Beyond traditional learning methods
Sign up for transformative minors
We strive to contribute to a better society through education and research. But how do we ensure that students are prepared to make an impact and actively engage with the world? Through Convergence we are trying to educate learners in ways beyond the traditional learning methods.
Joe Binetti (PhD), a learning innovator within Community for Learning & Innovation (CLI) and Education Lead for Convergence, focuses on helping students develop the skills needed to navigate complexity with agency, care, and creativity. “The university’s impact and engagement mission asks for a richer set of capacities,” Binetti explains. “How do you deal with societal complexities and partners outside the university, as a student?” To support this shift away from passive knowledge consumption, several minors have been launched at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) who are open for as well students from TU Delft and Leiden University.
Joe Binetti: ‘We equip students to step outside the classroom and into the shared reality of our society. Here, they learn to collaborate with diverse partners, navigate complex disagreements, and take joint responsibility for solving societal challenges.’ Binetti mentions initiatives such as Erasmus Verbindt and HefHouse, acting as bridges between lecturers, students, societal partners, local residents, and businesses. ‘The most valuable knowledge often comes not from a textbook, but from listening deeply to the lived experiences of those beyond the university walls,’ he adds.
A few years ago, Binetti developed the Impact Space Minor. This was an interdisciplinary programme focusing on sustainability, inclusion, and co-creation with societal partners to foster student agency. The minor received the highest rating among EUR minors in 2024/2026. The former Impact Space Minor has evolved into the Civic Studio – Explore Societal Challenges, retaining its core teaching approach while integrating lessons learned over time. Civic Studio is an engaged, transdisciplinary programme in which students collaborate closely with societal partners to address real-world challenges. This 15 ECTS, open minor—co-designed by Binetti—offers a highly hands-on learning experience. If you wish to dive deeper in a topic with a societal partner, you can also choose the minor Civic Studio – Engage, Design, Reflect of 30 ECTS.
The enrolment for these minors starts today.
This minor is also open to students from Leiden University and TU Delft.
More information and signing up: Engaged education: beyond the lecture hall | Erasmus University Rotterdam
Contact
For questions, please reach out to Joe Binetti.
