New experiences in the Co-Design Studio minor
During the Co-Design Studio minor at Fundamentals Academy, students are immersed in a period full of new experiences. A diverse group of participants from the Netherlands and abroad, representing a wide range of academic backgrounds, comes together in the Netherlands for the first time to work in teams on societal challenges. In small, multidisciplinary groups, they tackle complex questions posed by community partners. This practice-oriented program challenges them to create new solutions, develop future-proof skills, and experience personal growth.

Coaching sessions are key moments to gain meaningful insights. This is where I take on the role of guide and mirror. I help students put their feelings into words, give meaning to their experiences, and make choices with renewed clarity that support their personal development.

Fundamentals Academy
Fundamentals Academy is a Dutch education and consultancy initiative focused on forward-looking and practice-driven minors and learning programs in the fields of design, entrepreneurship, and social development. The programs — often offered in collaboration with partners such as universities of applied sciences — are always experimental and multidisciplinary in nature. The Co-Design Studio minor, developed together with Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, is designed for students who want to explore co-creation, participatory design, and social innovation. The approach is not to design for but with users, citizens, organizations, and communities, working together to create new solutions.

Coaching in the minor
What makes this experience so special for me? In one-on-one sessions, I gain a glimpse into personal processes that truly matter. I see students grow, make choices, and sometimes struggle—and I am invited to play a part in that journey. It feels meaningful, because it allows you to make a real difference. At the same time, I get to experience their creative worlds of thought, which is deeply inspiring.

What continues to move me is how relatable and human these experiences are. The themes are often universal, and that is exactly what makes this work so rich and rewarding. As a creative strategist, I believe it is important to understand and connect different generations. There is great power in bringing perspectives together—it not only leads to deeper insights but also sparks fresh energy. That interplay between experience and renewal is, for me, a constant source of inspiration.