Trnava University hosted participants of the international seminar and expert meeting dedicated to the Heritage Game project: Gamification Model for Community-Based Heritage Work: Selected Best Practices, funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme (project no. 2023-1-PT01-KA220-HED-000154261), from 27 to 31 January 2025.
The seminar took place at Trnava University in Trnava and offered a rich programme full of lectures, workshops, and practical activities focused on the use of gamification in cultural heritage conservation.
More than 60 participants from seven countries (Portugal, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, and Slovakia) attended the international seminar. The Heritage Game project is one of the first successes of the European alliance KreativEU, which received support under the European Universities call last year, and the University of South Bohemia is a proud partner.
Heritage Game Event Programme
On the first day of the seminar, participants were introduced to gamification as a tool to increase community engagement in cultural heritage conservation. The programme also included presentations of local game projects that demonstrate how interactive activities can combine education and entertainment.
The second day was dedicated to practical sessions, including workshops on historical game methodologies and presentations of gamification tools that support the exploration of regional cultural heritage.
The programme culminated in a practical demonstration of gamification in the streets of Trnava, where participants could experience the unique combination of game and history in a real environment.
Gamification – Combining Fun and Education
Gamification uses game mechanisms such as rewards, challenges, and interactive elements to increase motivation and interest in cultural heritage. This approach makes history, traditions, and art more accessible to the public and encourages active community involvement.
The University of South Bohemia was represented at the international seminar by representatives from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, USB (PhDr. Jan Petr, Ph.D. and Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Radka Závodská, Ph.D.) and the Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, USB (RNDr. et. PhDr. Aleš Nováček, Ph.D. and Mgr. Michal Staněk). Additionally, the entire project team of HeritageGame from USB (Mgr. Vojtěch Blažek, Ph.D., Mgr. Petra Karvánková, Ph.D. and Assoc. Prof. Mgr. Jiří Rypl, Ph.D. from the Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, USB) participated.
