Making competences visible and shaping the future
On Wednesday, the Gamebadges project had the pleasure of hosting a two-hour online event for game educators from across Europe, moderated by Dr. Natasha Skult. The session combined project-related presentations with broader discussion on student employability, competence recognition and future skill needs in the game industry.
To kick off the programme, Saija Heinonen and Daniel Cattier presented not only the key findings of the Gamebadges project but also an outlook for the future, explaining how some of the project’s key findings and services are intended to remain available even after the project concludes in January 2027.
The event also featured a practical case example from Arcada University of Applied Sciences, where Arash Sammander shared experiences of using Gamebadges in an educational context. Arash pointed out the same observation as received from the Competence Map user survey: making hidden competences visible is an important asset, and acquiring the badges should not be too easy, as this, itself, is an indication of the required standard and part of the value they hold.
Jari-Pekka Kaleva on behalf of the EGDF talked about the importance of the work carried out in the project and the exceptional value it can bring to the European game industry. EGDF is highly keen on maintaining and supporting the ecosystem after the current project lifetime, although the format and model will need to be defined jointly.
Graduate employability
A panel discussion focused on supporting student employment after graduation and the role of competence recognition. The panel brought together representatives from Neogames, EGDF, WALGA and the Czech Game Developers Association. The discussion highlighted a combination of core technical fundamentals, teamwork and interpersonal skills, stamina and perseverance as some of the most valuable strengths for young developers entering the industry. Rapid prototyping, fast testing and critical use of AI were also mentioned.
The panel also emphasised the importance of adaptability, because the near future of the industry is difficult to predict. Therefore, the ability to keep learning after graduation is essential regardless of tools or role.
Industry associations were seen as important supporters in this landscape by helping students and graduates connect with professional communities and events, fostering local knowledge sharing, addressing education–industry mismatches, supporting business and entrepreneurship skills through mentoring and incubator-type activities, and improving access to funding opportunities for indie teams and early-stage studios.
The human advantage
The event concluded with a keynote by Sophie Vo, The Human Advantage: Why being human will remain the key leadership skill of tomorrow. Sophie delivered a powerful reminder that the leaders of tomorrow will win not through tools or tech, but through their humanity. She underscored that making others feel safe, seen, and connected is what will continue to set truly effective leaders apart in an age of AI.
After the official programme, many participants stayed for a more informal session to continue with questions and comments related to the presentations and the themes of the meeting. The discussion returned to topics such as competence recognition, employability and current developments in game education, and participants also shared information and links to recent and upcoming events in the field, including the Student Games Festival and Game Developers Session in Prague.