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Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies

The UvA Create a Course Challenge

Do you have a great idea for a new course? Join the UvA Create a Course Challenge! We challenge you to submit an idea for a course and to develop it together with the curriculum experts of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS). Who knows – next year, you may get to work as a student assistant in your own course!
Join the finale on 21 november!

Have a say in the UvA curriculum

The IIS challenges all UvA students to help think about how education can best be organised, what topics and teaching methods should be covered and what role students and lecturers play in this. With the UvA Create a Course Challenge, students are challenged to think outside the box about how education can be fun, challenging and meaningful.

With this challenge, IIS wants students to play an active role in influencing the way education is carried out at the Institute and thus within the UvA. With the Create a Course Challenge, students get the chance to realise their vision of education.

Students without borders

Crossing boundaries is what this challenge is all about: Not only between students and lecturers and between faculties and disciplines, but also cooperation between academia and society. When developing your subject, think out of the box and from different disciplines.

  • How does it work?

    The UvA Create a Course Challenge consists of four rounds. In the final round, the winner is chosen by a jury. The IIS and the winner will work together to develop the course. The Challenge is open to all UvA students, Bachelor’s and Master’s alike.

    Round 1: Submit your idea

    Deadline: 8 October 2024 11:59 pm (CET)

    Submit the first draft of an idea for your course below. Or take a picture of your beer coaster if you've written it down and email it to iis@uva.nl. Be creative in both content and form!

    Round 2: Develop your idea

    Deadline: 29 October 2024 11:59 pm (CET)

    As soon as we receive your idea, we’ll send you a form you can use to further develop your idea. Which teaching methods will be used in your course? What will the students learn? Which lecturers will be involved? What study material will the students use, and how will they be assessed?

    You can choose to write your course in Dutch or English, depending on the language in which it will eventually be taught.

    Send the completed format to the IIS before the deadline of 29 October 2024: iis@uva.nl.

    Round 3: Nominate your favourite idea

    Between 7 and 14 November 2024, 9 am

    All UvA students and staff may vote once for their top 3. From 7 November, read all about the top 10 ideas selected here. Voting is possible from 7 November 9 am until 14 November 9 am. The five ideas with the most votes will advance to the finals.

    The top 10 selected ideas

    Round 4: Pitch your idea in front of the jury

    Thursday 21 November 2024, 5-7 pm

    During the final, the jury will decide which entry will be rewarded with the realisation of the trade. The final will take place on the Roeterseiland campus and is open to all interested parties. Afterwards, we will toast together to the winner, who will then immediately get to work as a student assistant in the development of the course. This year, the jury consists of Edith Hooge (President of the Executive Board, UvA), Luca Bertolini (Scientific Director, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies), Linda de Greef (programme manager of the Education Lab, IIS), Annika Iselhorst (political science student, winner of the Create a Course Challenge 2023).

    Meet the finalists of 2024
  • Conditions

    When developing your idea, keep in mind the following requirements and guidelines.

    Requirements

    • The course must be suited for second and third-year UvA Bachelor’s students
    • The course must be designed for a minimum of 20 participants
    • Number of credits: 6 EC
    • The course may be either in English or Dutch
    • The course must be interdisciplinary in nature.
       

    Your course will be assessed on the following criteria:

    • Interdisciplinarity: different academic disciplines come together.
    • Social relevance: the course provides the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the complex challenges facing our society.
    • Originality: the course has an innovative character.
    • Structure: the learning objectives, learning activities and the way in which the learning objectives are tested. 
    • Innovative teaching methods: think outside the box of lectures and seminars.
  • The finalists of 2024

    The five ideas that proceed to the grand finale:

    1. "From Bias to Balance: Building Resilient Minds for the 21st Century" by Afon Khari (Maser Brain and Cognitive Sciences)
    2. "Meer of Minder: Het ‘Marokkanenvraagstuk’ in perspectief" by Mohamed El-Hirech (Sociologie en Midden-Oosten Studies)
    3. "Money Talks: Journalism Meets Economics" by Yuval Peled & Timofey Zhalnin (BSc Business Administration & MSc Quantitative Finance)
    4. "Power and Manipulation" by Maaike Onstein (Philosophy of the Social Sciences and Humanities)
    5. "Sex, Stigma and Steroids: Debugging the Hormonal Code of Mind and Behavior" by Emilia Bienek & Sissi Chen (BSc Psychology and MSc Biomedical Sciences)
  • Fall 2023 Special Edition: Future Change

    In the fall of 2023, the IIS organised a special edition of the UvA Create a Course Challenge, focusing on Future Change. Read more about the special edition of the Challenge here.

Questions? Contact us