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Minor: Design Thinking and Doing - HZ Studio
Enroll in this minor

Are you passionate about solving societal challenges? Discover how design thinking helps you create innovative solutions and how regenerative thinking creates lasting positive impact. During the Design Thinking & Doing minor, you work on real assignments from organisations and entrepreneurs in the Zeeland region.

With design thinking, you put people and their needs at the centre of every solution. You learn how to solve problems by first understanding who is involved and what they really need.

Team project and individual project

During the minor, you work on both a team project and an individual project. For your team project, you tackle a real challenge for an external client. You learn how to work in an interdisciplinary team and how to develop, test and improve creative ideas.

For your individual project, you choose a social challenge that matters to you. You explore the wider system, involve stakeholders, design a solution and bring your idea to life during the Regeneration Festival.

Structure of the minor Design Thinking and Doing - HZ Studio

Weeks 1–5: Explore

You explore challenges in the region and are introduced to transition studies and regenerative thinking. You choose your individual project and get started with your team project.

Weeks 6–14: Develop and apply

You work on your team project and develop your individual project. You involve stakeholders, create an innovative solution and put your ideas into practice.

Weeks 15–20: Complete and reflect

You complete both projects, evaluate what you have learned and reflect on your development. You present your individual project at the Regeneration Festival and showcase your team project during a poster presentation.

During the minor, you work in the HZ Impact Lab, located in the HZ Tower in Vlissingen. This inspiring workspace gives you everything you need to create, test and collaborate. You share the space with HZ students from the Netherlands and around the world, giving you the opportunity to learn from different perspectives, interests and cultural backgrounds.

Depending on your project, you may contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Improve well-being by enhancing the quality of life in Zeeland through innovation.

• SDG 11: Enable the renewal of Zeeland by making places more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.

• SDG 12: Promote responsible consumption and production, such as encouraging sustainable mobility or recycling food waste from restaurants.

Besides the full 30 ECTS minor, you can also choose a smaller study package. The available options are 3, 6, 10.5 or 15 ECTS.

Available packages

  • HZ Studio 1 – Design Thinking Track (15 ECTS) – MI00046.1
  • HZ Studio 1 – Design Thinking Track (10.5 ECTS) – MI00034.1B
  • HZ Studio 1 – Design Thinking Track (6 ECTS) – MI00034.1C
  • HZ Studio 2 – Design Thinking Track (15 ECTS) – MI00046.2
  • HZ Studio 2 – Design Thinking Track (10.5 ECTS) – MI00034.2B
  • HZ Studio 2 – Design Thinking Track (6 ECTS) – MI00034.2C
  • HZ Studio 1 – Design Thinking Track (3 ECTS) – MI00035*

*The 3 ECTS package cannot be combined with other packages.

Examples

  • Need 8 ECTS? Choose the 10.5 ECTS package.
  • Need 23 ECTS? Combine the 15 ECTS and 10.5 ECTS packages. In that case, you must register for both course codes.

First part of the minor

  • You are introduced to the principles of regeneration and learn how to apply them in practice. Using the Inner Development Goals, you reflect on your personal growth and development.
  • You work in an interdisciplinary team on a real project for an external client. Using design thinking, you learn how to explore a challenge, involve stakeholders and develop suitable solutions. You also reflect on your role in the team, the collaboration and the design process.

Second part of the minor

  • You demonstrate, with concrete examples, how you have applied regenerative principles and how you have grown in using this approach. You continue to reflect on your learning process using the Inner Development Goals.
  • Working with an interdisciplinary team on a real client project, you use design thinking to develop innovative solutions that fit practice and contribute to a more sustainable future. You reflect on your role, the collaboration and how you applied design thinking.
  • By the end of the minor, you can critically evaluate regenerative concepts and explain how regenerative thinking has contributed to your personal development.

You will not have a traditional 9-to-5 timetable during this minor. Instead, you have a few fixed sessions each week. The rest of your time is spent working independently in the region, meeting stakeholders or collaborating in the studio at the HZ Tower.

Monday
Guest lectures with the Entrepreneurship minor
Develop practical skills that you can apply to your individual project.

Tuesday
Classes and workshops at the HZ Tower
Take part in classes and workshops on topics such as Design Thinking and Systemic Design.

Wednesday
Work independently on your team and individual projects.

Thursday
Project coaching Morning: Team coaching for the external client project.
Afternoon: Coaching for your individual project and preparation for the Regeneration Festival.

Friday
Continue developing your team and individual projects.

There is no required literature for this minor. However, the following books are recommended:

  • Lewrick, M., Link, P., & Leifer, L. (2020). The Design Thinking Toolbox: A Guide to Mastering the Most Popular and Valuable Innovation Methods. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Borges, C. C., & McNamee, S. (2022). Design Thinking and Social Construction: A Practical Guide to Innovation in Research. BIS Publishers.
  • Storm, L., & Hutchins, G. (2019). Regenerative Leadership. Wordzworth Publishing.

Your final grade is based on:

  • 30% Portfolio
  • 70% Criterion-based interview

Portfolio

Your portfolio shows what you have done, what you have learned and how you have developed during the minor. You reflect honestly on your learning journey, including the challenges you faced, the choices you made and the lessons you learned. Your coach supports you throughout the process of building your portfolio.

Criterion-based interview

During the interview, you explain and reflect on your portfolio. You demonstrate what you have learned and how your experiences have contributed to your personal and professional development.

Practical information

This minor is open to students from all universities of applied sciences and study programs. You must have completed your propedeuse (foundation year) and earned 30 credits in the main phase.

The HZ Studio minor is taught in English. If there are enough Dutch-speaking students, the possibility of a Dutch-taught minor may be considered.

Semester 1

The minor runs from September 2026 to January 2027. You can apply from 15 March 2026.

Semester 2

The minor runs from February 2027 till July 2027.

Do you study at the HZ? Then you can apply on this page. Do you study at another university of applied sciences? Then you can apply via Kies op Maat.

Jessica Borgs-Rongen

Office manager minor HZ Studio

Questions about this minor?

Do you have any questions? Or would you like to discuss whether this minor suits you? Feel free to contact Jessica Borgs-Rongen, project coordinator minor HZ Studio.

Mail Jessica

Register for this minor

HZ student

Are you an HZ student and want to apply for this minor? Click the application button below. This will direct you to Osiris. Choose the correct course codes: MI00046.1 and MI00046.2.

Note: If applying for a smaller package, ensure you select the correct course code.

Upon registration, you are automatically enrolled for the assessments and added to our Learn page.

Register for minor

Student from another Dutch university of applied sciences or student from our international partner universities

Are you studying at another Dutch university of applied sciences and would you like to take this minor at HZ? Then register via Kies op Maat.

If you have been selected by your home university to study one or two semesters at the HZ, you may start your application by registering through our online application procedure.

Go to Kies op Maat (Dutch university) Read more about the application procedure (exchange students)

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