The Impact Space

The Impact Space Minor equips you with skills to tackle societal challenges through interdisciplinary projects and ethical innovation.

The Impact Space Minor immerses you in real-world societal challenges through collaborative, hands-on projects. You’ll work alongside students from diverse disciplines, community stakeholders, and experts to address pressing issues like equality, social justice and sustainability, while gaining valuable insights into the challenges faced by communities in Rotterdam.

What to Expect: Throughout the minor, you'll engage directly with peers and societal partners, learning from multiple perspectives, and applying innovative problem-solving methods to develop practical interventions. This minor is not about solving problems—it’s about diving into the complexities of real-life issues and learning how to address them creatively and responsibly. You’ll reflect on your role in these challenges and gain the skills to make a meaningful impact in your community and beyond.

Personal and Professional Growth: The Impact Space Minor offers much more than just academic learning. As you collaborate with peers, engage with real-world stakeholders, and take ownership of your projects, you'll grow both professionally and personally. You’ll deepen your self-awareness and refine skills like critical thinking, empathy, resilience, and adaptability. By reflecting on societal challenges and your role in addressing them, you’ll enhance your ability to approach societal urgencies with creativity, an open mind, and ethical responsibility.

A Hands-on Learning Experience: In this minor you won’t just be learning in the classroom—you’ll be in the field, working on actual projects that impact people's lives. By engaging with local organizations, you’ll get a first-hand look at the complexities of these challenges and the work needed to overcome them.

A Collaborative and Inclusive Environment: The minor is designed to welcome students from all backgrounds and disciplines. No matter where you're from or what your academic focus is, you’ll be part of a supportive, collaborative environment that encourages open dialogue and teamwork. The minor fosters autonomy, allowing you to shape your learning experience, select a project, and determine your focus while being guided by experienced coaches.

Develop real-world problem-solving skills: In this minor you won’t just learn theory—you’ll gain the skills to address real-world problems. You’ll explore different design methodologies, apply futures thinking, and develop interventions for complex issues. The focus is on understanding problems deeply, reframing them, and developing sustainable, ethical solutions that can truly make a difference.

Ready to Make an Impact? If you’re ready to engage with societal challenges, build meaningful collaborations, and grow as both a professional and an individual, the Impact Space Minor is for you. When you’re passionate about making Rotterdam a fairer city, this minor gives you the tools, knowledge, and hands-on experience to create positive change.

Join us and be part of an exciting, transformative journey that will help you turn your ideas into actions and your passion into impact.

[Link: https://vimeo.com/780302648]

Enroll now in the Impact Space Minor and start shaping a better, more equitable future.

• By the end of the minor, students will be able to critically assess and reflect on their own personal biases, positions, and values, demonstrating an understanding of how these perspectives influence the design and implementation of impactful projects.
• Students will collaborate with peers and stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive multidisciplinary analysis of a societal challenge, resulting in a well-researched intervention plan that addresses the assigned case.
• Students will create a detailed and feasible intervention plan based on participatory research, outlining the steps that demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of societal impact actions.

Attendance is mandatory due to the nature of the minor.

Most meetings and activities will take place in the vibrant city of Rotterdam.

Teaching methods
The teaching methods in the Impact Space Minor focus on experiential learning , a dynamic and student-centered approach where you actively engage in real-world challenges. Instead of traditional lectures, you will immerse yourself in projects that require hands-on participation, reflection, and critical thinking. This method emphasizes learning through doing, allowing you to apply theoretical knowledge to practical, societal issues. The unique aspect of this minor is that projects have no predefined outcomes—there are no fixed "products" to deliver. The journey of working through complex problems, reflecting on your experiences, and adjusting your approach is as important as the results you achieve.

The Stakeholder Arena provides an opportunity to interact with external stakeholders who present real-world challenges. By actively listening and observing, you’ll gain valuable insights into societal issues, bridging the gap between academic learning and practical problem-solving.

Key to your learning experience is the emphasis on collaboration . You will work in interdisciplinary teams, where you combine diverse perspectives to tackle challenges. You will collaborate with societal stakeholders in various fields. This interaction allows you to explore real-world problems from different angles and come up with innovative interventions. Participatory research is central to the learning process, as you work alongside stakeholders to understand issues at a deeper level and develop intervention plans that address them directly.

Workshops and content sessions will be an essential part of your learning journey. These sessions will provide you with the necessary tools, frameworks, and theories to approach your projects effectively. Topics such as interdisciplinary collaboration, co-creation, design thinking, and futures thinking will be explored to help you develop the skills you need for tackling complex societal problems. The workshops will also create opportunities to reflect on your experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of how to approach and tackle real-world challenges.

Your teachers will serve as facilitators and coaches throughout the minor. Rather than being the sole source of knowledge, they will guide you in your individual and group learning processes, providing you with the support you need to grow. Regular coaching sessions will allow for personalized feedback on your progress, helping you refine your skills and reach your learning objectives. This approach encourages you to take ownership of your learning, as you actively seek solutions, reflect on your experiences, and engage with different perspectives.

In addition to the theoretical learning, this minor will push you to think critically and creatively. The open-ended nature of the projects means there is no single "correct" solution. You will need to be adaptable, continuously iterating your approach and learning from your failures and successes. The teaching methods are designed to foster innovation, adaptability, and resilience—key qualities needed to address the complex, interconnected challenges facing society today.

Teaching materials
Journal articles, videos, field trips, co-creation sessions (workshops).

Method of examination and composition final grade
The impact space assesses the process of action-based problem orientation with portfolio building. You will be assessed based on the collective group work and individually based on a personal learning reflection.

Composition final grade
Process Portfolio: Group-based (30%)
Supporting Academic Documents: Group-based (40%)
Self-reflection Report: Individual (30%)