How can universities and research institutes help build a more sustainable games industry — and what does that look like in practice?

Join the latest meet-up organised as part of the Sustainable Games Alliance's Academic Network, a growing global initiative co-led by STRATEGIES researcher Chloé Wake and Patrick Prax, Associate Professor at the Department of Game Design at Uppsala University, Sweden. The Academic Network reflects the longstanding collaboration between STRATEGIES and the SGA, working together to bring the latest research and best practice directly to the games industry.

The session brings together representatives from academia and research who are committed to driving real change. Its focus is on the role of higher education in embedding sustainable practices and ecological thinking into the training programmes that will shape the next generation of game developers — equipping future industry professionals with the skills and frameworks they need.

The meet-up will explore the relationship between practical sustainability work and research from two directions. Bart Simon will present practical design research that uses making as a method for exploring conditions of production, while Hugo Bille will reflect on research and education from the perspective of a game maker and community organiser — asking what academia should focus on to create real, practical change and to empower students.

Whether you are involved in games education, sustainability research, or industry-facing training programmes, this is an opportunity to share best practices, build connections, and contribute to a growing global network working toward a more sustainable games industry.