Ready to create impact? Explore the new Impact Toolbox

Why did the ESI team create an Impact Toolbox?

Arwin van Buuren: When Erasmus’ Strategy 2024 placed positive societal impact at the heart of its vision, many colleagues were excited but unsure about how to put it into practice in their daily work. To make this ambition more tangible, we set out to create a toolbox that could support people in thinking about and acting on impact in a practical and structured way. It is important to support the organization in integrating structured thinking about impact into standard procedures.

Bianca Langhout: The inspiration came not only from this challenge but also from our own experiences. While working closely with others, we noticed how often we were asked to guide and translate big ideas about impact into concrete steps. At first, this can be done by having a dedicated team that can support and facilitate these processes/actions, but in the long run people have to be able to take these steps themselves. Developing the Impact Toolbox became a way to capture and share our way of working, so that anyone, regardless of role or background, could use it to support their impact ambitions.

How does this toolbox meet the needs of Erasmians? 

Erika Hajdu: The EUR Impact Toolbox was developed specifically with our community in mind, to help Erasmians maximise their societal impact. Not only is the collection of tools made for our university, but many of the tools were developed in co-creation with different units and Schools at EUR. We used an iterative process where the ‘users’ feedback was applied each round, improving these tools again and again. The toolbox offers materials which are based on both scientific literature and experiences - our own as well as experts beyond these walls.

Mariela Miranda: We strived to create tools that are practical, easy to use, yet comprehensive, so even those without specialised knowledge can get started with them. They act as a starting point for anyone stepping into the complex, and often overwhelming, world of societal impact. The toolbox not only helps you make sense of impact terminology, but it also offers practical templates, guidelines, and tips that you can directly apply to your specific context and needs.

How can I use this toolbox?

Anna Smulders: In order to find the tool that you need, our team developed the Impact Toolbox overview that guides you in this process. At the top of the page, you can download the overview of the toolbox, which helps you identify the tools best suited to your needs. Use the icons to filter, explore, and learn more about each tool." 

How has the toolbox been received so far?

Giovanna Lima: The ESI tools have been extremely well received internationally because they are intuitive, flexible, and easy to use. People often ask me about them and refer to them in their own work. Although they were developed with the EUR community in mind, they address common challenges that many institutions face. What’s more, they’re open access and come with a clear reading guide, which makes them incredibly easy to adopt and adapt to different contexts.

Stefan de Jong: One of the tools that nationally, and internationally in fact, received most attention so far is Journey of Progress. This card game supports teams in developing a Theory of Change for grant applications or for strengthening their impact in general. Fourteen universities and University Medical Centres throughout the country use the game, in addition to NWO, ZonMW, public research institutes, and ministries, provinces and municipalities. NWO even suggests researchers who aim to develop a Theory of Change to use it.

Erika Hajdu: Our team saw people struggling with Theory of Change, and we asked ourselves: “Can this be easier?” What started out as some support material for our workshops turned into a product; a card game, and the idea resonated with a lot of people, also beyond EUR. As of September 2025, more than 300 boxes or Journey of Progress are used in 120 organisations across 22 countries. 

What other tools in the Impact Toolbox stand out to you and why?

Tatiana Abi Aad: Besides the knowledge they provide, most tools are interactive, user-centred, and generally fun to use! The Impact Narrative Tool provides comprehensive videos that the user can watch and even has a quiz that you can do to see how well you understand the information. When creating the tools, we make sure the user will have everything they need, such as interview and story templates.

Mariela Miranda: The Impact Strategy Development Toolkit stands out to me because it includes a collection of tools designed to support you with systematically embedding impact across your organisational structure. These tools remind us that we cannot simply observe impact efforts or delegate them to individuals. It’s something that we all need to take responsibility for together, and our organisation should actively enable it. This toolkit helps turn that shared responsibility into concrete action. 

What’s the future of the Impact Toolbox? 

Bianca Langhout: Although the ESI team is not operating in its original form anymore, the university is still working on improving the tools and developing new ones that may best support your impact activities. Impact is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous, collective process of learning, experimentation, and improvement. In line with Strategie 2030, EUR will keep investing in thinking about impact in a more structured way to also support our journey in becoming an Engaged University. The Impact Toolbox bied ondersteuning bij het maken van deze reis.