Submarine Escape Game from Mikkeli Offers Lessons in Sustainable Food Services

– The experience was truly rewarding and inspiring! The trip offered valuable insights and learning about the operations and teaching methods of higher education institutions. It was also a great opportunity to share our joint project with others, and the presentation was well received. Over the week, we got to know our colleagues well, and we will certainly stay in touch. Encounters like this provide an excellent foundation for developing collaboration and exchanging knowledge. Approaching the experience with courage and openness enables the advancement of international activities in many ways and brings new dimensions to our own work, says Katariina.

Submarine Game Led to New Connections

In Crete’s Staff Academy the sessions varied from AI in history education to Lego Serious Play in entrepreneurship! Katariina and Laura showcased their Submarine Audio Escape Game which was developed for the food service expertise course for Xamk’s hospitality management students. In the game, players take on the role of the staff in a submarine restaurant offering immersive travel experiences. Their task is to design a menu for the submarine’s crew and customers in the year 2150. The Submarine audio escape game aims to enrich online education by integrating practical skills, fostering interaction, and applying high-quality digital pedagogy through methods like gamification. Through storytelling and gamification elements, the game enhances critical thinking, self-direction, and sustainability knowledge by encouraging problem-solving and collaboration.

In Crete, there was a good team spirit and participants hoped that the collaboration would continue. By sharing their game in the Staff Academy Katariina and Laura made connections to France. Now together with their French colleagues they are developing the method into a more multidimensional concept that could be applied in various environments.

Enhancing European Higher Education by Sharing Knowledge

INGNEIUM Staff Academy enhances collaboration between European researchers and university staff.

– For example, I have been wanting to introduce “escape rooms” for ethical decision making but for financial consideration, I have abandoned the project. At the Staff Academy, our Finnish colleagues shared their experience of ‘audio escape rooms’ for hospitality management which is absolutely fabulous idea that requires no additional resources while providing an educative yet fun experience. Our colleagues’ practices emboldened me to draft an audio escape room scenario for the next semester, and I am grateful for the opportunity to count on their knowledge and support, Associate Professor Elisaveta Petrova-Garetto, from the Medical University of Sofia, shares.

– If I must summarize what the Staff Academy provided me with, it is a network of dedicated, passionate colleagues who go out of their way and “the box” to foster meaningful learning opportunities, Elisaveta tells.

Elisaveta shared that, inspired by the example set by INGNEIUM, within MUS they are planning to launch several new initiatives, including the establishment of their own Staff Academy to facilitate knowledge sharing. Elisaveta’s and Katariina’s comments showcase how beneficial these INGENIUM Staff Academy events are to network and to share knowledge and practices to enhance the European higher education.

Next INGENIUM Staff Academy events will be held during spring 2026. Stay tuned for the call to participate!

INGENIUM Staff Academy is held twice a year. Each event will be hosted by one of the Alliance Universities within the 10 Days of INGENIUM framework. The Staff Academy sessions are based on proposals submitted by Alliance staff implementing innovative learning methodologies or wishing to develop them in cooperation with INGENIUM partners. The INGENIUM Alliance organises Staff Academy events to share, transfer and showcase selected innovative pedagogical methodologies from the partner Universities.

Read more about the INGENIUM Staff Academy that was organized at Crete: INGENIUM Staff Academy Brought Together Educators to Share Innovative Pedagogies in Crete

INGENIUM

• Xamk is part of the European University INGENIUM, a campus consisting of ten European higher education institutions.
• Joint studies and degrees, research cooperation, information and experience sharing, student exchange, and staff mobility are at the heart of INGENIUM.
• INGENIUM is co-funded by the European Union.

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