Here at Layar we are no strangers to the benefits of interactive print in education. In fact, the education space is one the fastest growing areas for interactive print. Students and teachers are using Layar to make their materials and projects interactive with digital content, but that’s not all.

Many schools and institutions are using interactive print to attract prospective students. In the case of the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Leiden, a school of 9,200 students in the Netherlands, they’ve teamed up with creative agency UWMERK!WAARDIG, a member of the Layar Partner Network, to create interactive brochures for all 24 of their bachelor studies programs. We spoke with representatives from both groups to get the details on this terrific project.

Can you briefly introduce University of Applied Sciences Leiden and multimedia consultant UWMERK!WAARDIG to our readers?

Agnita Mur, Member of the Executive Board: “University of Applied Sciences Leiden (UAS Leiden, in Dutch: Hogeschool Leiden) is a medium-sized University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands with approximately 9.200 students and 900 employees. We offer bachelor’s programmes and perform applied research in a variety of domains ranging from (health)care and social work to economics, and from technology to education. We challenge students to realize their potential.”

André Batenburg, CEO & Owner of UWMERK!WAARDIG: “UWMERK!WAARDIG is a full service multimedia company (strategy and execution) that works for a variety of companies, for instance University of Applied Sciences Leiden, DHL Global Mail, TROS Broadcasting Company, ANWB Media, ADO Den Haag Footballclub and Broekman Logistics Group.”

How did you learn about augmented reality (AR), interactive print and Layar?

Mur: In the strategic overview 2012-2016 UAS Leiden chooses, amongst other strategic issues, that we innovate our marketing and communication taking into account sustainability and the strong growth of mobile devices (amongst which smartphones). In the strategic workshops with our agency UWMERK!WAARDIG we were introduced into the world and possibilities of augmented reality, especially through Layar. Education in the near future will be growing into interactive and on demand concepts, therefore we also need to change our information in that direction.

Batenburg: We strongly believe that the growing penetration of smartphones and consumer behavior creates a successful role for AR.

What are your goals and objectives for using interactive print and AR regarding University of Applied Sciences Leiden?

Mur: As I stated before, as a University of Applied Sciences, we must engage with our students and target groups. Using interactive print in our brochures will help us to give future students a better impression of what they can expect and why to choose UAS Leiden as their educational partner.

Batenburg: We feel that the Layar concept can help grow the interactive connection and engagement between the current students and future students, using film and a variety of interactive buttons.

Do you consider interactive print and AR a strategic choice or rather a trail / experiment?

Mur: We are developing towards being interactive in various ways. Therefore this is not an experiment for one year, but a strategic choice.

Batenburg: We have a growing potential of companies asking for interactive concepts and film. The opportunities of Layar helps us making interaction more easy. Our business is also changing and it gives us new opportunities.

Did you get any feedback within the organization and from students / future students?

Mur: As we speak, we just started the distribution of our study guides in interactive print. The initial reaction in our university is positive and it shows that we are working towards ‘ sustainable recruiting’ and that we innovate.

Batenburg: Within the organization there is an awareness that the Layar concept can create a different dimension in the dialogue between people and brings an easy to use marketingtool.

How do you think interactive print and Layar are a part of future plans of the school?

Mur: First we have to evaluate and have to learn from the results from this year. We hope and believe that interactive communication in all kind of applications can help UAS Leiden to perform and engage better.

Batenburg: Interactive print can increase the number of users in all printed material of the school and can create interactive orientation when people are visiting the school.

What are the strategic changes in the educational field and how can Layar be a part of it?

Mur: Education historically happened mainly inside the building of our university. This changed gradually and will remain changing step by step to new educational concepts. That means video driven classes, flipping the class room, e-learning concepts and the ’traditional’ way of education all combined.

Batenburg: Film, online engagement, interactive concepts and data-analytics will be the future. Layar can be a part of that.

Allianz, a multinational insurance and investment services company and one of the world’s largest businesses, is using Layar to bring augmented reality (AR) and interactive print to its customers.

This summer, with the help of Layar Partner Network member TAB Worldmedia, Allianz Suisse launched a new mobile application - KonnectAR - which allows its clients to access digital content, services and information related to the company’s printed brochures and magazine advertisements. The app was built using the Layar SDK, one of our custom solutions that allows brands to embed Layar’s AR technology directly into their own apps.

When a customer scans an Allianz product brochure or an Allianz advertisement in a magazine, the KonnectAR app provides animated product information, links to relevant websites or even a button to quickly call a service employee on their phone in their preferred language!

“The possibility to connect our online content with our offline commercial instruments and engagements is of crucial importance in an ever increasing connected world,” said Patrick Eugster, Head of Corporate Development and Strategic Marketing at Allianz Suisse. “KonnectAR allows the customer an easy transfer across different media instruments and therefore improves the whole brand experience these customers face.”

Read more about the new KonnectAR app from Allianz!

Last week we introduced you to Klasien van de Zandschulp, one of the fresher faces at Layar who works with user research and interaction design. This week we have another recent hire to profile – Ivo van Barneveld, manager of the Layar Partner Network.

Ivo is a native to the Netherlands with over a decade of work experience in mobile technology, so here’s a bit about him and his experiences so far at Layar.

“I was born in Cadier en Keer in the southern part of the Netherlands (near Maastricht). I lived in the provence of Limburg for the first 4 years of my life and then moved to Dalfsen (near Zwolle) at the age of 5,” says Ivo.

“I have one sister who is three years younger than me and as a family we would spend many, many holidays in Sweden. I really love that country” he adds. “I lived in Dalfsen until the age of 18 when I left to attend college.”

Ivo attended the Delft University of Technology where he earned his Master’s degree in Applied Physics. Before coming to Layar, he worked as a manager at ProRail, which is responsible for the Dutch railway infrastructure.

The majority of his previous work career, however, is from his time with Nokia. Ivo worked for Nokia in several areas, including Networks Forum Nokia and Mobile Video. Now at Layar, Ivo manages the Layar Partner Network.

“As manager of the Layar Partner Network, I provide the premium tier of our developer community with tools, information and business opportunities to make them successful. I organise webinars, develop new initiatives and manage communication between developers, brands and agencies that use Layar,” he says. “The thing I like most about working at Layar is the great group of people I get to work with, and the quick decision making that a smaller company allows.”

Outside of work, for Ivo, family comes first. He is married and has three daughters, ages 3, 6 and 7. Ivo devotes most of his free time to his family, like helping manage the field hockey team two of his daughters play on. With the time left over, he enjoys running and cycling, as well as reading. A book he really recommends is Fermat’s Last Theorem by Simon Singh, even if you’re not into maths!

To get in touch with Ivo about the Layar Partner Network, you can email him at Ivo@Layar.com.