Call for Submissions: ENLIGHT Regional Academy at the 20th Gotland Game Conference
In June 2026, the Gotland Game Conference (GGC) celebrates its 20th anniversary. For the first time, the conference will host an ENLIGHT Regional Academy as a dedicated track, co-organised by Uppsala University and Region Gotland.
Taking place 8–10 June 2026 in Visby, Gotland (Sweden), this Regional Academy brings together academics, public authorities, industry actors, and local communities to explore how game design, gamification, and cultural and creative industries can support education, innovation, and sustainable regional development — particularly in rural contexts.
Focus of the Regional Academy
The programme will centre on practical knowledge-sharing and collaborative learning, addressing topics such as:
- Cross-sector collaboration between academia, industry, and public actors within culture and creative sectors
- Talent attraction and retention in regional and rural areas
- Infrastructure and incubation models for game startups
- Community-building and innovation ecosystems for cultural and creative industries
- From research to impact: culture and creativity as drivers of regional development
Call for contributions
We invite session proposals, workshops, and presentations that engage with these themes. We welcome contributions that offer:
- Best practices and case studies from similar initiatives
- Strategies for regional talent development and retention
- Collaborative models for bringing together industry/business, government, and academia
- Research insights into innovation ecosystems for creative industries, such as game design and development.
- Practical tools and methodologies for incubator and cluster development for creative industries in general, and the game industry in particular
- Strengthening of game design as an academic subject in both education and research
Practical information
- Event: ENLIGHT Regional Academy at the Gotland Game Conference
- Location: Gotland (Visby), Sweden
- Dates: 8–10 June 2026
- Submission format: Abstract (max. 300 words) + short bio
- Submission deadline: 31 January 2026
Please send your submission or expression of interest to Sepideh Razavi (