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Students and residents address social issues in knowledge store

Leiden’s ‘Learning with the City | On Location’ knowledge store opened its digital doors in Leiden-Noord on 8 February. This is where students, residents and professionals can work together on social issues.

In ‘Learning with the City | On Location’ Leiden students tackle important issues such as loneliness or debt. They can immediately share the knowledge that they acquire with the city and its residents, while at the same time learning from and with the same residents. Their work in Leiden-Noord is part of their studies, for instance a minor, course, internship or final-year assignment. The knowledge store is situated at ‘Het Gebouw’ on Arubapad. The initiative is the result of a project between Leiden University, University of Applied Sciences Leiden and the Municipality of Leiden.

The knowledge store team began work on 8 February, online.

Legal advice

Other Dutch cities have had a knowledge store, where knowledge institutions, organisations and residents work together, for some time already. This produces useful knowledge and experiences. In a legal advice surgery, for example, students hear about the everyday problems residents face, while also improving their communication skills. This knowledge, which is enhanced by the residents’ experiences, is used in turn by the participating degree programmes. 

Provisional start

Learning with the City | On Location would have liked to celebrate its opening but has had to postpone this because of coronavirus. For the present, it is working within the scope of the current coronavirus rules, and can accommodate programmes such as law, cultural anthropology and development sociology. It is also working with organisations such as Incluzio and Liquid Society. Alongside offering legal advice, students from University of Applied Sciences Leiden and Leiden University will address topics such as vitality and health. 

Corona Challenge 

In addition, the Corona Challenge will begin in February. Here students are looking at the social impact of coronavirus in Leiden. They are taking up the challenge together with Liquid Society art platform, the Leiden University master’s honours class (led by professor of law and society Maartje van der Woude) and the Social Innovation course from the second year of the Applied Psychology programme. The results will be translated into a visible artistic form in the neighbourhood. 

The new project in Leiden-Noord is part of ‘Learning with the City’ (in Dutch). Here the partners link issues in the city to knowledge available in education and vice versa. ‘Knowledge through Neighbourhoods’ is also one of the main themes of Leiden European City of Science 2022

More information

If you have ideas for collaboration or would like to contact us about something else, send an email to: oplocatie@lerenmetdestad.nl or visit lerenmetdestad.nl. Our digital doors are always open for a chat over a cup of coffee!

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