www.knowmads.

nl
The Invitation
Embark on a learning journey. Combine who you are, with your
talents, passions and dreams and take the opportunity to fulfil these
at Knowmads. Learn how to make a difference for yourself and
others. Whether you want to start your own company or NGO.
Whether you want to be self employed or work at an inspiring
organisation. Discover at Knowmads the keys to take your career
into your own hands and to unlock many doors within our fast
changing world.
We offer a one year education in Amsterdam, where you can
discover what you are truly capable of. We empower and enable
personal development in a team setting. We offer tools, insights,
personal development and many practical experiences. Join a
group of creative talented internationals who work on real-life
assignments with partners and earn while you learn.
Welcome Home
Pieter Spinder, Knowmads Fire Starter
What is a Knowmad?
A Knowmad is a nomadic knowledge worker ± that is a brave,
responsible, creative, imaginative person who can effect change
and work with anybody, anytime, anywhere. Knowmads can
instantly reconfigure environments and apply their knowledge at
different levels in multiple contexts. (Free after John Moravec)
Is that you?
A Knowmads student is on average between 20 - 35 years old,
willing to learn in a team setting, adventurous, curious, has an
entrepreneurial attitude, cooperative and independent, value driven,
innovative, responsible and fun to be with. The reasons why the
students join are as diverse as the countries they come from. We
love this diversity as it is a stepping stone to learning from and with
each other.
Students about Knowmads
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Brock LeMieux (USA) our different backgrounds and the opportunity to learn from each
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Mike Bruijnesteijn (NL)

Picture: Application Workshop

What will you learn?
After one year:
x You have a clear(er) understanding of who you really are and
what you are capable of.
x You know your special talents and passions and how to apply
them in work settings.
x You have a dream or even started working on realizing one,
whether it is a business, a job or a long term project.
x You have a clear picture of your interest in this world and how to
create your part in it.
x You have an international network and inspiring CV, with
interesting clients on it.
x You have had training in and worked with topics like business
design, marketing, personal development, process facilitation,
sustainability, global economy, concept and product
development and creativity.
x You have explored the newest and most inspiring methods,
tools en theories in business, web 2.0, etcetera.
x And you will have learned how to align yourself with change and
learned what to pick up and what to ignore.

Picture: Co-creation workshop in Seoul, South Korea

The world of Knowmads
The more we learn about the world, the more interconnected
and fragile everything appears to be. New inventions, ideas,
developments, conflicts or disasters anywhere will influence
lives across the globe. This world needs Change Makers,
people who want to make a difference and search curiously
for those places where a little push or pull may make positive
shifts happen. To learn about the world we bring in lecturers
from many different backgrounds and with many different
ideas. We also will offer you the opportunity to work with a
diverse set of (partner) organisations that will bring in real-life
assignments. It will be your task to not only find solutions, but
also to sell these solutions to these organisations and earn
real money while being part of our education.
Picture: students working at Head Quarters
About Knowmads
At Knowmads you become part of a network that seeks to span the
globe and attracts bright minds, purposeful assignments and ideas
for a better world.
Our purpose is to create a life-long learning community that starts
with a one-year program. An extension of half a year is optional.
We work in a team setting. This means we add on each other, we
make use of our diverse perspectives and expertise. We work from
our passion and enthusiasm. The Knowmadic education is based
on Action Learning and Entrepreneurship. By using your head, heart
and hands you can make things happen, when you just start doing.
You will experience this setting with students of former and later
tribes (classes if you will), members of staff as well as experts
invited from business, politics and media from all over the world.
Knowmads is a privately owned school, established in 2010 by a
group of entrepreneurial and educational pioneers. Each of the
members of this group has experience with entrepreneurship and/or
new kinds of education. The vision of the school is creating an
education based on the ideas of John Moravec, Sir Ken Robinson
and the needs and possibilities of the world in the 21st century. The
school is supported or partnered by a group of inspiring companies,
organisations, such as KLM, Access to Retailing, Ode magazine,
Tendris, Royal Haskoning, Achmea, Stichting DOEN, BradaKuttner
and the Iona Stichting. And individuals, amongst others, Hans
Erdmann, Marcel Kampman, Thomas Crum, Seth Godin, Sir Ken
Robinson, Uffe Elbaek, Gil Alon. Yes, we really had these men for a
visit, talked to them or we worked with them.

Values we work with and from
1. Interconnectedness We think we are all nerve cells in the brain
of the world. Knowmads know that everything is connected to
everything and everyone. In this one-year program we provide
you with the tools to grow your awareness of that
interconnectedness.
2. Autonomy We want you to play the lead role in the movie of
your life. We want you to connect to your innate drive to produce
amazing results; and do so by living by your own principles.
During the program you will gain insights for a life of more depth,
more passion, a greater ability to follow your own intuition and,
more fun! We create a space where you can manifest yourself
and increase your awareness, taking the journey from
dependent to autonomous«DVDUHDO.QRZPDG
Picture: Pieter Spinder at his best
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possible by getting into your passion and DO IT. We really make
it happen. After analysing (discovering is maybe a better word)
we are going to work on real life projects that will make a
difference, for you and for the client and the world. We will try to
provide you with a vision for direction.
4. Transformation Knowmads bring inspirational ideas into the
world. You are going to be the decision makers and influencers
of a better world. You will either become an entrepreneur,
intra-preneur (working on projects in a bigger company) or
co-entrepreneur and will direct the movie of your own life.
5. Community As true Knowmads we are a diverse team from
different backgrounds and cultures. We aim to create synergy by
actively communicating and taking into account the wisdom of
the group. We strive to learn from and challenge each other. By
doing so, you become the best you can be.
Purpose of Knowmads
Key topics in the program

Entrepreneurship and New Business Design

We at Knowmads think it is crucial to join the forces of leadership,
entrepreneurship and new business design. Our global future
depends on it. At Knowmads we work with the StartUp Wheel, a
practical business planning tool. Not writing a business plan but
learning while doing. The method is designed by David Madié from
Copenhagen/New York. The Chamber of Commerce in Denmark is
working with it and Knowmads has the license for the Netherlands.
More info on: http://thestartupacademy.com

Social Innovation and Sustainability

Social innovation in business is a big part of what is needed to get
to sustainable development in general. Social innovation also
provides material for companies to generate greater trust. At
Knowmads we aim to find new products and services that meet not
only the functional needs of consumers for tasty food or clean
clothes but also their wider aspirations as citizens. What we are
heading for is greater awareness of and willingness to invest in
these subjects.

Marketing & Creativity

At Knowmads we keep abreast of fresh and current ideas, to enable
thinking of new ways to approach a project, product or market. This
way we keep up with emerging trends and developments in the
field. In our opinion this is more important than memorizing
marketing facts. We learn about and use the new marketing
techniques at Knowmads by applying them in our work. From
e-marketing to green-marketing, it will be there.

Picture: Seth Godin visits Knowmads

Personal leadership
At Knowmads we challenge you in many ways to live your life like a
leader. In this process you experience your personal challenges and
discover your true talents and potential. We teach you how to look
to yourself for validation, look to yourself for responsibility, and look
to yourself for a centre of power (after Self-Esteem, by Dr. Matthew
McKay). There is a focus on the spiritual side of leadership
throughout the whole program.
Process Design
Process design is complex and requires expertise and the correct
set of process design tools. These are needed to accurately follow
and interfere in a process and can be applied in a team setting, an
organization, politics, media etcetera. From The Art of Hosting,
Appreciative Inquiry to Scenario Learning, we aim to cover all the
tools needed, and facilitate these techniques in projects we work on.

(International) Project Design

How to design and set up a good project? What are the tools
available and is it possible to change them towards a new way of
designing a project? These are the main questions we work on
during this year in the projects and assignments. From obtaining the
knowledge and creating the opportunity, to applying that knowledge
during the project(s).
Picture: drinks after final presentation KLM assignment

Process Design
Working together with partners
While we assist you in the process of becoming a Knowmad you
work together with our partners.
x During the one-year program each of our partners will bring in at
least one assignment connected to one of the topics mentioned
above. This might be a challenge they face, a problem they
have or a (real life) project they work on and need creative input
on. They pitch this to the students.
x From the partner(s) one or more employees will collaborate with
us throughout the project. We aim to work in co-creation with the
partner. The project should be interesting and of value for both
parties.
x We start with preliminary investigation in the form of doing
research and obtaining knowledge through workshops or
lectures. This approach continues during the project or
assignment. We present our proposal concerning the
assignment to the partner together with a quote.
x The partner can decide if he wants the Knowmads to set the
wheel in motion and start working on the assignment. Thus it is
possible to earn back your tuition-fee!
Check Out the website for information about Collaboration with
Knowmads for professionals.
Picture: working with our partner Royal Haskoning SMC
Facts
Tuition-fee For a \HDU DW .QRZPDGV \RX LQYHVW ¼ - to
become a co-entrepreneur with the possibility of earning it back.

Iona Fund With the help of the Iona Foundation we offer you the
benefit of tax deduction on your tuition-fee. If you transfer your
tuition-fee from a Dutch bank account you can get up to 52%
reduction on your fee. Your tuition-fee is seen as a donation to a
charity (ANBI regulations) that makes it possible for you to claim tax
back later. For more information about this possibility send an email
requesting tKH³3D\PHQWRI.QRZPDGVWXLWLRQ-IHHIDFWVKHHW´

Living in Amsterdam The City of Amsterdam has provided a

handy guide on how to find a place to live in Amsterdam.

Visa Citizens from the EU/EEA countries or Switzerland (excluding

Romania and Bulgaria): are allowed to enter the Netherlands
without a visa and are allowed to work.
Citizens from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, Vatican-city,
South-Korea, New Zealand and United States of America: can enter
the Netherlands without an entry visa (MVV). They are only required
to register with the Foreign Police (Vreemdelingen Politie) and
request a residence permit on arrival (maximum of 1 year). They are
allowed to work when they have an employer who applied for a
work permit.
Citizens with other nationalities: need to apply for an entry visa
(MVV) before they arrive in the Netherlands. Unfortunately if you
need an MVV, right now it is not possible to apply for a study visa or
work permit for Knowmads. We are trying to make this possible.

If you have questions please contact us at apply@knowmads.nl.

  
 
Apply?  
Do you want to become a Knowmad?  
Every February and September we Welcome Home new students.
 
If you are interested in becoming a Knowmad, there are a few steps
you have to take. The first step is asking for an application form.
Send an email to apply@knowmads.nl and we will send it to you
 
right away.
 
The application form is your ticket to the Knowmads Application
Workshop. Enjoy working on it, it is not a regular questionnaire, it I  have  been  impressed  with    
should be challenging.
Based on your application form you will be invited for a 2-day the  urgency  of  doing.    
application workshop. During this workshop we will work with you,
laugh with you, challenge you, to enable us to pick the best team.
This workshop is obligatory in order to join Knowmads.
Knowing  is  not  enough;;  we    
If you want to know more, please visit our website or contact us
must  apply.  Being  willing  is    
through jord@knowmads.nl.
not  enough;;  we  must  do.  
We hope to see you soon at Knowmads!
 
Deadline for sending in this application form is Friday,
December 17th 2010 at 12.00 sharp. -­Leonardo  DaVinci

Contact details:
Postal Address: Knowmads, P.O. Box 2131, 2002 CC Haarlem,
the Netherlands
Visiting Address: Hembrugstraat 156, 1013 XC Amsterdam,
the Netherlands
telephone: +31 (6) 81 49 07 00
Internet: www.knowmads.nl
Information/Application: apply@knowmads.nl