This spring, over 300 Business Administration students from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences experience an innovative approach to addressing social issues in the city. This methodology was made possible in part by the Expertise Network Systemic Co-design (ESC), which is committed to connecting research, education and social practice.
Using the Co-Design Canvas, developed by Societal Impact Design (SID) professor Wina Smeenk (Inholland University of Applied Sciences), second-year students worked in small groups on current social issues in the neighborhood.
In the course “Draagvlak Creëren” (“Creating Support”), led by teachers Sybe Stuij and Hans Rood, fifteen classes each adopted a Rotterdam neighborhood. Each class received several concrete issues presented by neighborhood managers, on which student teams developed interventions through co-design. For five weeks, students went intensively into the neighborhoods to engage residents and other stakeholders. Each group took weekly snapshots of their canvas, on which they gathered insights, stakeholders and solutions. This process offered students not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills in stakeholder management, collaboration and design thinking.
Train-the-trainer: teachers experience co-design
Prior to this educational innovation, the teacher team attended an inspiring train-the-trainer workshop in early April by Claudia Mayer, researcher at SID research group of Inholland University of Applied Sciences. During this session, teachers experienced for themselves what co-design means: they were introduced to interactive working methods, such as conducting a role-playing game with short interviews on stakeholder interests.
Teachers also discovered new ways to guide students, such as applying playful elements. The course concluded with a presentation in which teachers shared their personal learning experiences, supported by emoji feedback stickers on large rubrics.
Positive impact and structural integration
The Rotterdam neighborhood managers and municipality are responding with enthusiasm to the results and want to continue this way of working because of the positive impact in the neighborhoods. This collaboration between education and research was initiated and strengthened by ESC. ESC’s connecting role between University of Applied Sciences Rotterdam (including Frank Berkers, lecturer Knowledge Center Business Innovation) and University of Applied Sciences Inholland makes it clear how practice-based learning creates social value.
