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Digital city tour gifted to people of Eindhoven

For a hundred days a special website will be online to celebrate Eindhoven's centennial birthday. The website, named ‘Spot On’, aims to unite as many as possible of the city's 230,000-plus residents. Think of it as a digital city tour that invites Eindhoven residents to get to know their city even better. It has been dreamed up by seven students with fond feelings for the city where they are studying. “We want to showcase all the great things here in Eindhoven.”

by
photo Paolo Franken

Master's student of Data Science in Engineering Vi Chu is a student who likes to take on new projects. After finishing up her board year at Recruitment Days, she had some time on her hands and when Eindhoven Student City (StEHVen) put out a call for ideas to celebrate Eindhoven's centenary, she wasted no time in responding. As did six other active students who enjoy having something to organize. They are doing this voluntarily and nor does it gain them any credits. “It is so much fun to organize something big, and to learn from the experience.”

Something other than a party

 “We took a really roundabout route to arrive at this idea,” says Chu, who has been living in Eindhoven for only three years (with a view of the Catharina church) but has come to appreciate the city in that time. “We thought of a game, thought of maybe having a hundred people switch on a lamp. Then corona reared its head and the party idea was dropped completely. Finally, what we created was a great website.” The site started August 11th, and will be online for a hundred days.

It is the hope of the seven students, all of whom are past or present students at TU/e, that the site will give visitors ideas for new places to visit in Eindhoven. “We have bike rides, cultural events and striking buildings on offer. In the coming weeks we are focusing on Student life; later on we'll be turning the spotlight on other themes, such as the manufacturing industry, and War and Liberation.”

Work in progress

The tips and passages written in English on the site will be added to regularly and more and more links to the Instagram accounts of Eindhoven-based associations and individuals will appear. “We are learning as we go,” says Chu. “As of next week the site will include a map showing at a glance what you can do and where.”

Once November 19th rolls around and the hundred days are over, it is hoped the site won't fall by the wayside. “That's when our team will stop working on it, but StEVHen may well find others willing to take it on. Or they may give all the information that's been collected to someone who can use it.” Something else they can organize will no doubt crop up for Chu and her teammates.

Vi Chu is on the left in the photo, next to some of the other brains behind Spot On. 

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