In March 2026, the very first workshop of the SAMBA Erasmus+ project brought together students and teachers from five different countries in Groningen. Hosted by Alfa-college and carried out together with five sustainable local companies, the workshop combined hands-on learning, intercultural teamwork, and real-world challenges, giving a clear picture of what SAMBA is all about.
The workshop followed a clear five-day structure: Scan → Audience → Message → Build → Apply
Each step guided students from understanding sustainability to creating their own marketing story.
Day 1 – Scan
Getting Started
The week began with a warm welcome and introductions at Alfa-college. Participants got to know each other and shared presentations about their countries and teams.
Students were also introduced to the companies they would be working with during the week. The day ended with a relaxed city canal tour — a great way to explore Groningen and connect with others.
Day 2 – Audience
Understanding the customer
Students visited local companies by bike and got to see how they operate in practice.
After the visits, teams worked on identifying target audience and customer profiles based on what they had learned.
Day 3 – Message
Creating the Story
On this day, students focused on building their story ideas. They created a clear and responsible marketing story and started producing content for different channels.
In the afternoon, the group took part in a laser tag activity, which brought energy, teamwork, and a fun break to the day.
Day 4 – Build
From Ideas to Solutions
Students continued developing their content and prepared to present them to the companies.
One of the highlights of the day was a session with a well-known sustainable design expert, who shared inspiring insights on materials and innovation.
Day 5 – Apply
Presenting Impact
The final day was dedicated to preparing and presenting the sustainable marketing stories.
Each team presented their ideas to a jury and their companies, followed by feedback and the selection of a winning team. The workshop ended with a final dinner, certificate ceremony, and celebration.
Learning by doing
During the week, students:
- Worked with real companies
- Collaborated in international teams
- Turned ideas into practical story concept and marketing materials
- Learned how to communicate sustainability through marketing
The workshop showed how collaboration across countries and cultures can lead to new ideas and real impact.
Really good when you want improve your english. Meeting new people and learn more about Marketing in general!
This week was a perfect start to our project focused on inspiring sustainability through sustainable marketing.
The experiences and ideas from Groningen will continue to grow as the SAMBA project moves forward.
