– Academia needs to contribute with both research and specialised education in this area, says John Sören Pettersson, professor of information systems at ý Business School.
Through regional development agreements with Region Värmland, ý has identified a number of so-called “smart specialisations”, among them video games.
– The challenge for the smart specialisation of video games and gamification in Värmland, which is the basis of the pilot study, is limited cooperation between industry and academia, says John Sören Pettersson. As a university, we need to contribute with artistic and scientific expertise in both research and specialised education.
The pilot study focuses on three main areas: enhanced education, access to artistic and scientific expertise for game development studios, and business innovation. The study runs until January 2025.
– The purpose of this 9-month pilot study is to map how educational organisations in our region, especially various academic disciplines at the university, can contribute to the development of education and research that strengthens regional expertise and competitiveness in digital game development and related areas, says John Sören Pettersson.
What are the results of the study so far?
– We have several research ideas that are currently being refined, says John Sören Pettersson. A number of research applications will be submitted in 2025 and collaboration with various parts of the business sector has begun. This facilitates the development of the course offerings at ý and ý Business School, and also contributes to even small game studios being able to involve students in their projects.
Through the pilot study, ý researchers have sparked national-level discussions, focusing on postgraduate education in game development and initiatives to strengthen the industry. Collaboration on business development and course cooperation in relation to video games is also being discussed with the upcoming university in Innlandet, Norway.
