Every year, the Meet & Match event by Community Service Learning (CSL) brings together lecturers and community partners, to connect and collaborate on impactful projects.
Community Service Learning (CSL) connects students to real challenges in the world around them, while giving organisations access to the knowledge and energy of the university. This event is a chance to explore what that could look like for you.
Whether you're a lecturer thinking about how to bring real world issues into your teaching, or a community partner curious about what collaboration with VU could offer, you're welcome here.
This year's themes
We are actively working to build longer-term partnerships around societal themes in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, identified through the Nationaal Programma Samen Nieuw-West and through local citizen research. These themes are:
- Financial security & economic uncertainty
- Housing security & living environment (incl. connection to public space)
- Youth wellbeing & public space (incl. youth hangout spots, media literacy)
- Health (incl. healthy ageing)
- Grief & loss
- AI & society
All courses and organisations are welcome at Meet & Match. But if you want to make an extra societal impact, consider connecting your work to one of these themes.
What to expect?
- Speed dating sessions to meet potential collaboration partners
- Inspiring stories from lecturers and community partners already working together through CSL
- An information market with courses and projects to inspire you
- Space to explore ideas and find out where your work might connect
- An informal setting where conversations can go somewhere
- A vegetarian or vegan lunch included
At VU Amsterdam, educating global citizens means building connections between the university and the world it's part of. Meet & Match is one way we do that, one conversation at a time.
Are you interested? And do you want to connect, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for collaboration? Take part in the event!
What we ask of you beforehand
To make the most of your time at Meet & Match, we ask all participants to share a short profile before the event. This allows us to share an overview with all attendees in advance, so you can already think about who you'd like to speak with.
For lecturers: Please share your course name, faculty, what kind of partner you're looking for, what kind of assignment your students might do and when your course runs. Link to form for teachers
For community partners: Please share, the type of student collaboration you're looking for, any specific questions or themes you're working on, and until when it would be relevant for you to work on this project. Link to form for community partners
You will receive a form after registration with these questions. Or press the relevant link above. Profiles will be shared with all participants before the event.
Where will the afternoon be held?
The Meet & Match takes place in room 01-E24 the 01-E wing of the VU main building. It can be a little tricky to find, so here's how to get there: enter through the main front entrance, head up to the first floor, and follow the signs for the E wing past the elevators. We'll be at the end of the hallway on the right. Someone will be there to let you in, and once inside you can follow the signs.
Learn more about CSL on our pages for societal actors and for VU lecturers.
