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Digital Business Ecosystems and Platforms

Pilot domain:
Digital Society & Global Citizenship
ECTS credits:
6
Mode of delivery:
Virtual
University:
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Contact:
Dr. Jaap Gordijn
Language:
English
Study cycle:
Master
Faculty:
Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Information and Communication Technologies
SDG:
SDG8. Decent work and economic growth, SDG12. Responsible consumption and production, SDG16. Peace, justice, and strong institutions, SDG17. Partnerships for the goals
Course credit:
Yes
Free course:
Yes
Start date:
2026-02-03
End date:
2026-03-20
Application start:
2025-11-26
Application deadline:
2026-01-06
More info

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.