Re-interpretation and design of the Amsterdam system 

It is well known that major transitions are coming within society, think of environment, climate, energy, mobility and economy. These directly affect the functioning of the city as a whole and of people in the city as individuals. 

Welfare, prosperity and well-being are now already not at all self-evident or a right. On the contrary, they need to be proactively worked on. Spatial projects offer good opportunities for this.  

Specific: the city Amsterdam and its surroundings is becoming increasingly complex due to considerable growth. Shopping behaviour, goods logistics and social traffic are changing due to digitalisation of our contacts, buying behaviour and means of transport (robotic automobility).

The question is: what makes a city future-proof? That is what you will start looking for. This task becomes specific – and urgent – by working on real spatial projects of densification, transformation and new construction, provided by external parties. This is an opportunity to lay the foundations for the future-proof city.

You gain knowledge and insight into spatial developments. Professionals identify trends, challenges and opportunities. You will work on integral assignments and come up with practical solutions. 

Within this minor you will get a picture of the city as a system, a complex organism, where all parameters of this phenomenon interact. You will gain an understanding of developments within a city and how these developments can in turn influence or deploy other developments. Interestingly, this can be observed differently at almost all scales.

You will contribute to scenarios for Amsterdam, in a technical, logistical and social sense. Achieving a future-proof city involves not only economics, but also the social fabric and infrastructure, a vibrant place with a healthy living environment.

This minor is also being offered in Dutch in the first semester as Toekomstbestendige Stad.

You get to work on an issue that is challenging to you. You have influence on what you want to study (self-management). Together with your team, you specifically define the problem, obviously in consultation with the project sponsor and your coaches. Further, you will get started with the research plan, a solution direction and a possible professional product, in response to the problem.    During and at the end of this minor, you will have demonstrated to:

 

• have the ability to formulate and/or design a professional product relevant to the research field of this minor which meets the quality requirements of the professional field/client and in which you have applied the different steps/phases of the research cycle in a well-founded manner;
• be able to cooperate in an interdisciplinary team in which you communicate and present, both orally and in writing, using appropriate transdisciplinary language and various (multimedia) presentation techniques;
• have conscientiously applied design principles and operated within self-established parameters;
• be able to investigate your own learning question, formulate it, reflect on it and translate your personal development into an activity plan;
• be able to relate professionally to the subject matter of the research area, your own discipline and the disciplines you have come into contact with.

Admission rules of the Teaching and Examination Regulations (OER) of your own study programme apply.

A reader on Brightspace with articles covering the typical knowledge area (DNA) of the minor.

The minor does not have a timetable, but rather a programme with different study components. The first 6 weeks a programme (5 days a week) is offered, where it is required and expected that each component is followed. After these weeks you are expected to work Monday to Friday in the Community of Practice (CoP) studio of this minor. Overall, the minor will mainly consist of in-house research and project work in teams. Every week, there is at least one coaching session of 2 hours at a fixed time. Contact hours can be scheduled on all working days from 8.30 am to 6.40 pm.

Contact time:

Take into account a study load of 40 hours per week. The minor does not have a timetable, but it does have a programme to complete which consists of three parts:    Start-up phase 6 weeks: first 4 weeks full time availability of students is expected for instruction and workshops, and weekly supervisions (2 hrs), 5 days per week self-study and/or team work.    Research phase 8 weeks: 5 days per week self-study with weekly supervision of 2 hours and 4-weekly individual supervision, possible supporting crash courses on request, excursions and capita selecta. In addition three presentation and/or evaluation days (mandatory presece) with lecturers/clients.    Completion phase 6 weeks: 5 days a week self-study, final presentation day (8 hours, mandatory presence), feedback interview (2 hours), organise minor expo (1 day).    If necessary additional contact with lecturers is possible by social media, phone or in person.

In total 1x 30 ECTS to be obtained.

The minor covers the following phases: 

• Start-up phase 6 weeks: an orientation phase (interpretation/inspiration/orientation and organisation challenge); 
• Research phase 8 weeks: a deepening and elaboration phase (research, data analysis, solution and report); 
• The completation phase 6 weeks: a concluding phase (reflection, presentation and possible repair).    

Study components: inspirational lectures, tutorials, workshops, weekly mandatory coaching.   Assessment through weekly feedback during coaching sessions. The guideline is a minor study plan (MSP) drawn up in advance by you and your team-members and approved by the lecturers. MSP: challenge description/ preliminary research or problem analysis/plan of approach/research proposal/professional product). In addition, you will set up your own individual learning track with SMART - end results described in a Personal learner Report.    The following professional skills are tested in the teamwork and individual learning pathway:

• Research: formulate a socially relevant problem, systematically collect and analyse data in order to come to a relevant solution, establish knowledge and design in a professional product; 
• Analysing: by identifying the problem weighing up possible solutions and identifying objectives, requirements and/or preconditions;
• Collaborating: multidisciplinary cooperation, offering knowledge and skills and combining these with other insights, contributing to the professional product with a clear professional role; 
• Designing: making a design or advice based on design principles, that demonstrates the desired effect; 
• Managing: making the product or process in its working environment function optimally in various aspects; 
• Innovating: within a case, optimising an existing situating and/or solving a problem by realising a new product. 
• Communicating: presenting your findings/considerations to experts and non-specialists, using different presentation techniques;
• Professionalise: develop skills to increase competences in your field.

If there is an insufficient grade repair/resit is possible in the last 2 weeks of the semester. If this repair/resit is not sufficient the minor can be retaken in the following semester.

Kosten: around 200 euro for excursions.

Information about the minor?
Contact Andre de Ruiter: a.m.de.ruiter@hva.nl 

Questions about the Kies op Maat procedure?
Contact: Monique Ax-Bervoets, Christian van Dokkum  minoren-techniek@hva.nl

Applications will be processed in the order of receipt of signed learning agreements.

There are 15 places available for Kies op Maat students.