ISAGA Summer School 2026
ISAGA Summer School 2026
Co-organiser of the event:
Content partner:
Theme
Simulation game design and research for organisational and communal interventions
ISAGA Summer School’s mission is to bring the knowledge and practice of simulation gaming to the community. Over 25 years, ISS has been visited by many scholars and practitioners seeking high-quality knowledge on game design and game-based research. During the 5-day program, you will be able to learn about design, facilitation, and evaluation of simulation games or about designing game-based research, methodologies, analyzing results, and implementing outcomes. In both cases, you will be able to work on your own ideas with the coaching and help of our very experienced teachers coming from the simulation gaming community.
Working with organisations and communities in turbulent times requires skills in representing complex realities and conveying the challenges those times represent to organisations and communities. ISS 2026 aims to provide knowledge and skills on how to build such simulation games and create research around them for successful interventions, policy building, and testing.
Program
Sunday, July 5th - Get together in the evening – venue TBA
Monday, July 6th
Game design Track
- 9.00-9.30 Registration
- 9.30-11.00 Joint lecture I. Simulation gaming as a discipline
- 11.00-11.15 Coffee break
- 11.15-12.30 Simulation Game-play workshop
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.00 Workshop 1. “Defining the scope and goals for the game or project?”
Game-based research Track
- 9.00-9.30 Registration
- 9.30-11.00 Joint lecture I. Simulation gaming as a discipline
- 11.00-11.15 Coffee break
- 11.15-12.30 Simulation Game-play workshop
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.00 Workshop 1. “Game mechanics and representation of complexity.”
Tuesday, July 7th
Game design Track
- 9.00-10.30 Joint lecture 2. On simulation, gaming, and complex systems
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Game design workshop.
- 12.30 - 13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.30 Workshop 2. “Draw, dance, or play the problem you want to represent or simulate.”
Game-based research Track
- 9.00-10.30 Joint lecture 2. On simulation, gaming, and complex systems
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Lecture and discussion. Simulation games and gamification interventions in organizations. Example of research on gaming and through gaming.
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.30 Workshop 2. “Reading seminar on organisational interventions and game-based change”
Wednesday, July 8th
Game design Track
- 9.30-10.30 Joint lecture 3. Validity, fidelity, and game testing
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Simulation game-play workshop - we play simulation games
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.30 Workshop 3. “Advanced game elements and mechanics - time and events modeling” and game design workshop
Game-based research Track
- 9.30-10.30 Joint lecture 3. Validity, fidelity, and game testing
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 11.15-12.30 Simulation game-play workshop - we play games
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.30 Workshop 3. “No surprises, just chaos as usual - introducing simulation games to organisations and communities”.
Thursday, July 9th
Game design Track
- 9.00-10.30 Joint lecture 4. Facilitation and debriefing of simulation games
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Workshop 4. “Game design workshop - work in groups.”
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.30 Social program.
Game-based research Track
- 9.00-10.30 Joint lecture 4. Facilitation and debriefing of simulation games
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Workshop 4. “Research proposal formulation and discussion”
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
- 13.15-16.30 Social program.
Friday, July 10th
Game design Track
- 9.00-10.30 Closing lecture - summary and implementing simulation games into reality.
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Workshop 4. “Game design workshop.”
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
Game-based research Track
- 9.00-10.30 Closing lecture - summary and implementing simulation games into reality.
- 10.30-10.45 Coffee break
- 10.45-12.30 Workshop 4. “Formulation of the research design papers.”
- 12.30-13.15 Lunch break
Both Tracks
- 13.15-16.30 Presentations of games and research: debriefing the ISS.
Fees
Participation in ISAGA Summer School 2026 is free of charge thanks to funding from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA). The number of participants is limited to 20. Registration is required, and places will be allocated based on the order and quality of applications and/or academic fit with the programme.
Participation in the event includes:
- Participation in the lectures and workshops Materials from the ISS Lunches and Thursday Social Activities Certification of participation. 3 ECTS confirmation for PhD and Master's Students
PRELEGENCI
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Assistant professor and Head of the Department of Quantitative Methods & Information Technology, Director of MBA for IT at Kozminski University and Adjunct Professor at University of Applied Science Vorarlberg. 2003 trainer and developer of simulation games and gamification systems for education, business, and consulting. Author of many publications on games-based learning and serious game design. Passionate game designer, author, and co-author of around 60 scientific publications. Fellow at Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning and President of International Simulation and Gaming Association (2019-2020) and Member of SAGSAGA. Laureate of the CEEMAN 2019 Champion in Teaching Award for innovative VR game-based learning program. He is actively teaching, researching, and publishing on the field of games and gaming for learning, teaching, and engaging people. An enthusiastic supporter of games and gamification and a member of the gamification experts network, he believes that games and gamification will change how we learn and work.
A research and teaching staff member at the Simulation Games and Gamification Center within the Department of Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Applications at Kozminski University. A graduate of Psychology in Management at Kozminski University and Quantitative Methods in Economics and Information Systems at the Warsaw School of Economics. Currently pursuing doctoral studies in management at Kozminski University. Teaches statistics, operations management, and simulation games in both Polish and English. Main research interests include change management, the application of games and gamification in education, and the implementation of new technologies in enterprises.
