Million-pound RE:PLAY project to shine a light on fostering creativity, resilience and problem-solving in students
A major new study is set to reshape the way students learn in higher education, moving beyond traditional lectures to embrace interactive and experiential teaching methods that better prepare graduates for the evolving demands of the modern workplace.
Launching this month, the £1 million RE:PLAY project – led by academics from universities across the UK, and supported by staff and student surveys at institutions including City St George’s, University of London – will systematically investigate the effectiveness of playful learning, an approach that encourages active student participation through role play, simulations, games, challenges, and digital tools.
Funded largely by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the study aims to provide evidence-based insights into how universities can foster creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills alongside subject knowledge.
The project’s findings are expected to inform university policies and empower educators to integrate more innovative and student-centred learning strategies.
With a collaboration of universities including Northumbria, Durham, Anglia Ruskin, Sussex, Coventry, and University of the Arts London, as well as support from City St George’s and five other partner universities, the study will bring together expertise from across the sector to shape the next generation of teaching in higher education.
Professor Susannah Quinsee, Vice-President (Digital and Student Experience) at City St George’s, emphasised the significance of this work.
She said:
Led by Professor Nic Whitton of Northumbria University (a founding member of the Playful Learning Association), the research will unfold across four key phases over three years. It will explore current attitudes towards playful learning, assess its benefits and challenges, develop a structured framework to support its adoption, and analyse its impact on students – including their motivation, sense of belonging, and ability to embrace failure as part of the learning process.
Professor Whitton explained why this shift is necessary:
“The pandemic has forced universities to rethink how they teach, yet resistance to change remains strong due to sector-wide challenges such as funding constraints and increasing workloads.
“Playful learning is not about making education frivolous; it’s about creating environments where students feel safe to experiment, fail, and learn from their mistakes.
“By demonstrating what works and why, we can challenge outdated teaching norms and better prepare graduates for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Northumbria University is embracing experiential learning – often described as ‘learning by doing’ – with the aim of equipping graduates with the confidence and adaptability needed to thrive in an uncertain world.
Professor Graham Wynn, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education at Northumbria University, said:
“Experiential and playful learning are at the heart of producing graduates who can thrive in uncertainty.
“This research into playful learning approaches is vital as we prepare graduates for complex future challenges where creativity and adaptability are as important as subject knowledge.”
With universities increasingly tasked with adapting to changing student needs and employer expectations, the RE:PLAY project represents a significant step toward ensuring that higher education remains relevant, effective, and engaging for generations to come.