30.09.2026
A serious game about globalization evolved into a co-creative learning platform!
What began as a serious game for exploring global topics and interconnections developed into a co-creative learning platform through the Graveler project. The interactive platform can be used for a wide variety of learning content and enriches teaching and learning at the University of Tübingen.
How can game-based learning help make global interconnections tangible? This question inspired the development of Graveler within Global Awareness Education. Originally conceived as a serious game, Graveler evolved over the course of the project into a co-creative learning platform that brings students and educators together and enables them to design interactive learning worldscollaboratively.
Graveler was developed within Global Awareness Education in collaboration with the Digital Humanities Master’s profile, the Center for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and the companyNcite. Designed as a two-dimensional online multiplayer role-playing game, the platform combines playful elements with academic content, enabling students to explore global issues together.
An important milestone in its development was the Graveler Game Festival in November 2025. The four-day event brought international experts, students, educators, and creatives together in Tübingen. During the subsequent 48-hour Game Jam, participants created a total of 16 serious games addressing a range of socially relevant topics. The event also highlighted the potential of combining game-based learning, academic content, and co-creative formats.
The outcomes of the Graveler project, funded by the “Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre”, extend beyond the development of a single serious game. Graveler remains available for teaching and is currently used in seminars, workshops, and events within Global Awareness Education (GAE). Colleagues interested in using Graveler in their courses or learning more about game-based learning in higher education are welcome to contact the GAE team.
Further insights into the development, activities, and outcomes of the project can be found in the final Graveler Project Report, available in both German and English.