Annemieke, Linda, Daniela, Bodil and Volkan, from the following degree programmes: AD Event Facilities Management, Tourism Management, Creative Business and Business IT & Management. They devised a concept consisting of two elements: a digiboard on the ferry, on which people can post a notice using their smartphone and a QR code, plus an interactive map on the floor of the ferry.

Notices
Annemieke explains what the concept is all about: 'All kinds of notices can be put up on a digiboard. A notice from a group of women, for instance, who are planning to set up a singing club and are still looking for members. Or a notice from a single mum who needs a babysitter for her little boy. People can post notices using their smartphone, but they can only be read on the digiboard because we don’t want everyone to be glued to their phones all the time.'

'We’re looking for a longer connection between people than a fleeting conversation on the ferry', Celine adds. 'That’s what we’re aiming to achieve with the notices on the digiboard. If people respond and make contact with each other, a sustainable connection will be created. We’re just giving them a little push.'

Drawing inspiration from museums, the group also came up with the idea of integrating an interactive map into the floor of the ferry. 'People can stand on a dot to find out more information about things they find interesting.' What does Zeeburgereiland have to offer? What are the best local restaurants? People will also see interesting facts about the neighbourhood or a piece of history.

Saving coffee points
Nicole, Kylie, Jennifer, Sven, Benthe, Manon and Roni in team 2 also came up with a digital platform in the form of an interactive screen, but the way in which it works is completely different. ‘Smart Together’ offers people the opportunity to play contemporary and old Dutch games with fellow passengers using free WiFi and their own smartphones in the middle of the ferry. People can also save coffee points, read the newsletter, look at hotspots in the neighbourhood or take part in neighbourhood opinion polls. Roni and Berthe provide more details: 'Even without a mobile phone, people can still play games in an analogue way. And locally run coffee stalls are located on both wharfs.' The team encourages passengers in a playful manner to deposit their empty coffee cups in the rubbish bin.

Peter Blummel, environmental manager at the municipality of Amsterdam responded enthusiastically: 'Your idea of making the ferry a place where people can drink coffee is really great. It will create a moment of relaxation and will indeed bring people into contact with each other. And you can do many different things using the platform. Things like saving coffee points: it’s the small things that will contribute to an enjoyable ferry experience.' He also finds the digiboard and floor map created by team 1 interesting ideas: 'Many people in such a new district are in the process of discovering who the other residents are and how they can help each other. I believe that a floor map is a good talking point on the ferry.'

Temporary settlement
Aside from the above, many more great experience concepts were developed, which will contribute to building a pleasant and liveable Zeeburgereiland. One such concept is SluisBox, an intergenerational jukebox that will play the collective music tastes of the islanders, which people can listen to in a park together. And Sluisdorp, a temporary, movable settlement offering music, food trucks, a playground, games, an interactive wall, a market, a stage, a pub, a book corner where workshops will also be held and a sports corner. Plus Waste = Food, a sustainability experience accessible to the public featuring ‘edutainment’ for and by residents of North Amsterdam, where people can learn from each other how to recycle food. The latter concept was developed by the Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab (ULT Lab).

Sharmilee Jayakkumaran, urban designer at the municipality of Amsterdam, is eager to implement a number of ideas. 'What I really appreciate is that we’ve learned a lot from each other during this process. This educational concept is so valuable.'

The FM degree programme contacted the service organisation a few months ago: 'We talked to Facilities Management to see whether we could carry out any experiments that would be beneficial to us later in the Sluis neighbourhood', explains Elze Reitsema, lecturer in Workplace & Real Estate Management (minor). 'I saw the Creative Growth Initiative programme as an example. A dedicated space was designed especially for project-based working under that programme but I just wanted to go the extra mile in creating a dedicated project space for our students.'

Design freedom
No more classes, but all eighty first-year students in one learning landscape, with lecturers in their midst to offer them support every day, where necessary. That was the idea. 'For such a large number of students, you would now need to break open an entire wing, ha ha!’ Within the Workplace & Real Estate Management minor, where third-year students focus on accommodation and the use of space, eight teams designed a learning space for their future fellow students. Each group came up with their own solution. Elze: 'The space on the first floor (A1.18 and A1.20) had already been designated and we also set out a number of framework conditions, but they were given complete design freedom within those constraints.'

Myrthe Dortants, whose work in the service organisation involves facilities management and accommodation, has been appointed project leader of the refurbishment of the two former classrooms, together with Merel de Boer. 'I’ve seen proposals containing really exceptional and creative ideas. We had a clear top 3 of best designs, but we ultimately selected the best elements from among all eight proposals, which actually closely matched the image that we ourselves had envisaged. We are currently fine-tuning the ideas, to determine, for example, especially during this coronavirus pandemic, which audiovisual media we can additionally use to create a good connection with students at home, so that we can work together in that way. We will give the green light shortly and start with the refurbishment and furnishings and fittings this summer.'

Shared experience
The focus is on first-year students, especially given that the 1.5-metre society will be maintained in the Netherlands for the time being: no more than 20-25 students are allowed to be in the room at the same time. Myrthe: 'Senior students should also be given the opportunity to share the experience and feel invited to work together. We have therefore incorporated the lobby and other nearby work spaces. This will make the entire floor an attractive space for studying. It is also rewarding to instantly recognise that this is the location of the FM degree programme.' Elze adds: 'Moreover, the learning space will not be locked. I expect that it will almost always be occupied. For the rest, you would need a crystal ball to predict developments in the coming months. I believe it is important to engage with first-year students. You won’t achieve this with a computer screen. I don’t believe in that. That’s why it’s positive that a relatively large amount of on-site time will be reserved for first-year students in Diemen.'

What design ideas will now actually be used for the learning space? 'We will start working with zones, for example, each of which will be assigned their own colour', Myrthe explains. 'The leisure space will be green and the focus space yellow. Group work will take place in the blue zone. We will use those colours on the furniture and walls. Furthermore, we have selected a diverse range of furniture: alternating between high and low, project tables, train seating and a gallery for presentations. A cork wall will be installed where students can go wild and hang up all kinds of things, so that they can be easily visualised. It should actually start feeling like their own space.'

New building in the Sluis neighbourhood
'I see a shift in the use of space', says Elze. 'To be able to focus, you work from home, whereas you meet up and work together in a building. A different division of space is increasingly being used in education buildings, with sloping floors and large galleries often integrating seating areas.' Myrthe chips in: 'In our new building in the Sluis neighbourhood, the entrance hall has the form of a gallery. It wraps around the floors. The gallery form can be used not only for events, but also for meeting up and working together. Many more learning spaces will be created in addition to theory rooms. That’s why it’s really beneficial that we’re now already working with this in Diemen.'

Elze: 'Our education will be designed around practical issues. The beauty of it is that we immediately dealt with this practical issue. The collaboration between the Inholland FM degree programme and the FM department really is a win-win situation. We have also been helping each other in other areas in the recent period. A group of students, for example, took it upon themselves to work on coronavirus measures in our building. That’s a welcome development, in my view.'

In recent months, students Aeronautical Engineering have proved that they are just as versatile as the electric aircraft they are building. Development of the aircraft as part of Project DragonFly started at Inholland Composites in Delft in October 2019 and has not stopped since: coronavirus or no coronavirus!

Mark Ommert is the Project Manager for Project DragonFly and used to be an Aeronautical Engineering student himself. He talks enthusiastically about the project, in which an average of 15 students are involved. ‘The programme has been able to develop a broad network in recent months. The fast pace of developments means that major breakthroughs in electric propulsion are set to happen throughout the world in the near future. I’m pleased to say that projects like ours have a very important role to play.’

The website for Project DragonFly went live in May 2020. A feasibility study and technical research were carried out on the construction too, says Arnold Koetje, Programme Manager at Inholland Composites. ‘The government wants the industry to have switched to climate-neutral aviation by 2070, so it is important for us to quickly familiarise ourselves with the technologies that this will require. Electric motors are part of the solution.’

Creative challenges
Luca Baak is one of the students who is involved in Project DragonFly. His final research project focuses on the design for the engine mount in the front of the electric-powered DragonFly - it keeps the electric motor, motor controller and batteries in place. This presented Luca with a whole host of challenges. ‘I had to be very creative. There isn’t much literature on the subject, because it’s not something that’s been done a lot before; electric aircraft are still few and far between at the moment. So, I had to base my design on photos, amongst other things.’

Luca says that some of his fellow graduating students have had to set up workshops at home, to be able to physically test the various aircraft components. He hasn’t had this problem; an advanced design program on his laptop enables him to do his part of the project - which is handy given the current coronavirus crisis. ‘There’s nothing I can’t do: running strength calculations, deciding on the best design and making sure the ultimate design complies with all relevant regulations.’

Luca says that he has learned a lot about project management recently. ‘Working from home, there’s less informal contact between me and my supervisor and lecturers. I can’t quickly ask them a question as I pass them in the hallway, which I would have done normally. So, I have to find the answers I need myself. It’s even more important to make clear agreements about meetings and the next steps to be taken now too. The same applies for self-discipline, because this ensures that you continue to be productive while you’re at home.’

Widely known
The work being done as part of Project DragonFly has come to the attention of parties in the Netherlands and abroad, says Project Manager Arnold. ‘One of these was Saluqi Motors, an Eindhoven-based company that develops electric motors for the aviation industry (and other industries). It says that this type of aircraft is the perfect “airframe” in which to test one of its first electric motors. There are just a handful of manufacturers worldwide, so it’s very special for us to be working with a new, Dutch player.’

Designing, building, testing
The coronavirus crisis is hitting the aviation industry hard, but that doesn’t mean that Project DragonFly will suffer too, Arnold Koetje says. Quite the opposite actually. ‘We stand to benefit from the fact that big companies are facing difficulties and cutting back their research as a result. Also, attention is currently shifting from the subject of aircraft maintenance and more to the designing, building and testing of aircraft - the aspects we focus on here in the Aviation Technology programme.’

The coronavirus has a huge impact on the tourism and cultural sector worldwide. For the first time, the streets of Amsterdam are empty. No more complaints about Airbnb taking over neighbourhoods or the constant crackle of suitcase wheels on the pavement. Hotels, museums and tourism companies however, are facing a difficult future.

In this LIVECAST Inholland University of Applied Sciences and Pakhuis de Zwijger will focus on the impact of the crisis on the tourism and cultural sector. We will also zoom in on the possibilities for innovation and digitalization of the cultural sector. What can be learned from this crisis and how can we use this time to rethink the tourism sector?

We will do this together with the following speakers:

• Ko Koens, Professor of New Urban Tourism (Inholland University of Applied Sciences)
• Claudio Milano, Researcher, lecturer and consultant in tourism (Ostelea & Autonomous University of Barcelona)
• Maaike Verberk, director at the DEN institute for culture and digitalisation
• Rudolf Buurma, Managing director Stichting Bezoek Amsterdam

Watch Fair Tourism #2 The Future of Tourism for free through the LIVECAST or participate in the Zoom webinar. Make sure to register here to guarantee your online spot.

We hope to see you online this Monday evening the 20^th of April at 6:30 pm!

This is the second program in the Fair Tourism series, which Inholland University of Applied Sciences and Pakhuis de Zwijger jointly organize.

Pub quiz
We divided the whole group of students in different teams to play a special pub quiz: the best way to get to know each other and find out more about the Netherlands and Haarlem. Kenneth & Andor, students of MEM (Creative Business), were the best quizmasters ever! Team Sweden won the pub quiz and received a basket full of nice typically Dutch products. Swapfiets was also present and gave away two bicycle subscriptions for three months. During the day it was possible to take a picture in the Photobooth in the lounge. A perfect reminder of a new beginning!

ESN Haarlem and Creatrix Populus
Students of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and Creatrix Populus were also present at the Welcome Drink. ESN Haarlem organises events and fun stuff like cultural activities, international dinners, city trips and more for the international students of Inholland Haarlem. Creatrix Populus is the Student Association of Creative Business. They organise crazy activities, interesting guest lectures, parties and special study trips. To join these networks is the best way to meet new people and make new friends.

Next event: bike tour on 27 September
On Friday 27 September Inholland Haarlem and Swapfiets will organise a bicycle tour in Haarlem for the international students. The tour will start at 4.00 pm just outside Start Up Campus Haarlem (SUCH: opposite the building of Inholland Haarlem). The bicycle tour includes short cycling lessons, a brief explanation of traffic rules and an hour-long cycling past beautiful places in Haarlem. We will end up in the city centre. Therefore we advise you to take your personal belongings with you. Sign up quickly. There are only 30 tickets (and bikes) available.

Amsterdam is grappling with the repercussions of mass tourism. In fact, the city is suffering from a 'tourism surplus', with large numbers of tourists causing annoyance to local residents. Inholland University of Applied Sciences, the North Amsterdam Tourism Industry Platform (TOP) and Pakhuis de Zwijger decided it was high time to exchange knowledge. The partners joined forces to organise the Fair Tourism Urban Conference during the WeMakeThe.City (WMTC) festival in Amsterdam.

Sustainable co-creation innovations from cities throughout Europe will be presented at the Fair Tourism conference in the afternoon of Tuesday 18 June. The event will explore Amsterdam – and, more specifically, Amsterdam-Noord – from an international perspective. Amsterdam will need all its stakeholders to take responsibility and develop more inclusive and sustainable forms of tourism. How can local businesses, local government agencies and residents work together to change the way tourists spend their time and money in the city?

Digital nomadism
The day's first keynote speaker Claudio Milano, lecturer and researcher at the Ostelea School of Tourism & Hospitality in Barcelona, sees the boundaries between tourists and local residents blurring: we are seeing the rise of digital nomadism, whereby new, temporary residents flow into our cities and countries.

Charles Landry, an author and international advisor on the future of cities, also makes reference to a nomadic world: a growing number of people are travelling the globe. Businesspeople, refugees, students, tourists. Our notions of space, location and time are in flux. For example, public spaces are increasingly multifunctional and can no longer be pigeon-holed in terms of design or image. As a case in point, he mentions a Berlin bank designed to look like a meditation centre. These days, we also tend to spend more time in the virtual world than the physical one.

Meaningful encounters
Rather than focusing on the obvious problems of mass tourism, Landry takes a broader view: "How do we create meaningful encounters and relationships in a transforming world? What do we take from our environment, and what do we have to give in return?' Cities that currently hold less appeal to ambitious modern-day nomads can take fate into their own hands. 'Find your unique niches!' This will help ensure a more even distribution of travellers and residents. The two men both envisage a key role for governance. 'The political field isn't keeping pace with the changes around us", Landry explains.

The keynote speeches will be followed by contributions from Fairbnb and www.untouristguide.com, two initiatives that benefit the city and local economy. Ewout Versloot of Rotterdam and Partners will share his experiences with Rotterdam's new tourism policy, which is primarily focused around the city's needs and tourists' potential contribution to these goals. Various special projects have been established as a part of this strategy.

A home for creators
Everyone head for Amsterdam-Noord! Eva de Klerk of TOP Amsterdam-Noord explains: "We are a home to creators and many community-based initiatives. These ideas tend to attract various subcultures once they start to take shape." While she would also like to see new tourism policies, she feels these should be co-designed by the community. "We want a seat at the table in order to develop policies with municipal authorities, businesses and other stakeholders."

TOP assigned Inholland Tourism students to develop a profile of visitors to Amsterdam-Noord. As student Coen van der Meer explains, their research showed that visitors generally don't read up on Amsterdam-Noord before visiting. They basically come to see the IAMSTERDAM letters, A'DAM Tower and Eye museum, and have no idea about the other sights and activities. The students advised TOP to create a hotspot next to the Eye film museum, with features such as a large playground, fountain or arts centre.

IJamaze
Another group of students developed ‘IJamaze’, a platform that allows tourists and local residents to take part in joint activities. "Tourists get to experience an authentic part of Amsterdam-Noord, while local residents have a sense of ownership over the activities", explains student Kathleen Umbdenstov.

The conference ended with a panel debate on potential solutions to Amsterdam's tourist surplus: should we simply restrict tourism in certain areas? Perhaps we should make more efforts to involve residents in local activities? The issues prove difficult to resolve: plenty of room for further debate, in other words.

Different backgrounds. Similar principles. That is what binds Moaaz Gendy, Ayoub Elsheikh, Jonas Rieder, Koos Lobeé, Anne van der Meer and Kasra Amirani together. Six students of the four-year Aeronautical Engineering programme at Inholland Delft. “We are more like a family”, discloses Moaaz, “and we’re all very driven.” Another big plus is their unity in diversity: the students all bring their own particular bit of expertise to the table. “We are a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, so we all worked on that specific part of the project we enjoyed most.”

That sounds like a good start, but what drives these students? What is their purpose?
If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. And that is exactly how Vixed tackles their ambition. “Our plan is simple”, Moaaz continues, “we want to transform the industry.” Is it going to be difficult? For sure. Are they motivated? You bet. “We all knew we wanted to make a difference, and Vixed is going to do just that. Our virtual trainings have multiple benefits. Virtual trainings do not require space or the use of practice materials that result in non-recyclable waste. It’s a win-win for companies in the composite industry.” And the benefits do not stop there. Virtual trainings require no supervision, participants cannot hurt themselves and all trainings are recorded for further training purposes.

What are Vixed’s future plans?
“Eventually”, Moaaz continues, “we would like to move beyond composite materials, and focus solely on virtual reality.” The manufacturing of composite materials is Vixed’s first project. And Vixed is definitely on its way: “Inholland Alkmaar wants to use our virtual trainings for the new academic year. To train lab students in a safe environment before they start their actual training.” Even better, the road might be paved with opportunities, since the six students had a showcase at the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), earlier this year. “We want to make the Netherlands a leading player in virtual training.”

And last but not least: Does Moaaz have any advice for his fellow students?
He sure has. Moaaz: “Ideas are way more valuable than we think. Don’t be afraid. Write down every single idea that comes to mind. You don’t need all the knowledge in the world: it starts with a simple idea.” And that is exactly what the members of Vixed did: they believed in their own ideas. Moaaz and his crew are more than ready: “We are ready to start out dream.”

The collaboration came into being after a visit from the Taragalte Festival director Ibrahim Sebai to Inholland’s diversity research group in the spring of 2018. The visit was so inspirational that Sebai invited Inholland students to examine the festival features that influence the visitor experience. No sooner said than done!

Five students signed up and went off to Morocco with suitcases full of useful literature and Dutch delicacies. Besides working hard behind the scenes, helping to set up the festival, they also spent a lot of time researching how to bring locals and tourists together.

In the end, they delivered two deceptively simple tourism offers; a henna space and sunrise mindfulness walk. Both provided a platform for meaningful encounters and deepening the quality of the visitor’s festival experience. ‘It has been interesting to see how they organised the festival in a totally different way’, one of the students said. ‘I’m really impressed by how good they are at adapting to the conditions they have and really feel inspired. I think we can learn a lot from that.’ Moroccan superstar Oum was one of the main attractions at the 2018 edition of the festival.

‘This was our first experience working with Taragalte, but certainly not the last’, coordinating lecturer Philippa Collin said. ‘With their rich network of international musicians and social entrepreneurships such as Playing for Change and Carpet of Life, we see plenty of opportunities for more multi-disciplinary collaboration.’​ The students were also enthusiastic and shared their experience:

‘Being at the festival really opened doors to finding new ways of working together with other cultures.’

‘The most important thing I learned this week was making sure you’re able to be flexible. It’s important to be able to adapt to your surroundings because really awesome things can come from it.’

‘It’s useful for my concepting & events course because it takes the theory from the classroom and throws it out in the desert which is very real. It’s a great way of deepening learning.’

Interested in finding out more about this project?
Contact philippa.collin@inholland.nl or abdulkadir.poyraz@inholland.nl
Coordinator of the Concepting & Events minor: Andreas Bischoff

Anne’s research project focused on inclusive tourism: ‘This is an innovative tourism concept developed and applied by the ITC, the joint development agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. It aims to enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector in least developed regions such as Kayah State. Inclusiveness is achieved by working along the tourism value chain: integrating local producers and Myanmar inbound tour operators, strengthening Myanmar government institutions related to tourism and also promoting the region in international markets. The main beneficiaries are the local people of Myanmar, among them the inhabitants of Kayah State, one of the least developed regions in the country.’

Anne was asked to compile a report that explained the applied methodology of the tourism concept, its results and lessons learned and how it benefitted the stakeholders. ‘ITC uses the report I’ve written to showcase their project to potential future donor countries – in the case of Kayah State that was The Netherlands – and to share this knowledge with other experts in the tourism industry who might seek to replicate their innovative approach.’

Demanding thesis research
‘Why did I choose to study in Diemen? I wanted to study in English, and during my travels I’d met Dutch people who told me I could do an entire Bachelor’s course in English in the Netherlands. I liked Amsterdam and the programme. I also did an exchange semester in Mexico and an internship in Jerusalem during my studies.’

So impressed were Anne’s teachers with the highly ambitious and complex scope of Anne’s thesis research, which she carried out in the Netherlands, Switzerland and during a six-week stay in Myanmar, that they awarded it a perfect score. It was the first time in its history that the Inholland Tourism Department awarded a 10 for a final Bachelor’s thesis, but it was wholly merited by Anne’s outstanding performance as a tourism student. Not only that, Anne was subsequently chosen to receive a competitive VSBfonds scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree.

Future in conflict management
During her internship in Jerusalem, Anne worked for MEJDI Tours, a tour operator founded by a Jew and a Palestinian that runs trips to Israel and Palestine and promotes peacebuilding. Anne feels the experience she gained while working there to be very meaningful, and that inspired to return to Israel after graduation. Now, she is doing a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. ‘I’m just starting to write my MA thesis about state policy influence on reproductive rights in Rwanda. I think this is important because women everywhere should be able to have control over their own bodies. After this, I would like to continue working in research and hopefully go on to do a PhD.’

On Thursday 22 March, over thirty Information Technology students from Amsterdam (VU University Amsterdam and University of Amsterdam), Diemen and Haarlem (Inholland) met up at the Start Up Campus Haarlem (SUCH) premises. The first cups of coffee were immediately downed, the laptops flipped open and they got straight down to work. Ten hours to complete your project might sound like enough, but it really isn’t. Danuta Lapina, Information Technology student at Inholland Haarlem and one of the organisers of InHack 2018, explains: ‘A hackathon usually lasts several days. We wanted to have this time too, but it wasn’t possible to use the Inholland building overnight. In order to still achieve high-quality demonstrations at the end of the day, the team were allowed to do a lot of preparation. Everything in fact, apart from the coding. That really had to happen on the day itself.’

Three, two, one … GO!
InHack 2018 didn’t have a specific theme: the participating teams were able to decide for themselves what project they wanted to work on during the big day. From meet-up website for international students to time tracker, from time management app to game – the contributions were diverse. Just like the skill levels of the students. Everyone is welcome, whether you’re a seasoned programmer or a newcomer in the world of apps. ‘That works out, too, because the judges take your level into account when assessing the result’, says Danuta. The projects were judged on technical complexity, originality, functionality and degree of completion. ‘And on your presentation. So here’s a tip in advance: ensure that you have enough time to make a properly functioning demo. Come on, guys, let’s get to work!’ After this starting shot, the clock began counting down and the teams got down to hacking and programming in silence.

Creative ‘abuse’ of Windows
The job was done after ten hours. For most of the teams, at least ... Here and there people were still putting the finishing touches to their demo, jittery fingers on the keyboard. Time had come to close the laptops and present the results. The Plantnation team won the prize for the most innovative idea with an app that reminds you to water your plants. The KeyboardKings were the prize-winning team. Their multiplayer reaction-based game was the best technical design. And there was a special mention for the Patrick’s Late team, which ‘abused’ Windows forms in the most creative manner. The prizes were in part thanks to the sponsors Abercrow, IT jobs recruiter and Podictive, specialist in cyber security. At the end of the event Danuta Lapina was tired but satisfied. ‘We’ll certainly be organising it again next year. But then bigger and longer. At least three days and two nights. Whatever happens then ... believe me, it’ll be really great.’

Watch the symposium (in Dutch) 

The library of Inholland has been digitalised in 2015, meaning that this university of applied sciences is playing a pioneering role among fellow institutions. Correspondingly, the Duik in het digitale studieboek! (Explore digital textbooks) symposium was mainly intended to share knowledge. How is the education sector changing? Will lessons still be given on the basis of a book in the future? Why is it that students don’t buy all books? How are publishers responding to the digital possibilities for good teaching resources?

Almost forty interested parties attended the symposium to find answers to these questions. It soon became clear that lecturers and publishers are still struggling with the changes resulting from the digitisation process. Chairman of the day Don Ropes (Inholland Professor of Learning & Development in Organisations) showed his ability to uncover the anxieties lurking below the surface.

Changes in education
Supply and demand are changing. Many choices and directions are now possible and it's not yet clear which will turn out to be future-proof. 'The education sector now needs to take the initiative of articulating the new demand, and for publishers to respond with new products. The cost aspects play a role too, especially when students are paying part of the costs for acquisition of learning resources', explains Stef. 'The role of the library is less about offering learning resources, and much more about providing access to a wide range of specialist literature. With its acquired knowledge of the market, the library can play a mediating role for education or help in exchanging knowledge.'

Open Educational Sources
Speakers at the symposium included Robert Schuwer, Professor of Open Educational Resources at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, an authority in the field of open educational resources. Stef Barendsen says that so far, little attention has been given to this at Inholland, but that it’s a question of ‘simply beginning instead of waiting to see what happens, so assuming our pioneering role once again.’

BUKU
Bertus Jan Epema, founder of the online book service BUKU, recounted how he has adapted the Spotify model to student textbooks and is focusing on collaboration between educational publishers and lecturers. Many lecturers felt encouraged to start experimenting with the free version of BUKU.

‘The success of this symposium should lead to a follow-up in which we expand the issue from digital textbooks to digital learning resources and materials’, says Stef. If it’s up to him, the event will also be opened to other universities of applied sciences, and to students as well.

Meet your future employer at the International Talent Event Amsterdam 2018 (ITEA) on Friday 20 April 2018 in Amsterdam! Whether you’re looking for a multilingual internship or a fulltime job at an international company, at ITEA you can meet potential employers during workshops and presentations.

Taking your first steps into the big, bad workforce can feel like a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there is plenty of work for both Dutch and non-Dutch students in the Amsterdam area. With unemployment in the Netherlands being amongst the lowest in the EU, the odds of finding a job are in your favour! Companies love to recruit internationally-oriented students and graduates because they bring creativity, innovation, increase productivity and provide solutions for companies who are doing business across the border.

During ITEA 2018, you can meet employers from a wide range of disciplines, including IT, business, finance and marketing. Last year, the companies present included Adidas, B Building Business, Booking.com, Club Med, Expatica, Freightex, Monsanto, Newgen Payments, NBC Universal (international), Randstad, TIP Trailor Service, Travix International, UBM, Webster, Whirlpool, Young Financials and many more. Keep an eye on the ITEA website for this year’s participants.

Watch the video for the highlights of ITEA 2017.

Organising the event for the fifth time, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and VU University joined forces with investment agency Amsterdam inbusiness and the Amsterdam Economic Board, a cooperation agreement of which also Inholland is a partner.

So, are you ready to start kick your career? Sign up here for ITEA 2018 and come to the Student Hotel, Wibautstraat 129 on Friday 20 April from 10:00 - 17:00.

Would you like to read more about this event? Go to the website or have a look on Facebook.

"I’ve given a variety of lectures to a large audience at 'Chula', also to recruit students as a boost for our own publicity", Wim enthusiastically reports from Bangkok. "Both students and staff are extremely pleased, so it’s been a success! One of my lectures was about visual and creative thinking, for example. It was three hours long, with some 90 students attending. I gave an assignment during this lecture on which, after my return, the lecturers at Chulalongkorn and I will give each other mutual feedback as a new start within our partnership."

More to come in March
Along the way, Wim received another exciting invitation. "My livestreamed lectures were so well-received that the Faculty of Communication Arts has asked me to organise a seminar on multisensory communication, together with colleagues from New York, Iowa, Vancouver and Brussels! I’ve also been asked to speak on behalf of Inholland at this seminar, where the audience will include academics and representatives from the professional field. What an honour! It’s also a wonderful opportunity for Inholland’s promotion and recruitment. The seminar will consist of TED Talk-like sessions and livestreamed workshops, with the entire Thai press invited to attend. This will have enormous appeal since Chula is Thailand’s most important national research university and has an excellent reputation both in Asia and worldwide."

Inholland has had a partnership with Chulalongkorn University for student and lecturer exchanges since 2015. To date, eight students from Chulalongkorn have studied at Inholland and eight adventurous Inholland students have gone overseas to study at Chulalongkorn.

Studying in Thailand: a ‘life-changing experience’
Wim Honders also visited Stefanie Liu, who is currently in Bangkok studying for her Inholland Communication degree and loving every minute of it. "I decided to study abroad because I want to improve my English, and the best way to do that is by being in an international setting. Thailand was the best option for me. This is really a life-changing experience! I have a sense of total freedom. The Chulalongkorn University campus is gigantic and gorgeous! In addition to studying, I also have the chance to explore Thailand and see its beautiful islands."

She encourages other students to follow her example. "I want to be independent. That’s why I chose a country as far away from the Netherlands as possible, so that it wouldn’t be as easy for me to rely on my parents. Sometimes it’s good to pick a country that you’re completely unfamiliar with: a country you’ve never visited, whose language you don’t speak and where you don’t know anyone. That’s where the real adventure begins!"

Three international student groups of Media and Entertainment Management Inholland The Hague have been working on a project called ‘Watermakers’ during the past months. The students have been planning events, exhibitions and social media content to promote the story of Watermakers.

Role IMEM students
The international students have taken on different tasks to help boost the popularity of Watermakers and make sure it will be a sounding success. Three IMEM project groups work on the project Watermakers: Temper Media, SF Marketing and Atale.

More information about project Watermakers and A bunch of choices can be found on their Facebook page and the website of A Bunch of Choices.