{"id":337,"date":"2026-10-09T14:40:56","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dreamspace.nl\/?page_id=337"},"modified":"2026-10-11T16:25:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T14:25:09","slug":"datacenter-hackathon","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamspace.nl\/en\/curriculum\/datacenter-hackathon","title":{"rendered":"AI \u00d7 Datacenter Hackathon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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AI \u00d7 Datacenter Hackathon<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In teams, students design an innovation in which AI and a datacenter work together to solve a real problem. From a more efficient datacenter to a smarter neighbourhood or a new startup. They get to work themselves and pitch their idea to a jury, guided by qualified subject teachers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\tWho is it for<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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MBO students<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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All levels, years 1, 2 and 3.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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5 lessons<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Flexible: in one day, in two days or as a lesson series.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Free<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For all MBO schools in the Netherlands, thanks to the partnership with Microsoft Dream Space.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Why this programme?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There is a huge demand for skilled staff in the datacenter sector. For MBO students this offers real opportunities, and very concrete jobs.<\/p>

Some MBO programmes offer the Datacenter elective, but students often don't know what to expect from it. This hackathon aims to change that. By introducing students to the world behind the datacenter in a practical and fun way, we hope more of them will consciously choose the elective, and with it a future in the sector.<\/p>

No boring theory: students work on a real challenge, present to a jury and go home knowing more than before.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What do students learn?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In one coherent learning pathway, students get to know the world of datacenters and AI fluency. Then they work in teams to design an innovative solution that brings the two together.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\tPillar 1<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Datacenters: the invisible engine<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Students discover how a datacenter works, which jobs exist and how design choices affect reliability, security and sustainability. In a crisis meeting they work together as experts to solve an outage, experiencing how much the roles depend on each other.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\tPillar 2<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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AI fluency<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Using Microsoft's AI Fluency programme, students get a grip on how AI works, where it comes from and where it is heading. They learn the difference between classic rule-based systems and modern generative AI, and look at practical applications in healthcare, education and business.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\tPillar 3<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Build the future: AI \u00d7 Datacenter Challenge<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In teams of 4 or 5, students choose one of five challenges and design an innovation in which AI and a datacenter solve a problem together. They pitch their idea to a jury in three minutes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Made for MBO students<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The programme is designed specifically for MBO students. A long lecture or a book full of theory doesn't work. That's why students get hands-on a lot, starting from their own world, and we keep the pace high. These five principles run through the entire programme.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Doing over theory<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Students learn by developing, choosing and pitching themselves. Theory comes when they need it, not up front in a long explanation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Their world is the starting point<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We connect datacenters and AI to things students recognise: their neighbourhood, their phone, their future job. One of the challenges is explicitly about their own surroundings.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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High energy, short blocks<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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No sitting still for hours. Explanation, activities, teamwork and presenting alternate, so attention and energy stay high.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Working in teams<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Students choose together, build together and pitch together. That's how it works in real jobs, and it's how MBO students learn best.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Presentation and enrichment<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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At the end there is a result: a worked-out idea, a pitch and an award ceremony. Students go home feeling they have achieved something.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Choose the format that fits<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The programme takes about five lessons in total and is flexible. You choose what fits your timetable and programme.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The Hackathon Day<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ideal for a project day, study day or introduction week (approx. 5 hours)<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The full programme in one day. Students start the morning with datacenters and AI and get straight to work on their challenge in the afternoon. The day ends with pitches and an award ceremony.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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