Future Cities

Exchange programme
Autumn
Zwolle
5 Months

Nomination deadline 15 May

Are you ready to take the next step?

Introduction

Will you make our cities future-proof?

The future is challenging the way we build our cities. In the Future Cities programme, you will work on an integral design for a city district in 2050. Analyze and design solutions that enhance the quality of life, cut cities’ carbon emissions and build resilience to extreme weather. By researching critical infrastructure services like mobility, energy, food, water and waste, you will be able to measure their impact on urban structures and public space.

Want to know more about sustainable engineering? Combine this programme with one of our other 15 ECTS-programmes: Water Management or Circular Housing.

Course modules

What's Future Cities like?

The Future Cities exchange programme combines theory with practice. You will immediately collaborate with stakeholders from the field. Below you can read how this full-time bachelor's level programme of 15 ECTS credits is structured. The programme will be taught in teaching block 1 of our autumn semester (1 September - 14 November).

- Kick-off Future Cities (1ECTS credit)
  
  Get to know your fellow students, learn about each other’s expectations, skills and goals and be introduced to the main topics of Future Cities.
- Project Future Cities (6 ECTS credits)
  
  Get ready to design the city district of 2050! Together with your interdisciplinary team of international students, you will first analyze and research future scenario's on specific theme's and issues. This requires a lot of creativity, as you will have to come up with ideas and scenario’s for a city that does not exist yet!
  
  In the second part of the project, you will work on an integral design for your city district, while taking sustainability and innovation into consideration. The project is connected to several local stakeholders. Your final product will also be discussed with them.
  
  You will be working at school in a workshop-like environment. The class will be mentored and coached by three different tutors, each with its own specialization.
- Lectures and field trip (6 ECTS credits)
  
  Get the expertise you need for your project by attending presentations of keynote speakers with different expertise, such as heat stress, water management, civil engineering, energy transition, habitability of our cities, new mobility, food production, system thinking and circular economy.
  
  As a reference and as an inspiration, we will visit several sustainable projects and exhibitions in a European city of our choice. You will participate in organizing and preparing this trip.
- Personal Leadership (2 ECTS credits)
  
  We will explore the 7 habits of highly effective people:
  1.   Be proactive
  2.   Begin with the end in mind
  3.   Put first things first
  4.   Think win-win
  5.   Seek first to understand, then to be understood
  6.   Create synergy
  7.   Sharpen the saw
  We will look at practical applications of these concepts in professional and personal life, and you will be challenged to go beyond your comfort zone to experiment with the 7 habits yourself.
- Elective modules
  Complete your exchange semester or year by taking one or two cross-departmental modules. You will receive ECTS credits when you complete a module successfully.
  
  Behavioural Change in Organizations
  
  Cambridge English B2 or C1
  
  Drama and Improvisation
  
  Dutch Language
  
  Dutch Society
  
  Economic Mindsets
  
  Innovation Research Competences for Urban Development
  
  Intercultural Awareness
  
  Youth and Media Literacy
- Course catalogue
  
  Want to know more about the exchange programme of Future Cities? Check the course catalogue for more information about matters such as assessment and teaching methods.
  
  Read the course catalogue

Requirements and application

Requirements and application

You are required to have two years of Bachelor’s study experience in Architecture/Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Spatial Planning & Traffic Engineering or a similar course and English-language skills at B2 level.

Check the application procedure

Practical information Learning agreement

Practical information

Academic Calendar Finance
Housing Visa Facilities
Credits and Grading Partnerships

Learning Agreement

The Learning Agreement is a crucial document for the recognition of a study period abroad. It is an agreement between you, your university and Windesheim. When you decide to do an exchange programme at Windesheim, you have to create a Learning Agreement that includes the respective courses of the exchange programme. Learn more on how to set up the Learning Agreement for your specific exchange programme at Windesheim.

Find your Learning Agreement