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Archives: Courses

Digital Business Ecosystems and Platforms

Written by Sharon Feijen on .

Digital ecosystems bring together organisations that collaborate and compete to meet customer needs. Famous examples include Google and Netflix, but ecosystems also shape sectors like fintech, energy, and automotive. This course explores how emerging digital technologies (especially blockchain) create disruption and new opportunities within such ecosystems.

Students learn key modelling and analysis methods (including e3value, BPMN, and UML) and apply them to design and evaluate an innovative ecosystem or platform. They will learn to identify disruptions, design and pitch ecosystem ideas, translate business needs to IT, work in teams, and create a strong report. The course does not require programming skills.

Practicalities

  • The course takes place between 3 February and 20 March 2026, with an exam on the 27th of March 2026.
  • The lectures takes place on Tuesdays from 11:00 – 12:45 and Fridays from 09:00 – 11:00.
  • An English level of C1 is required for this course.
  • For more information, please refer to the VU Amsterdam study guide.

Registration

Interested students can send an e-mail to shortmobility@vu.nl and will then receive the online application form. After acceptance and registration, a passport copy is requested for the enrollment of the students. The deadline to register is 6 January 2026.

BIP – Social Entrepreneurship and Business Model Innovation

Written by Catherine Layolle Busch on .

CGMAI3022U Social Entrepreneurship and Business Model Innovation

Social Entrepreneurship describes the discovery and sustainable exploitation of opportunities to create business models which address humanity’s social and environmental challenges. Social entrepreneurship generates disequilibria in market and non-market environments, by finding ways of turning societal problems into complementary assets. The course will develop capabilities in social opportunity identification as well as social enterprise modeling.

Please note that due to its nature as a blended intensive programme (BIP) the course has several virtual components: Two obligatory “pre-assignment” online sessions (in early and mid June) in which you get introduced to the course and where group work begins. There are two weeks presence on-campus classes. Finally, the last week will again be online sessions at the end of the course in which we prepare for your exam project. These virtual sessions are an integral part of the course.

Online sessions: 9, 16, 26 June, 2026 & 7 July 2026

On site sessions: 22 June, 2026 to 09 July 2026

Permaculture: A Regenerative Solution for Business, Community and Lifestyle

Written by Catherine Layolle Busch on .

BHAAA2502U Permaculture: A Regenerative Solution for Business, Community and Lifestyle

The course will offer an introduction to the permaculture design framework as a tool for thinking innovatively and critically about sustainable and regenerative approaches to business, community and lifestyle.

‘Permaculture’ offers a holistic design framework for creating regenerative ways of living that aim to maximize beneficial relationships, through observing, emulating and working with rather than against nature (broadly defined) to enhance resilience, diversity, productivity and stability.  The permaculture framework is increasingly being applied worldwide to support and inspire more sustainable lifestyles and communities, to improve biodiversity, energy efficiency, mental health, sanitize consumption, and design livable, humane social systems.  Permaculture principles can be used foster responsible production and consumption through a whole-systems approach. In a business context, the principles have been applied to support sustainable business development and circularity; in communities they have been used to enhance wellbeing and strengthen social networks as well as alternative forms of social organization; and in lifestyles they have been used to inspire more humane and sustainable consumption, among others.

The course will address ways in which permaculture is being used to rethink the three course areas: i) business ii) community iii) lifestyle. Critical perspectives on permaculture will also be addressed.

BIP – An Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship

Written by Catherine Layolle Busch on .

BHAAI1097U An Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship

This course introduces students to organizational social entrepreneurship, a process by which opportunities to create public goods are identified and created. Being an “essentially contested concept” (Choi and Majumdar, 2014) social entrepreneurship is best understood as a cluster concept covering different applications ranging from the launching of social enterprise start-ups to the transformation of industry sectors towards sustainability. In the course we will analyze the antecedents of social entrepreneurship. An essential part of the course will be an introduction to core concepts of social entrepreneurship such as the theory of change, social impact measurement tools, and hybrid organizational form selection. To supplement academic learning with hands-on project experience students will work in teams on a specific social entrepreneurship problem.

Please note that due to its nature as a blended intensive programme (BIP) the course has several virtual components: Two obligatory “pre-assignment” online sessions (in early and mid June) in which you get introduced to the course and where group work begins. There are two weeks presence on-campus classes. Finally, the last week will again be online sessions at the end of the course in which we prepare for your exam project. These virtual sessions are an integral part of the course.

Online: 9, 16, 26 June, 2026 & 7 July 2026

On site: 22. June, 2026 – 09 July, 2026

Business Responses to Climate Change

Written by Catherine Layolle Busch on .

BHAAA2501U Business Responses to Climate Change

The course offers an introduction to the complexity of climate change and business. Combining lectures and interactive exercises the students learn about the science behind climate change (greenhouse gases, their relationship to weather and climate), how climate change provides risks and opportunties for business, and which actions can be taken. The students take theoretical lenses to analyze climate change and business (e.g., stakeholder theory). The students will in groups analyze a self-chosen company to identify climate change related risks and opportunities as well as provide recommendations for the future.

BIP: 9th Advanced in silico Drug Design Workshop 2026 (9ADD)

Written by Niels Hexspoor on .

The 9th Advanced in silico Drug Design Workshop [9ADD] (26.1.2026 – 30.1.2026) is focused on using in silico tools and approaches in drug design. We cover both structure-based drug design (molecular docking, molecular dynamics, structural bioinformatics tools) and ligand-based drug design (QSAR, pharmacophores, deep learning) with lectures and on-hand tutorials.

Invited Lecturers

prof. Thierry Langer (UniVie, Vienna), prof. Alexandre Varnek (Uni Strasbourg), prof. Hanoch Senderowitz (Bar-Ilan University), assoc. prof. Johannes Kirchmair (UniVie, Vienna),  dr. Semen Yesylevskyy (IOCB Prague, KFC UPOL, Receptor.AI), dr. Federica Moraca (UNINA, Napoli), dr. Wim Dehaen (UCT Prague), dr. Martin Šícho (UCT Prague), dr. Martin Lepšík (IOCB Prague), dr. Aleix Gimeno Vives (URV, Tarragona), dr. Peter Ertl (Ertl Molecular), Rowan 

Local Organizers

doc. Karel Berka (KFC UPOL), dr. Pavel Polishchuk (IMTM UPOL), Guzel Minibaeva (IMTM UPOL), Aleksandra Ivanova (IMTM UPOL), dr. Václav Bazgier (KFC UPOL), Kateřina Storchmannová (KFC UPOL), Dominik Martinát (KFC UPOL), Anna Špačková (UPOL)

Format

The meeting will be in a hybrid format. Lectures and tutorial files will be available online, but the on-hand tutorials will be only on-site.

Attendance at the event is free of charge. The workshop room holds up to 36 seats, lecture room holds up to 80 seats. Participants can present their research through an on-site poster session (for students, it is an Exam requirement). Registrations with poster presentations were prioritised.

Sustainability Education and Learning

Written by Alma Agustsdottir on .

Mode of study:
Distance learning with real -time participation in online meetings.
Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to focus on learning, teaching and leisure activities for sustainability. The on-line sessions are built on informed debate under lead by students. Three major assignments will be expected together with student participation in organising classes, leading discussions plus a final assignment. The course is taught online and it is obligatory to attend 80% of classes according to the course plan.

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

  • Activism in learning and teaching
  • Place-based and experiential education
  • Behavioural change
  • Science learning, technology and sustainability
  • Creativity, creation of knowledge and social sustainability
  • University education, adult learning
  • Formal, informal and non-formal learning
  • Social Entrepreneurship Education
Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course students can:

  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of issues and models related to learning, teaching and leisure activities for sustainability
  • relate the issues implicit in educational action for sustainability to students’  own work in learning and teaching for sustainability
  • analyze and evaluate different approaches and contradictions that arise when working with learning and teaching for sustainability
  • can engage in difficult dialogue and work with controversial issues in writing and oral debate
  • debate their ideas on learning and educational action for sustainability and related problems and solutions with both specialist and non-specialist audiences
  • state a position or present objections, scrutinize assumptions and implications of different ethical perspectives
  • engage in and interpret academic readings showing autonomy in dialogue within and beyond own subject field

Application procedure:

Students apply via The University of Iceland’s Aurora application portal, where they log in using their home university credentials. All students must attach a copy of their current transcript from their home institution and the information page of their passport or another form of valid travel ID to their application.

Applications will be answered by the end of December.

Trauma and Its Impact on Health

Written by Alma Agustsdottir on .

Mode of study:
Distance learning with real -time participation in online meetings . Lectures/online meeting will be held on Teams.
Course Description:

This course describes trauma in childhood and adulthood, including violence, accidents, disasters and life-threatening illness and their association with mental and physical health. Emphasis will be placed on introducing the scientific foundation of the trauma field and understanding scientific articles in this area. The main topics of the course include:

  • Prevalence of traumatic events and acute stress reactions.
  • Mental health problems following trauma, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, substance abuse and prolonged grief.
  • The disease burden of trauma, due to e.g., cardiovascular diseases, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and suicide.
  • The influence of environmental and genetic factors in the development of psychological and physical diseases following trauma.
  • Factors that promote recovery post-trauma and reduce the risk of long-term health problems.
  • Evidence-based treatment options for PTSD.

The course is intended for students who want to increase their scientific knowledge of the relationship between trauma and health. It is only intended for postgraduate students. The course consists of lectures by the main supervisor and selected guest speakers who are experts in the field of trauma. Emphasis will be placed on discussions and active participation of students.

Learning outcomes:

That students gain:

  • Knowledge of risk factors for the development of health problems following trauma
  • Knowledge of the prevalence and symptoms of common mental health outcomes following trauma
  • Knowledge of common diseases following trauma
  • Insight into how to prevent/reduce long-term health problems among those exposed to trauma

Application procedure:

Students apply via The University of Iceland’s Aurora application portal, where they log in using their home university credentials. All students must attach a copy of their current transcript from their home institution and the information page of their passport or another form of valid travel ID to their application.

Applications will be answered by the end of December.

VU Winter School – Use of Generative AI in Academia

Written by Sharon Feijen on .

Explore generative AI tools to enhance your research, from data analysis to ethics, for all disciplines and academic levels.

This course is designed for (young and senior) researchers at all levels (e.g., PhD students, postdocs, assistant professors, etc.) who are keen to explore the transformative potential of Generative AI in their future scientific studies. Also, master’s students are welcome, assuming that they are interested in having an academic career.

Participants will gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art generative AI models and techniques, learning how to apply technologies like GPT, DeepSeek, and Llama to generate hypotheses, analyse complex datasets, and use such tools as subjects in their own experiments. The course will cover best practices, ethical considerations, and case studies from various scientific disciplines.

Course Format

  • Dates: 12-23 January 2026
  • Attendance: In-person
  • Form of tuition: Lectures workshops
  • Form of assessment: Project pitch and a final report
  • Language of instruction: English
  • See the course curriculum

Selection Procedure

If you are a student interested in participating, please contact your local Aurora office. Each Aurora university may select two students for tuition fee waivers (deadline: 8 December 2025). Universities can use a waitlist, and after the deadline we will inform you if we are able to accept more than two students from your institution. Please send nominations to internationalrelations@vu.nl. Additional students are welcome; the VU discounted fee also applies to them.

About VU Graduate Winter School

The VU Graduate Winter School offers a focused, high-quality academic experience designed for Master’s or PhD candidates who want to strengthen their research and professional skills. All courses are small-scale and intensive, taught in English by experienced VU Amsterdam lecturers. Designed for participants with at least a master’s degree in a relevant field, all courses are tailored to meet the advanced needs of researchers and early-career specialists.

VU Winter School – Climate Change, Migration and Social Control

Written by Sharon Feijen on .

The growing climate-induced migration reveals new and old forms of (un)ethical mobility control in Europe. 

This course starts with the premises of growing climate-induced migration and reveals new and old forms of migration management. Theoretically, we engage with the literature on slow violence, such as humans’ and non-humans (forced) mobility due to ecological changes and the dynamics of power and knowledge related to multi-layered injustices in the Anthropocene.

Course Format

  • Dates: 19-23 January 2026
  • Attendance: Online only
  • Form of tuition: Interactive lectures, group work and self-study
  • Form of assessment: Short group assignment and individual written assignment
  • Language of instruction: English
  • See the course curriculum

Selection Procedure

If you are a student interested in participating, please contact your local Aurora office. Each Aurora university may select two students for tuition fee waivers (deadline: 8 December 2025). Universities can use a waitlist, and after the deadline we will inform you if we are able to accept more than two students from your institution. Please send nominations to internationalrelations@vu.nl. Additional students are welcome; the VU discounted fee also applies to them.

About VU Graduate Winter School

The VU Graduate Winter School offers a focused, high-quality academic experience designed for Master’s or PhD candidates who want to strengthen their research and professional skills. All courses are small-scale and intensive, taught in English by experienced VU Amsterdam lecturers. Designed for participants with at least a master’s degree in a relevant field, all courses are tailored to meet the advanced needs of researchers and early-career specialists.