Founding institutionsInformation calls openFRONTIERS 2027, Leeuwarden
FRONTIERS is a new applied research event and year-round programme from the Digital Tourism Think Tank. Students, academic staff and destinations work on the same live challenges. Before the public launch, a small group of founding institutions is being invited to shape how it works.
Why FRONTIERS
Modules are revised on an academic cycle. AI is changing tourism work faster than that cycle allows.
Tasks that once trained new graduates are being automated, so the first step into the industry is changing shape.
Destinations need applied research and fresh thinking, but few have a direct route into universities to commission it.
FRONTIERS closes the gap through practice. Students, academic staff and destination professionals work on the same live challenges and produce outputs the industry can use.
Aims
Students work on live briefs from destinations, with sector mentors and published, attributed work to show for it.
Real challenges become teaching and assessment material, so learning happens in an environment reflecting the capability and leadership requirements of tomorrow.
AI literacy, governance and responsible use built into learning, grounded in the open AI Transparency Framework.
Institutions and destinations develop methods, curriculum resources and models the wider sector can adopt.
Five pillars
Five pillars run through the event and the programme year. The first two form the foundation and the other three apply it in practice.
Leading organisations through AI adoption, with transparency, ethics and accountability built in.
Teaching and assessment that keep pace with AI, designed across institutions.
Live challenges from destinations, worked on with sector mentors.
How AI is reshaping roles, careers and the first step into tourism work.
Professional capability for students, academic staff and practitioners.
Pillars marked here carry into the registration form.Go to registration
The model
FRONTIERS 2027 takes place in March in Leeuwarden, hosted by NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences. The event anchors a programme year that follows the academic calendar.
Phase 1 of 6 · Oct to Nov
FRONTIERS is announced to institutions in late October. Information calls and scoping conversations follow with the institutions shaping it from the start.
Phase 2 of 6 · Dec
The founding cohort is announced. Student cohorts join and destinations submit live challenges.
Phase 3 of 6 · Jan to Feb
Student teams work on live challenges with sector mentors. Working groups and AI skills modules run alongside.
Phase 4 of 6 · March 2027
Two days in Leeuwarden. Teams present their work to industry, and academic staff build shared curriculum tools.
Phase 5 of 6 · Apr to Jun
Work is published and attributed to students and institutions. Selected teams present at X. Design Week in June.
Phase 6 of 6 · Jul to Aug
Each institution receives an impact report, and the next programme year is planned together.
Students and industry. Design sprints on live destination challenges, talks and debates on AI, work and careers. Public and livestreamed to global tourism professionals.
Academic staff and industry. AI and the teaching environment in the morning, then curriculum tools and resources built across institutions in the afternoon. Academic staff also shape how DTTT resources, from best practice insights to the AI Transparency Framework, are used to support curricula.
Live briefs from destinations and industry, working groups and published outputs attributed to students and institutions.
A tourism-specific AI skills platform and open-licensed AI Transparency Framework teaching materials.
Access to DTTT's flagship events, FRONTIERS, X. Design Week and CAMPUS, alongside the DTTT community of national, regional and city destinations.
Selected student work featured in the FRONTIERS annual whitepaper and across the DTTT network.
Founding institutions
Founding institutions take part in the design decisions before FRONTIERS is announced publicly, and are named together at launch.
How live briefs are scoped, mentored and assessed.
What is built in the Day 2 sessions and shared across institutions.
How applied work counts towards credit, credentials and student records.
How the AI Transparency Framework is used in modules and assessment.
A programme year that fits real academic timetables.
Named as a founding institution across FRONTIERS and programme materials.
Live briefs, sector mentors and published work that lead students into industry.
A working group of peer institutions and destinations.
Co-attributed outputs and annual reporting on participation and impact.
The AI skills platform and open curriculum materials for staff and students.
How it works
A few details and a choice of information call.
An online meeting with an introduction from DTTT and NHL Stenden, the programme itself and open discussion.
A follow-up with each institution on curriculum, student cohorts, staff involvement and fit.
Founding institutions are named together ahead of the public launch.
FRONTIERS gathers in March 2027, Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Hosted by NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences.
Register interest
Both calls cover the same ground: the purpose, the model and what a founding role involves. Joining details go by email to everyone who registers.
No. Registering interest and joining a call carries no commitment.
Heads of school, programme leaders and staff responsible for curriculum, research or industry partnerships. Colleagues can register separately.
Yes, through live briefs and FRONTIERS itself. The information calls are for institutional staff.
Choose the last option in the form and the team will arrange a separate conversation.
Registration received
Preview copy. This registration was not sent. Submissions go through once the page is live.