The municipalities of Linköping (Sweden) and Enschede (Netherlands) offered two challenges during de ECIU University Creathon 2024: building digital cities of the future. About 45 eager European students from the 13 ECIU University member institutions participated in the event that took place at Linköping University (LiU), last month.
Both challenges revolved around how municipalities can effectively communicate community and crisis information to their residents, a growing problem observed by both Linköping and Enschede.
Students formed various working groups of about five people, with many coming from different backgrounds and studying different higher education programs. They chose which challenge to concentrate on and over three days developed a proposal they presented to a jury. They also had the opportunity to attend various lectures on topics such as pitch training, starting a business, a solution-oriented model called NABC, and participated in several social activities in the evenings.
Susanne Fuentes Bongenaar (University of Twente) said it was educational to experience a new university that offers ideas on how to develop your city and use innovations that currently don't exist. ‘You compare a lot when you come to another university, and the innovations in Linköping are original and interesting. There's a lot of inspiration I can use now when I return to my university and the projects I'm involved in.’
ECIU University offers students the opportunity to experience a new way of thinking and learning through challenge-based learning. They can choose from various challenges or micro-modules which take place digitally, on-site, or are a combination of both.
You can explore these opportunities through the engage platform.
