Berlin University Alliance

The Serious Transfer Game

Turning Research into Impact, One Move at a Time

Picture yourself in a fast-paced, interactive board game where every decision shapes how your research makes a real-world impact. That is exactly what the Serious Transfer Game offers. Designed for postdocs and PhD researchers from all disciplines, this game provides a playful yet insightful way to tackle challenges, seize opportunities, and explore strategies for creating value from scientific discoveries.

What’s the Game About?

The Serious Transfer Game offers an interactive, hands-on experience that takes you through the world of technology transfer – the process of turning research into real-world impact. In this game, you will face complex situations and work in interdisciplinary teams to find solutions. Learning happens through facilitated discussions, decision-making, and "living through" real-world scenarios. There is no right or wrong: Every decision offers a new perspective, making the experience immersive, engaging, and highly relevant to your career.

The game is built around a fictional case, so you do not need to bring your own project –just an open mind and a willingness to explore how research can make an impact beyond academia.

What You’ll Gain

By playing the game, you will:

• get a hands-on introduction to technology transfer
• gain insights into the added value offered by technology transfer, for your project as well as your career development,
• discover how to apply research findings in practice and create an impact
• explore common challenges in knowledge transfer and strategies to overcome them
• identify key success factors and process chains for effective knowledge transfer
• engage in peer-to-peer learning by collaborating in interdisciplinary teams

• and expand your network and build valuable new connections.

 

Key Features of the Game

• No right or wrong: Every decision has consequences, but there is no single "perfect" solution – learning comes through experience.
• Discussion and reflection: The game encourages exchange between researchers from different disciplines, fostering new perspectives.
• Realistic scenarios: The challenges are based on real-world situations, enabling participants to gain a deeper understanding of technology transfer.

Who’s Behind It?

The Serious Transfer Game was developed by the Transfer School in collaboration with the House of Knowledge and funded by the BUA-Postdoc Academy.

 

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Contact 

Dr. Oesterhelt, Christine - Head of Transfer Support

Technische Universität Berlin

+49-30-314-29039

christine.oesterhelt@tu-berlin.de