In the third Structure Call in the DIZH Innovation Program, funding has been awarded to two projects focusing on games as an interdisciplinary field of research and practice, and on new forms of governance in urban and community development. A total of 16 proposals were received.
LUDIC CULTURE HUB
The LUDIC CULTURE HUB brings together research and teaching on games as a cultural, educational, technological and artistic practice. At the Swiss Game Hub in Oerlikon, Zurich’s four higher education institutions are creating a space where research, education, culture and the games industry can engage in ongoing dialogue. This collaboration is structured around four complementary dimensions, each led by a different institution: Ludic Social Analysis (UZH) examines play and gaming as cultural and interactional practices; Ludic Experience and Experiments (ZHdK) explores ludic methods for design, art and research and maintains a collection of historical play equipment and games; Ludic Education (PHZH) researches and develops meaningful ways of using games in education; Ludic Sustainability (ZHAW) focuses on games as a means of promoting sustainability, as well as on the sustainability of the games industry itself.
HyP-Lab
HyP-Lab is developing and testing hybrid participation formats for urban and community development in the Canton of Zurich. The project is based on four real-world use cases, including collaborations with Zurich’s community centres, the city of Winterthur and the Zurich Oberland regional development agency. The aim is to establish a canton-wide support structure in which interested parties receive training in the use of digital and immersive technologies, as well as the open-source platform Decidim. Representatives from towns and smaller municipalities are collaborating on this with civil society actors, as well as ZHAW, UZH and ZHdK.
Both projects are set to strengthen collaboration between the universities in the Canton of Zurich, both amongst themselves and with external partners. Through these practice-oriented and interdisciplinary collaborations, the structures established are intended to generate long-term social value.
Financial support is provided via the DIZH special grant, with funding of just under CHF 1.2 million per project. In addition, the universities are contributing an equal share to the funding through matching funds. The projects will run for three years.
The two new structures complement the portfolio of structures already funded under the 1st and 2nd Structural Calls. In total, the DIZH is funding eleven structures in the fields of health, education, mobility, governance, society and the economy.