Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab Amsterdam is designed for students eager to help shape the future of cities through tourism and leisure. 
 "Join the Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab minor and co-create the future of Amsterdam North! In this living lab, you’ll explore social and cultural challenges related to tourism and leisure in a rapidly evolving urban district. Collaborate with local residents, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to develop inclusive and sustainable destination concepts. Using design thinking, storytelling, and field research, you’ll build real-world solutions that make a lasting difference for the neighborhood." 

The lab is grounded in real-world experience, with classes held at a physical location embedded in the local community. This approach connects you directly to Amsterdam’s dynamic urban environment and allows you to engage deeply with societal challenges while also reflecting on your personal and professional development. 

Due to the small-scale setup, you'll receive close support from coaches, experts, and peers. All assignments are generated by and designed for the community itself—making your learning truly meaningful.

Project Examples
• Community storytelling tour
Design a tour where local residents share their own stories with visitors.
• A creative community-bridging event
Organize a “Night Market” to bring residents and tourists together in a new way.
• Designing a ‘Northern Icon’ for Buikslotermeerplein
Explore meaningful placemaking to strengthen neighborhood identity. 

Why Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab is right for me
• If you want to work on real-life tourism challenges in a vibrant and diverse city like Amsterdam.
• If you’re passionate about urban innovation, storytelling, and placemaking.
• If you want to become a designer of meaningful leisure and tourism experiences.
• If you’re seeking an international, interdisciplinary learning environment in close collaboration with residents, creatives, and city partners. 

Throughout this minor, you'll tackle timely issues related to urban leisure and tourism. You'll learn to use methods like design thinking, co-creation, regenerative design, and storytelling to influence local area development. Working in project groups, you'll explore community needs, test concepts, and create a tangible intervention. You'll conduct field research, present to partner networks, and reflect on social, cultural, and economic impact. You’ll also visit comparable labs, such as the one in Rotterdam. The minor culminates in a community-supported concept that makes a difference. 

This minor is open to all bachelor students interested in tourism, leisure, urban development, and creative design. Are you curious, creative, and ready to contribute to a neighborhood in transition? Then this minor is for you. Affinity with co-creation and research is an advantage. 

The schedule is dynamic and hands-on. You’ll work on location-based projects in Amsterdam North, attend workshops led by professionals, and go on excursions to other cities. Weekly sessions take place at the lab, but a large portion of your work happens in the field. Flexibility, commitment, and independence are key. Throughout the semester, you’ll collaborate with stakeholders to develop a solution with real community value. 

You’ll be assessed on your contribution to the project team, the quality of your research and design process, your collaboration with stakeholders, and your final product. Individually, you’ll submit a portfolio with reflections, analyses, and personal learning goals. The assessment is practice-based, with a focus on creativity, social relevance, and co-creation. During jam sessions, you’ll receive regular feedback from lecturers, peers, and external partners. 

The spoken language in our lab is English. In addition to international students, students from Dutch-language programmes also participate in this lab track. They are allowed to speak Dutch with their coach and students from their project group. You will work together with international students in a project group.

Join us on a trip to an inspiring city abroad with a similar issue that you will work on in our lab track (costs approximately 500 euros). Or visit one or more cities in the Netherlands with us, which can be reached with your public transport card. Additional costs for activities are approximately 50 euros excluding food and drinks.

Do you want to know more about the ULT Lab Amsterdam? Go to Instagram , Linkedin or Twitter

It may happen that there are not enough registrations for a module, which means that it has to be cancelled.