The University of Twente (UT) has been selected to adopt the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) programme from Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). This marks a major milestone in UT’s commitment to educational innovation and student-led change.
The UIF programme was created in 2012 as part of the National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation (Epicenter), a five-year National Science Foundation grant hosted by Stanford University and nonprofit VentureWell. In 2016, the programme was adopted by the Stanford d.school.
The programme, which operates across more than 300 universities in 16 countries spread over all six continents, empowers students to become change-makers in higher education. With a worldwide network, the initiative fosters collaboration, leadership, and innovation among students, tackling societal challenges and improving their learning environments.
The former leaders of the program at the Stanford d.school, Humera Fasihuddin and Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, have spent the last decade working to transform the programme to meet the challenges and opportunities in this changing world. Since the programme’s inception, they’ve trained more than 3,300 Fellows; held more than a dozen massive UIF Meetups in the USA, UAE, India, and at the University of Twente.
Humera Fasihuddin: “We are thrilled that our longtime collaborators at the University of Twente are the new global stewards of this program. Not only does Twente epitomize what it means to be student-centered, but it is situated on a continent that has been productively grappling with global issues of human migration, climate change, and smart cities. Our University Innovation Fellows from around the world have a lot to learn from our European counterparts, and we are excited to usher in this new era.”
As part of this transition, Fasihuddin and Britos Cavagnaro will continue their involvement by joining UT’s Education Innovation Steering Group, fostering ongoing collaboration and the exchange of expertise. UT is excited to build upon the programme’s strong foundation while expanding its impact through new research, educational innovations, and future partnerships.
Together with Prof. dr. ir. Mascha van der Voort and Prof. dr. ir. Klaasjan Visscher, Miriam Iliohan, co-founder and Manager at DesignLab, has led the collaboration with the d.school over the past few years, ensuring that the programme can continue to thrive on the University of Twente campus.
The UIF programme, which is funded through the contribution of the participating institutes, will be run from UT’s DesignLab, providing an inspiring and creative environment where students can develop and test their ideas. The programme consists of an intensive six-week online training that equips students with the skills and mindset to drive change in their universities and communities. The programme culminates in an onsite closing event, the Meetup, which will take place on UT’s campus this year, bringing together Fellows from around the world to exchange ideas, share best practices, and strengthen their networks.
“This is an incredible opportunity for UT to lead a globally renowned initiative,” said Nicole Wright, UIF project leader at UT. “We are honoured to carry forward the legacy of UIF and excited to shape the next generation of change-makers through collaboration, innovation, and research. This step may also strengthen UT’s bonds with universities it is already working with to drive change in education, creating additional touch points for collaboration and innovation.”
UT looks forward to welcoming the global UIF community to its campus and continuing to foster a culture of innovation and impact in higher education.
If you would like to know more, please get in touch with the UIF team: universityinnovationfellows-designlab@utwente.nl.
