Empowering students to create ideas for Amsterdam and make it a better place

Helping Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences to elevate its reputation as knowledge institute

At the heart of the city

The City of Amsterdam is a place of development. With its diversity, its many nationalities, international organisations, knowledge institutes and start-ups, the city has a strong cultural climate and focus on innovation. Amsterdam is also a city of students and lecturers at Hogeschool van Amsterdam (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences). They see the city as a breeding ground for new ideas, as a school, a marketplace, a laboratory and source of inspiration.

Making Amsterdam a better place

Hogeschool van Amsterdam is identifying issues facing the city: points of contention, points for improvement, points of attention and turning points. Students and lecturers are working together with the City of Amsterdam on practical solutions for metropolitan issues.

For many businesses and social organisations in the city, Hogeschool van Amsterdam is not the first place that comes to mind when tackling research projects. It is regarded as a teaching institution. But its students, lecturers and professors want to be more involved in mainstream city projects and initiatives.

Campaign: ‘HvA maakt er een punt van’

Hogeschool van Amsterdam launched a series of ‘making a point’ mini-campaigns to elevate its profile and reputation as a knowledge institution. The goal was to show that Hogeschool van Amsterdam is helping to make Amsterdam a better place and contributing to the development of professional fields. The mini-campaigns drew attention to points of contention in the city.

Wit Communicatie choose the design team of Beautiful Minds to create the campaign. Hogeschool van Amsterdam earned European recognition for the campaign in the form of a EUPRIO Award .

Campaign results

Campaign results Internal pride — The overall campaign has a wide base of support within Hogeschool van Amsterdam, from students, lectures to executives. Internal ties — The research areas go beyond faculty boundaries and mutually connect students and faculties. External ambassadors — Thirteen partners from the business community and two council members actively participated. Reach Amsterdam — approximately three million people reached per mini-campaign.