Students from several European countries have jointly developed innovative game concepts for Bremen’s cultural sector. The 30 or so students worked in interdisciplinary teams at Hochschule Bremen (HSB) – City University of Applied Sciences, partner of STARS EU Alliance, on projects supported by regional partners from the fields of culture and art. The winning team developed a smartphone game that allows users to discover and interactively experience art in public spaces.

The workshop in the summer semester of 2025 was one of the results of the three-year cooperation project ‘IGNITION’. It connects European universities and promotes innovative teaching formats. The intensive workshop week in the innovative FreiRaum@HSB and the hybrid final event offered students a unique opportunity to gain practical experience in game development, intercultural collaboration and challenge-based learning. The event was organised by Professor Andreas Teufel from the Media Informatics course at Faculty 4 – Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at HSB. ‘The project was a proof-of-concept for our new didactic concepts, which combine hybrid teaching with intensive workshop work,’ explains Andreas Teufel.

‘Much more fun than the traditional course structure’

The positive feedback from the students emphasises the success: ‘It was one of the best courses I’ve attended at HSB,’ says one student looking back. Someone else from the workshop commented: “The concept is great and much more fun than the traditional course structure I’m used to. I really enjoyed the one week of the workshop as it allowed you to fully concentrate on your project with little to no distractions. It felt like a great experience and not just another course.”

Students from three STARS EU partners

Students from the three STARS EU partners Instituto Politechnico de Bragança in Portugal, Hanze University in Groningen (Netherlands) and HSB were involved. They were joined by exchange students from Norway, Turkey and Luxembourg, who are spending their summer semester at HSB. They came from the Media Informatics, Design, Computer Science and Business Administration (BWL) degree programmes. An online phase in April and May was followed by an intensive week of workshops at Hochschule Bremen in June at FreiRaum@HSB. The event officially ended at the end of June with a hybrid closing event.

The partners from Bremen’s cultural scene: The Günter Grass Foundation Bremen, the Verein zur Förderung des Welterbes Rathaus und Roland in Bremen, the Städtische Galerie Bremen and the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Haus took part as partners from Bremen’s cultural scene.

About IGNITION

IGNITION is a research project of the STARS EU partners Hanze Groningen (Netherlands, lead partner), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal) and Hochschule Bremen (HSB) together with the South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford (Ireland).

The acronym IGNITION stands for European DIGital Literacy Coalition for Inclusion, Collaboration aNd InnovaTION. ‘The aim of IGNITION is to provide our lecturers with concrete didactic tools and technological support to enable curricular teaching in international and hybrid settings,’ says project leader Professor Andreas Teufel, Dean of Studies at Faculty 4 – Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. ‘This will not replace our core expertise of teaching in small groups and practical tasks in the seminar room and laboratory, but it will expand our possibilities.’

STARS EU is announcing part of its academic offer for the 2025/2026 year, with the launch of 13 Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) – short training courses combining virtual learning with in-person teaching that foster innovative, collaborative learning in an international context. This edition includes highly topical themes such as generative artificial intelligence, sustainable architectural design, mobile programming, emotional education, and the development of video games linked to cultural heritage.

Targeted at both students and teaching and research staff from the alliance – as well as from other universities – the BIPs are organised by various partner institutions and aligned with STARS EU’s priority areas (Digital Transformation and Social Value and Well-Being). The programmes will take place between October 2025 and June 2026.

The search functionality for BIPs (Blended Intensive Programmes) within the STARS EU website has been optimised to enhance user experience. With the introduction of specific filters—such as organising university, subject area, delivery mode, and target group—users can now access the academic offer more easily and efficiently. This improved system enables students and staff to quickly identify and select the programmes that best match their interests and academic goals.

Students at one of the activities organized at the BIP Future LabCamp, hosted by the Krakow University of Technology (Poland).The academic offer for students includes programmes such as Climate Responsive and Sustainable Building Design, focusing on sustainable architectural solutions and energy strategies; Digital Manufacturing, which promotes hands-on learning using digital manufacturing tools; and Game Development with VR & AR, centred on creative experiences in the development of virtual environments with a local and social approach.

Virtual reality, mobile tech and video games

Other offerings include Heritage in Video Games, aimed at the creation of educational games that interpret local cultural heritage; Game Development with VR & AR, which explores the creative development of immersive experiences using virtual and augmented reality technologies; and Mobile Programming and Technologies, focused on mobile apps for Android/iOS, data security, and programming with Flutter.

In the area of social value and well-being, students will be able to explore two different domains. On one hand, Emotional Education, a programme addressing emotional intelligence, neuroscience, and practical strategies such as dance, music, and virtual reality. On the other, Theories in Translator Training, a BIP through which participants will learn about translation and intercultural interpreting, with a strong focus on critical text analysis.

Focusing more on business, the new programme also includes Business Simulation and Financial Analysis – business simulation and financial analysis, including the preparation of strategic reports – and Management Decisions and Business Simulation, a training course on strategic decision-making in areas such as marketing, finance, and human resources.

AI and knowledge transfer

Among the programmes aimed at academic staff are BIPs such as Critical Thinking in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence, focused on critical thinking, the foundations of AI, and its ethical implications; Job It Up! aimed at employability, personal development, and transversal skills; and Knowledge Transfer Academy, which explores the role of universities in innovation and technology transfer to society.

The programmes offer between 3 and 6 ECTS credits and allow participants to apply for Erasmus+ funding to cover travel and accommodation costs. This format reinforces the alliance’s commitment to a more inclusive, accessible higher education system that is closely aligned with the challenges of the 21st century, as outlined in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the alliance, “BIPs are a strategic opportunity to promote interdisciplinary learning and strengthen the bonds between our university communities.” With this new edition, STARS EU reinforces its commitment to education that combines academic excellence with pedagogical innovation and social impact.

Interested individuals can find full information and registration contacts at starseu.org/upcoming-bips/.