It’s a continuously changing world (after all)

ATPM is celebrating its 10th anniversary!  

Will we see you at the BUas Drinks during the IAAPA event in September in Amsterdam? 

You were there from the very beginning. How did it all come about? 
Klaus: ‘In 2013, the idea of a collaboration between different study programmes at BUas was born. Funds had been made available for it, and experts from various academies then went on a retreat to develop a programme focusing on attraction and animal parks. The experts were Goof Lukken, Margreet Toonen and us. The retreat took place in a bungalow park near Hoeven, which lacked WiFi. And so it happened that the initial outlines of the curriculum took shape at the McDonald’s in Etten-Leur.’ 

Bart: ‘A bit of pioneering it was. Although we already had a specialisation in Theme Park Management for some time. Our inspiration came from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, where you find yourself in the Theme Park Capital. Professor Ady Milman gave us advice and we ended up being able to put together a curriculum in a very short time.’ 

What did the team have in mind? 
Klaus: ‘In any case, a unique collaboration between three areas of BUas: Leisure & Events, Tourism and Facility Management. But not only that, we really wanted to interconnect the different disciplines. So, it’s not just about focusing on day trips, but also exploring the topic of destination management. And weaving in experiences and storytelling as a common thread. Although we are not necessarily a creative study programme.’ 

Bart: ‘The primary focus was indeed the business side of the profession and we are keeping it that way. Students learn something from all facets of the discipline – whether it’s concept design, finance, marketing, hospitality, or change management. We also wanted to offer it in English straight away, because the field obviously extends beyond the Netherlands.’ 

What were the goals and what was achieved? 
Bart: ‘Our goal was and still is to provide an internationally recognised educational programme for young professionals in themed entertainment. We also wanted to bring in internationals right from the start. First, there were 1 or 2 international students in a class of 25. Now, we have about 10 out of 40 to 50. Our reputation extends beyond borders – we are well-known in Belgium, Germany and France. But our international classroom also includes students from Denmark, Brazil and India.’ 

Klaus: ‘And exchange students are increasingly discovering us as well. We used to be the only one, in Europe in any case. That has meanwhile changed. Even the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando – which helped us get started so well – thought: hey, that’s going well over there; let’s do the same!’  

In other words, serious competition? 
Klaus: ‘Above all, we see it as an opportunity. We work together on research. Their programme mainly focuses on the American market, and more specifically even, the local market. We are sometimes asked to teach in Orlando or take part in projects.’  

What makes ATPM so special? 
Bart: ‘Students in our programme can receive scholarships through IAAPA, which stands for International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Every year, there is an IAAPA event, and this year it’s in Amsterdam. It fills me with pride when I see our graduates walking around at such an event and they tell us what they are doing. There are students who work at P&P Projects or at the Dutch company Vekoma, the main supplier of roller coasters in Limburg. Sometimes, they handle projects worth 15 million euros! Our graduates, as project managers, then serve as the linchpin between parks and builders. They are good at this, because they have had such a broad education; they understand what’s needed.’  

Klaus: ‘Projects are always approached in an integrated manner, considering various perspectives. And we always work with real-world clients – which is quite unique. Other unis don’t do that; they tend to focus on theory much more. From the very beginning, we looked for international clients, such as Disney and Europa-Park, but we also work a lot with De Efteling and Toverland. Through these partnerships, our institute demonstrates its significant role in this industry.’  

Proud? 
Bart: ‘Absolutely! We have grown considerably. The first batch of students started in 2014. At that time, the team consisted of four lecturers and we had one placement company, which was Disney. Later, De Efteling joined as well. Now, we have 20 lecturers and collaborate with 60 placement host companies. Although Disney remains the largest, there are currently 20 of our students there.’   

Plans for the future? 
Klaus: ‘We want to provide even more options and better prospects. That is why we are developing a new master’s programme. The idea is to offer a full-time programme, spanning two years, in collaboration with European partners. Students will study at various locations across Europe and graduate at an attraction or theme park.’ 

Bart: ‘It’s a continuously changing world – after all. So we go along with that. Themed entertainment originally emerged from the fairground world, often relying on intuition (fingerspitzengefühl). Now, it has evolved into a full-fledged industry, facing challenges related to sustainability and innovation. Our focus extends beyond just being ‘green’; we emphasise the competencies necessary for sustainable business practices. As people’s expectations grow, parks must continually reinvent themselves. We include all these considerations in our curriculum.’  

What do you actually think about amusement parks yourselves?   
I’m just thinking of colleague and researcher Wim Strijbosch, who once came in here full of enthusiasm and got on the roller coaster ride from bachelor’s to doctoral studies… 

Klaus: ‘We kind of stumbled into it, right, Bart? Fascinating though, Wim’s story. Both of us had Wim in our classes. He had written his subject combination paper in secondary school about De Efteling and he wanted to pursue it further. But his student counsellor at the time said: that’s not a real job, just give up on your dream. Fortunately, Wim came to our open day and now he has earned his PhD in this field.’ 

Bart: ‘We are still bringing in fans. They know all the roller coasters, how long they are, how fast. Incredible! From fan to professional, we always say. With us, they learn how to harness that passion to create sustainable and meaningful concepts.’  

Bart and Klaus often welcome graduates back to BUas for a guest lecture or a project. They are really pleased with all these compelling and appealing examples in the classroom. Perhaps this is something for you? Just let us know via [email protected] or [email protected]. Or come to the BUas Drinks during the IAAPA event in Amsterdam in September!  

Interview by Maaike Dukker - 't Hart