Avans
When do you use XR in education or research?
In April, Avans hosted the Extended Reality (XR) Community event organized by Npuls. Over 100 participants from vocational education (MBO), universities of applied sciences (HBO), and research universities (WO) attended the event. For the VONK Innovation Spotlight, I explored the demo market held that day. Various programs from Avans showcased their XR initiatives. I created this impression of the event for XR-interested colleagues who couldn’t attend, to inform and inspire them with the current XR developments.
Avans
Room for Personal Leadership in the New ORM Curriculum
The 2024–2025 academic year marks the second year of the new curriculum for the Entrepreneurship & Retail Management (ORM) program. This curriculum embraces Avans University’s policy of offering students flexible education and uses it as an opportunity to create as much space as possible—for both students and lecturers—to engage in personalized learning. Various elements of personalized learning have been implemented. With a particular focus on a new approach to the subject of personal leadership. This Innovation Spotlight offers a glimpse into that approach. Aiming to inspire other programs, especially since lecturers, students, and the accreditation team have responded very positively to this educational innovation.
Avans
Join the Avans Road Trip?
With the Avans Roadtrip, curious staff members get the chance to explore what’s happening both inside and outside the walls of Avans. Twice a year, the bus tours for a day, visiting inspiring educational innovation initiatives. This time, I joined the trip with a camera to capture in this Innovation Spotlight video how meeting colleagues and sharing knowledge about all the amazing things they’re doing is also an important part of work. I had interviews with participants to highlight this. The video aims to encourage other colleagues to join in—because it’s energizing, and it might just reignite your own spark of inspiration.
Avans
Interdisciplinary Collaboration between Curio and Avans
The societal challenges we face today can only be solved together. But what is it like for students, lecturers, and clients to work not only across disciplines, but also across different educational levels—in other words, transdisciplinary? Avans and Curio decided to explore this together. During a two-week Avans Innovative Studio, vocational (MBO) students from Nursing, Engineering, Architecture, and Social Care programs worked in mixed teams to learn and experiment. I was invited to join the Expo at the final day with my camera, where students presented functional prototypes of their most innovative ideas to care organization and client Amarant. The challenge? Only a few of the students were willing to be filmed.
Avans
What Can the Foresight Module Mean for You?
The module Foresight: Smart and Sustainable Strategy for the Future is an interdisciplinary course on future thinking. It offers rich and relevant content that directly connects to what’s happening in the participants’ own world. With this recorded and edited interview I wanted to show what the module brings to its participants and explain why the innovative power of this concept offers great value to anyone aiming to create flexible and future-oriented education.
Avans
Innovation Spotlight on the Living Green Lab
Since the 2024–2025 academic year, the Living Green Lab has expanded beyond its courtyard to include an outdoor workspace. This area—potentially up to 10,000 m²—offers complete freedom for innovation. This Innovation Spotlight video highlights the minor ‘Designing for CO₂ Negativity’, one of the first participants, as a source of inspiration. It shows why the Living Green Lab is, both literally and figuratively, a unique opportunity for students, lecturers, and researchers from Avans and other societal partners. Here, they can freely experiment and test ideas through hands-on education and research.