Great ideas to improve education at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam often remain just that - ideas. Students and staff see opportunities for change, but don’t always know how to make them happen. That’s where the VU Impact Lab comes in.
An online platform that turns ideas into action by connecting students, lecturers, and staff to tackle real Challenges together. Whether it’s improving educational tools or making campus life more social. The Impact Lab helps turn suggestions into solutions.
This innovative platform all started at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) - but it didn’t stay there for long: “From day one, the goal was to make Impact Lab accessible to all faculties and build a university-wide community. And that’s exactly what happened,” says Amanda Porter, co-founder of Impact Lab and Associate Professor at SBE.
Think it? Do it!
At Impact Lab, Challenges (ed. these are the issues that students and staff can submit) all start with the VU community. Students and staff identify the key Challenges, share ideas, give feedback, and vote for their favourites. All on an interactive online platform. And the best part? Ideas don’t have to be perfect. The community helps refine them into actionable projects.
One student for example suggested switching from liquid soap to foaming soap. An easy, cost-effective, and eco-friendly change that was quickly implemented. “Winning ideas get the support they need, from perfecting the business plan to finding the right connections,” says Eline Schüchner, a recent graduate and Impact Lab participant.
“And all these improvements are timeless,” says Soedhier Bansidhar, a student involved in launching Impact Lab. “There will always be challenges within the university, and solutions will always be needed. Impact Lab is really about action. It stimulates that think-and-do mindset. And sometimes that extra push is needed. Especially in academia.”
Ideas even grow into full-scale projects
Take the advisory boards for large courses, giving students a voice while courses are still running. A student proposed it, a lecturer tested it in their class, and staff helped implement it.
Soedhier, for example, won one of the first Challenges by designing a toolbox for staff to navigate online teaching during COVID-19. “Reading about lecturers’ frustrations and solutions on the platform sparked my own idea”, he shares.
Even companies like Accenture have already tapped into the potential of Impact Lab launching a Challenge on sustainable consumption to gain additional student insights. “There’s a growing demand for student input beyond the classroom”, Amanda explains.
What would you change at VU?
“At first, we weren’t sure how well this collaboration would work”, Amanda admits. “But in the end, students and staff loved it. Students can challenge staff ideas, and staff can refine student proposals. It’s a space where ideas flow freely. There’s no hierarchy here”, says Amanda. “And students feel like they finally have a real outlet for their ideas”, adds Eline.
Impact Lab is simple to join - whether posting ideas, voting, or just observing. “Since it’s mostly online, it’s far less intimidating than speaking in front of a crowd - and it saves time”, Amanda notes. Even those who never submit ideas often walk away with useful insights.
Whether it’s a simple fix or a bigger improvement, every idea has potential. What’s yours?
Share it on the Impact Lab. Or click here for more information about the platform.