2025 Teaching and Learning Conference

The fifth ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Conference took place at the University of Uppsala from 8th to 10th October 2025. The conference theme was Playfulness for the Future of Higher Education.  

About

The ENLIGHT Teaching & Learning Conference continues to set new standards for innovation and engagement in higher education. This year's edition in Uppsala was marked by a new high in participant numbers, creativity, involvement, and a commitment to making learning both impactful and enjoyable. The conference featured over 150 workshops, presentations, and poster sessions. In these, participants explored playful teaching methods including games, role play, puzzles, and treasure hunts. Attendees developed and explored skills like creativity, curiosity, and a flexible mindset. Outside of the official sessions, collaborative and spontaneous conversations inspired fresh ideas for higher education. For more information about this edition, you can visit the T&L conference news on the website. 

Conference Growth  

In recent editions, the RUG delegation has been growing steadily. More academics from different faculties and diverse backgrounds are joining the Teaching and Learning Conference, which highlights the increasing importance of teaching and learning as a key theme. Alongside this growth, there has been a notable rise in student involvement, with more students actively participating. This shift shows the conference is becoming more open and inclusive, with students engaging as equal partners alongside teachers.

An important factor behind this success has been the contribution of participants who have attended the conference year after year. These returning delegates have played a key role in creating excitement around the conference, sharing their experiences, and building memories together. Their ongoing involvement has helped to build a welcoming and productive environment, which has laid the foundation for the conference’s steady growth and attractiveness to newcomers. 

Furthermore, the unique and collaborative character of the conference is a major factor behind this enthusiasm. Delegation participants frequently highlight that ENLIGHT’s education-focused conference feels significantly more collaborative than typical research-oriented meetings. Discussions revolve around shared challenges, practical exchanges, and group problem-solving, which help foster cross-institutional partnerships and a strong collective momentum.

This lively engagement across faculty members and students alike demonstrates the conference’s evolving nature as a space for genuine collaboration and innovation in higher education.

Playful Pedagogy and Student Co-Creation

This year’s conference theme, “Playfulness in the Future of Higher Education”, takes active learning to a new level. Attendees experienced a palette of games, role plays, and immersion events, including a museum session where history comes alive through playful exploration. Such approaches spark curiosity and engagement, showing how play can anchor knowledge well beyond exams.

The UG delegation contributed not only with workshops, but also with poster sessions and oral presentations. Topics explored are how games can be incorporated in the learning process, resulting in sessions like “Integrating simulation games throughout the curriculum to train future-ready capabilities” (Daniël Vullings, RUG) or “Feedback from a Monster: Playful Ways to Develop Intercultural Communication Skills” (Oksana Kavatsyuk, RUG). Especially the “students as partners” philosophy is strongly in focus, positioning learners not just as recipients, but as co-creators of educational experiences. The T&L conference provides an important space for educators, academics, and everyone involved in shaping teaching and learning in higher education. 

The teaching and learning award 2025: Recognizing Effective Innovation 

This year’s ENLIGHT Teaching & Learning Award featured a nominee from the RUG delegation, Dr. Jacoba Oedzes, who secured third place at the conference for her innovative HR Analytics course. Her nomination and recognition at the ceremony highlight what is possible when creative teaching is applied thoughtfully, even in large-group courses previously seen as difficult settings for personal engagement and active learning. Jacoba’s course design, developed together with Dr. Stefan Berger, stands out for transforming the learning experience of over 50 students. The course bridges the gap between academic knowledge and workplace practice, helping students approach data analytics and programming with confidence. By incorporating elements like real-world data analysis, storytelling, interactive simulations, and high-stakes boardroom role-play, the course enables students to see the real impact of data-driven decision-making.

Highlighting and rewarding such practices is crucial for continuous improvement in university teaching and for underlining the broader importance of lifelong learning. By spotlighting innovative models like Jacoba’s, the Teaching & Learning Award helps raise standards, motivate educators, and inspire new approaches that benefit future student cohorts.

Looking Forward

ENLIGHT prepares for the next Teaching and Learning conference in Bern, 22-24th of November, under the theme Learning and Context. The diversity of topics, methods, and participants illustrates not only the conference’s growth but also its role as a powerful meeting to foster innovation and change in European higher education.

For photos, presentations, and session replays, visit the ENLIGHT YouTube channel and conference site. Connect with us on social media for ongoing updates and join us for the next chapter in educational innovation!