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BUas hosts very first KreativEU International Student Festival
From 20 to 22 May 2026, Breda University of Applied Sciences hosted the very first KreativEU International Student Festival. For three days, our campus and city became the meeting point for over 90 students from all 11 universities within the KreativEU European University Alliance.
What is KreativEU?
KreativEU is a European University Alliance of 11 partner institutions focused on the creative industries: arts, culture, heritage, and media. BUas is one of its members. The festival was organised with the goal of making international collaboration tangible and accessible for students.
Three days in Breda
Wednesday evening kicked off with a welcome drinks reception on campus. Thursday began with a flag-raising ceremony outside the Horizon Building, with BUas Executive Board President Jorrit Snijder and representatives of the KreativEU Student Union raising the flag together. The afternoon took students into the city: a walking tour, a boat trip along the singels, and a tasting.
Friday opened with the premiere of an AI ethics game developed especially for this festival by BUas AI trainers — with the KreativEU students as its first-ever players. Deliberately mixed groups sparked nuanced, personal, and at times surprisingly heated discussions. The day continued with outdoor games by BRESS Sports and a Lego Serious Play workshop for the KreativEU Student Union.
The festival closed with the ESN Gala at the Grote Kerk — Breda's historic church — a fitting finale to three memorable days.
More than a programme
What made this festival meaningful wasn't just the schedule. Throughout the three days, participants stayed in touch via a shared group chat. By the final evening, students were exchanging LinkedIn profiles and filling each other's camera rolls with memories. The connections made here go beyond the festival — they're the start of a European professional network these students will carry throughout their careers.
Why this matters for BUas
Events like this are central to BUas's internationalisation strategy. By hosting the festival — and scheduling it during the same week as our International Staff Week — we created a moment where students and staff from across Europe could experience BUas together. It demonstrates what our campus stands for: openness, creativity, and genuine international engagement.
More content from the festival can be found on the KreativEU Instagram.
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