The invention relates to a composition comprising a mixture of at least one degradable hydrogel and at least one kind of degradable and surface cross-linked particle. The at least one kind of degradable and surface cross-linked particle comprises a material which degrades faster than the degradable hydrogel. The composition can further comprise one or more species of living cells. The invention relates also to a method of manufacturing the composition, as well as to a method of manufacturing a scaffold for tissue engineering using the composition.