UHI joins new national project exploring the role of play in university learning

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is contributing to the UK-wide RE:PLAY project (Researching the Effectiveness of Playful Learning in Higher Education), which explores how playful and creative teaching methods can enhance university education by moving beyond traditional lectures towards more interactive and engaging approaches.

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and led by Northumbria University, the £1 million RE:PLAY project brings together researchers and educators from across the UK to investigate how play is currently being used in higher education, and how it can improve engagement, inclusion, and the overall learning experience for students and staff.

The project will draw on case studies from across the sector, including UHI, where staff and students will be invited to share their experiences of creative and playful learning. These insights will help build a national picture of the value and impact of these approaches, particularly in supporting equity, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging.

Professor Keith Smyth, Dean of Learning, Teaching and Students and Professor of Pedagogy at UHI, said:

“UHI is looking forward to being one of the participating universities supporting the research work of the RE:PLAY project and will be contributing through facilitating feedback from our own staff and students on current and emerging uses of playful and creative approaches to learning and teaching and their value in providing an enriched learning experience.

“Our involvement in RE:PLAY, including through contributing to the partnership board for the project, will also allow us to learn about ways in which we can benefit from further development of playful and creative pedagogies here at UHI.”

This three-year initiative is the first large-scale, systematic study into the effectiveness of playful learning in higher education. It will explore techniques such as role play, interactive simulations, games, digital tools, quests, and challenges, aiming to understand which approaches are most effective, and why, in different teaching contexts.

RE:PLAY also aims to influence how playful learning is perceived in the sector by encouraging institutional leaders to champion its use, supporting academics to build confidence and capability in applying it, and helping students engage in active, creative learning.

For more information on the project, visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/news-events/news/replay