Investigating the Potential of Games to Engage Citizens in Developing Climate Change Policies

Frederick University is proud to announce its participation in the GREAT Project, an initiative aimed at demonstrating the positive impact of games on social engagement and fostering a new form of dialogue between citizens and policy stakeholders.

By harnessing the innovative potential of games, the project enables citizens to express their preferences and attitudes on pressing policy issues, particularly in relation to climate change.

The GREAT Project will conduct a series of case studies to test this approach, explore its potential, and generalize its findings. Through research and innovation, the project seeks to generate new knowledge about the impact of games on European society and to explore how games can be creatively used to enhance citizen engagement in policy-making processes.

Leveraging the central role of games in contemporary culture, the GREAT Project combines academic research with practical experimentation, applying novel game-based methods to support citizens' involvement in social issues. Using collaborative design and citizen science methods, the project integrates expertise in games, data analytics, and policy. This interdisciplinary investigation is supported by case studies that focus on using games to facilitate dialogue between citizens and policy stakeholders, including policymakers, political parties, campaigning organizations, and affected communities.

The project's context is the climate emergency, and each case study represents a research cycle addressing specific policy issues and questions, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. These cycles will feature multiple pilots designed to place games in authentic contexts, ensuring players understand the real-world implications of their actions. By interacting with policy stakeholders, the project aims to "close the loop" and ensure that insights gathered from gameplay influence actual policy development.

In addition to Frederick University, project partners include the University of Bolton, the Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, PlanetPlay, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Serious Games Interactive, and Zentrum für Soziale Innovation. Associated partners include Beijing Normal University and North-West University.

To implement the project, Frederick University collaborates closely with the Cyprus Energy Agency, a non-governmental, non-profit organization committed to supporting Cyprus in building resilience to climate change.