At GameLab, we know innovation crosses borders. Last week, we had the honour of welcoming a special delegation: an enthusiastic group of lecturers from the Basque educational institution Zubiri Manteo.
As part of the Erasmus+ programme, they visited the Netherlands to find inspiration for their own game development teaching. After stops at the well-known networking event INDIGO and Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), their next Dutch visit was to GameLab at The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
It was a short visit, but full of inspiring conversations, cross-pollination and fresh insights into how we educate the game developers of the future.
The GameLab approach: serious games & indie games
The Zubiri Manteo lecturers were interested in how GameLab works and how we organise games education at THUAS. While many traditional programmes focus purely on the commercial AAA industry, we showed how GameLab provides an ideal breeding ground for both serious games and indie games. This resonated with our visitors.
We spoke at length about how we help students create social impact through games while giving them the artistic freedom to start their own indie projects. The Basque delegation was impressed by how we bring theory and practice together in an innovative studio environment.
Fresh insights at The Hague University of Applied Sciences
Although the lecturers had already found plenty of inspiration at INDIGO and BUas, GameLab offered another unique piece of the puzzle, particularly our hands-on attitude and strong links with industry and social partners.
They explored our students’ projects, exchanged methodologies and discussed both the challenges and opportunities in European games education. They also visited the Cyber Security Living Lab (CSyLL), which collaborates with GameLab.
A valuable connection
Zubiri Manteo’s visit shows that the games industry faces the same challenges everywhere, but that sharing knowledge through programmes such as Erasmus+ can help us all reach a higher level. We look back on a successful afternoon and look forward to seeing what international collaborations may grow from it.
Want to know more about the projects we showed the Basque delegation? Visit our projects page or drop by GameLab!