國際暨兩岸事務處

The Expanded Summer School offers a unique, intensive learning experience from 8 to 13 September 2026 at our School of Informatics, Communications and Media in Hagenberg and in Linz.

Held in conjunction with the renowned Expanded Conference (https://expanded-conf.org/) during the internationally acclaimed Ars Electronica Festival in Austria, the program provides a distinct platform for emerging scholars and practitioners.

The Summer School with the central theme “Play to Research” commences with a full-day workshop in Hagenberg, before transitioning to Linz for the Expanded Conference and Ars Electronica Festival activities. This structure is designed to provide both focused skill development and broad exposure to the cutting edge of digital and interactive art.
The 2026 program features a keynote by Katherine Isbister (UC Santa Cruz, Social Emotional Technology Lab), a game research panel on current methodologies, and a hands-on mentoring session with experts from the local games industry.

Target Group:
This program is intended for advanced Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students with an interest in games, particularly in game development. Ideally, applicants are already familiar with the basics of game development, but this is not a strict requirement. A central element of the Summer School is a dedicated mentoring slot in which participants meet with experienced developers from the local games industry to exchange ideas, receive feedback on their own work, and gain insights into game design practice.
Why participate?
- Broaden knowledge in game development and games research
- Direct exchange with international researchers and game industry practitioners
- Access to the Expanded Conference and Ars Electronica Festival programme
- Earn academic credit (3 ECTS)
- Improve intercultural skills and build international contacts
Costs:
€350 tuition fee for students from non-partner universities
Free for students from partner universities
Housing, meals, and travel costs are not included.
Application:
Once you decide to apply for the Summer School, please send an e-mail to international@fh-hagenberg.at. You will then receive a personalized registration link to our online application portal, where the following documents need to be uploaded:
- Current CV/Resume
- Letter of Motivation
- Passport Scan
Application Deadline: 10 July 2026
Please note that places are limited and admission is based on a competitive review of submitted materials. Acceptance decisions will be made exclusively based on the students’ qualifications and the fit with the offered specialization.
Please also note that it is the student’s obligation to take care of visa arrangements for entry and the duration of their stay in Austria. Information about visa requirements can be found on the OeAD website: https://oead.at/en/to-austria/entry-and-residence/