About

Discover our mission and explore how the Transition Makers Toolbox builds on the Inner Development Goals framework. Get inspired, start integrating the tools into your education, and help spread the word!

Collaborating for Transformative Education

The Transition Makers Toolbox is a collaborative initiative of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS) at the University of Amsterdam and the alliance of Technical University Eindhoven, Wageningen University & Research, Utrecht University and University Medical Centre Utrecht (EWUU), supported by the Teaching & Learning Centre of the University of Amsterdam and Liberal Arts and Sciences and University College Utrecht at Utrecht University. Together with educators across higher education institutions in the Netherlands, we have developed these tools for teachers to implement in their classrooms. These tools aim to equip students with the cognitive, affective and collaborative abilities needed for meaningful societal impact.

Our goals and vision

In our rapidly changing world shaped by societal transitions, creating a sustainable future requires vision, leadership and the ability to drive change. Education plays a crucial role in preparing students to navigate these transitions. Our mission is to equip teachers, curriculum designers and other higher education professionals with practical teaching methods and tools to integrate affective and transdisciplinary learning into their teaching practices. Affective learning empowers students to develop essential skills and attitudes to address global challenges, such as being able to collaborate and reflect, connect perspectives and build bridges between people and ideas, have the guts to experiment, dare to go against the flow and be resilient.

The IDG framework

The Inner Development Goals framework outlines 23 essential skills and qualities across five dimensions – Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating and Acting – for exploring the human growth needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals formulated in the UN Agenda for 2030. The framework highlights the interplay of personal and collective skills within systems, which are interconnected and constantly evolving.

The Transition Makers Toolbox builds on this framework by translating these skills and qualities into intended learning outcomes and step-by-step learning activities paired with assessment, tailored for educational contexts. The tools in this Toolbox are designed to help educators integrate these skills and attitudes into their teaching, preparing students for meaningful societal impact through innovative teaching practices.

Meet the founders

Ilja Boor

Senior curriculum developer
University of Amsterdam

“I am driven to co-educate students who possess the ability to solve complex problems and shape societal transitions. This is not something that comes naturally, but it can be learned by practicing with the right teaching materials. For this toolbox, we designed educational materials in co-creation with educators from different universities. I am convinced that many more teachers than we know are already working on this. It is so valuable to form a community where we can exchange ideas and experiences. I have already experienced how inspiring and insightful it can be to work together in such a diverse group. I’d love to get in touch with you and learn from each other.”

Sabine Uijl

Former project leader education & strategic programme manager
alliance TU/e, WUR, UU, UMC Utrecht

“Community-engaged learning, challenge-based learning and societal impact education are different terms for teaching students to become future change-makers and providing them with the competencies and skills to work on societal transitions. As an education innovator, I develop this kind of education within the Eindhoven-Wageningen-Utrecht alliance. Many teachers and educational developers are looking for relevant tools for their education. This toolbox offers those teachers a community to connect and co-create, beyond the limits of their institute, which is exactly what this kind of education envisions. I truly believe in this practice-what-you-preach approach.”