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Our Work
Game technology in New settings
Game Tech Academy is an Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak project co-funded by the European Union. The project runs for three years and for these three years, we’ve set ourselves ambitious and motivating goals.
Read on to learn more about how we are working on establishing, growing and innovating Scandinavian meeting spaces for game technology and the people that explore and embrace its potential.
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Game Tech Academy for students
Game Tech Academy aims to involve students with and without technical knowledge or a background in game design and development in the discussion about game technologies’ alternative uses.
We have made it our goal to grow and diversify the group of students that are exposed to and apply state-of-the-art game technologies during their studies. This way, we hope to expand the students’ horizons beyond their regular curriculum – making it easier for them to see game technologies as something interesting and useful while studying and after.
At the educational institutions that are part of the project, we are organising courses, add-ons to existing courses, projects, and hackathons/innovation challenges in close collaboration with educators from various educations.
Game Tech Academy introduce students to at least one technology or principle originally known from game development/design. For courses in game development programmes, we aim to introduce the students to both the latest developments in their field as well as the applicability of their skills and knowledge in sectors outside of the entertainment industry.
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In many of our courses, we include external collaborators like companies or other organisations to facilitate practice- and problem-based learning. This way, our students get a chance to apply their new knowledge and experience first-hand, how game technology can aid them in solving real-life challenges.
To give innovative students the skills and tools needed to take their ideas to the next level in exploring entrepreneurship as a career option, we furthermore organise courses and presentations focusing on entrepreneurial thinking. This way, we aim to open gateways for students to start their own businesses combining game technologies with their education.
See below a selection of the study programmes on (professional) bachelor and master level, that we have collaborated with:
- Aalborg University: Business, Game Development (DADIU), Interaction Design, Medialogy, Tourism
- Dania Academy: Computer Science – Game Development, Software Design
- University of Skövde: Game Development – Serious Games
- Malmö University: Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP)
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Game Tech Academy for educators
With our “Teach4Tomorrow” webinars, we are supporting educators at our partner institutions in teaching today’s students to solve tomorrows challenges – ideally by applying game technologies in novel contexts.
Each webinar is hosted by one of the projects educational partners and topics vary from hands-on pedagogical tools to the latest findings in game development research.
Furthermore, we help our teachers in integrating game technologies into their courses by presenting them with real-life cases (e.g., from local companies) which call for interdisciplinary approaches.
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Game Tech Academy for startup and business coaches
We want to help entrepreneurs seeking support in realising their game technology-driven solution and business idea at one of our innovation hubs in the best possible ways. Game Tech Academy’s startup coaches, business developers, and innovation consultants have therefore embarked on a quest to become even better at their jobs. We are collectively working on identifying what makes game tech startups unique and what types of support and knowledge they need to succeed.
For this purpose, we listen to the entrepreneurs in our network, collaborate with external experts and innovate business models suited for Serious Games and other companies balancing creativity, and technology. Our coaches will expand their knowledge and skillsets through their participation in working groups, cross-partner workshops, and relevant external events.
Our goal is to update the Scandinavian innovation environment to better meet the demands of interdisciplinary startup teams that are looking to enter diverse markets with even more diverse applications of game technologies.
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Game Tech Academy for entrepreneurs
For the entrepreneurs and almost-entrepreneurs located at one of the project’s partner organisations, we already offer professional guidance on all things “start-up”. Throughout the project, we will expand our portfolio with guidance and workshops targeted specifically at entrepreneurs interested in applying game technologies outside of the entertainment industry.
Workshops will be offered at each of Game Tech Academy’s innovation hubs: Business Aalborg, Science Park Skövde, AAU Student Entrepreneurship and Dania Academy.
We furthermore work with finding potential, more established collaborators or test customers for B2B startups. For the startup, this presents a great opportunity to test e.g., market fit of their solution and gain insights into their target industry.
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Game Tech Academy for for established companies
We know that innovation needs strong partnerships just as much as new ideas. There are therefore multiple ways for established companies to benefit from the project.
Genereal Guidance
Companies and public organisations curious about how game technologies could find application in their domain are always welcome to reach out to us! We are happy to share our insights and discuss potentials for further collaboration.
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Case companies
One way to inspire and be inspired is by opening your literal or metaphorical doors to students with competencies within game technologies or other relevant skillsets. Within this project, case companies get to present one or more challenges or curiosities they have to students at one or more of our educational partners.
If you’d like to hear more or become a case company/organisation, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help you with framing your challenge.
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Scandinavian Network for Game Companies
We will be establishing and facilitating a cross-border network of Scandinavian game companies/studies that are interested in exploring their options outside of the entertainment industry. This network will serve as a space for sharing experiences and ideas. Moreover, members of this network will benefit from Game Tech Academy’s contacts to startups and students ready to help kick-start innovation.
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Next level game tech: Research within Game Tech Academy
At Malmö University and the University of Skövde, experienced researchers from the fields of research (serious) games research and development are conducting research on emerging technologies with games development and testing.
In general, the focus of the research at both location lays on the application of artificial intelligence for game development and testing.
The research’s findings will not only be published in academic articles/at academic conferences but also bleed into the project’s other activities. We are naturally integrating the findings into our teaching activities. Furthermore, the researchers affiliated with Game Tech Academy will collaborate with our business coaches to assist in creating materials and offers for game development companies curious about the future of their industry – be that within game development or other industries.
To hear more about Game Tech Academy’s research at Malmö University, please contact Assoc. Prof. José Font or PhD fellow Andreas Jonasson. For our research activities at the University of Skövde, reach out to Prof. Per Backlund (serious games) or research engineer Mikael Lebram or Prof. Henrik Engström (AI for game testing).
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Our central goals in numbers:
Case companies: 8
Start-ups helped: 15
Student start-ups helped: 15
Established companies helped: 10
Students participating in courses etc.: 190
Companies part of the Scandinavian Network: 20
GTA-member staff expanding their skills & knowledge: 30
Funding
Total project budget: 1.935.903 EUR
Funding received from the EU Regional Development Fund: 1.161.541 EUR
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