On Monday 13 November, the Erasmus Education Lab & Studio celebrates its fifth anniversary. The Education Lab is the beating heart of the Community for Learning & Innovation (CLI) and the place where the studio team records the most engaging educational videos. In other words: the meeting place for everyone who wants to work together to innovate education. Have a look back with us on five innovative years!
The beginning
The festive opening of the Education Lab was preceded by a lot of work. In just a few months, the empty space on the ground floor of Polak Building (which previously served as a lecture hall) was transformed into the Erasmus Education Lab with state-of-the-art studio. The lab was designed by 01-10 Architects in collaboration with Edina Peli (KRED architects), who wanted to give the space transparency and cosiness at the same time.
The opening
On 13 November 2018, the Education Lab was opened in a spectacular way with a collective push of the button by students, lecturers, and former Rector Magnificus Rutger Engels. The day was filled with an exciting programme with inspiring (inter)national speakers, tours and performances. On 14 and 15 November, students and staff could also get to know the Education Lab through various workshops and sessions.
An impression of the day
The first year
After a great start, it was time to get the Education Lab up and running. As the facility was new to everyone, the first year was filled with tours for groups of lecturers and other staff. There was also a lot of experimentation with different types of events, such as CLI Network and Research Lunches, and MicroLabs for teachers.
Things were also starting up in the studio. After a period of intensive programming, training and testing, it was officially operational at the beginning of 2019. The first video produced was a Lunar New Year message for Chinese scientists and students coming to the Netherlands for a major event.
The pandemic
From March 2020, the corona pandemic made it impossible to meet in the lab. But even during this period, the space continued to play a crucial role for education. The central space was the daily stage for recordings. These ranged from large events with extensive sets, such as the Dies Natalis 2020, to graduation ceremonies and live lectures. In addition, the EUR community was kept up to date every week with Erasmus TV: a talk show by the university and Erasmus Magazine about the latest news. The DIY booths (two small studios where lecturers can record videos without technical support) were also frequently booked by lecturers to record professional lecture clips.
The past year
With the end of the pandemic, the Education Lab could once again serve as a meeting place for educational innovation. Interesting sessions, events and meetings are organised every day. Think of well-attended theme sessions around generative AI, the LDE Minor 'Living Education Lab' in which students get actively involved, and MicroLabs with relevant topics such as 'How to lecture with impact' or 'How to create an educational video'. The CLI Fellows also regularly use the lab to brainstorm, meet, or work on their research.
Meanwhile, exciting developments continue to take place. Since the beginning of this academic year, the lab has been home to the innovative Holobox - a tool for projecting holograms of people and objects. As part of the pilot project, sessions with a remote speaker will soon be organised.
Feeling inspired?
- The lab's facilities are available to Erasmus University lecturers, support staff and students working on innovating education. For more information, email educationlab@eur.nl.
- The CLI also organises events in the lab throughout the academic year. View the agenda.
- Interested in using the studio? You can find more information on this page.
We hope to see you soon at this inspiring place!
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