Building staff-student partnerships to support sustainability for all by co-designing a carbon descent board game

Carbonopolis: Letz bring it down! is a prototype board game that stimulates awareness and encourages exchange on six climate change topics impacting Luxembourg: urban heat islands, extreme weather, quality of life, mobility, housing and the food system. Whilst playing, participants discover and discuss potential sustainable planning initiatives for carbon descent. Aimed at groups of multicultural players, the game was inspired by snakes and ladders and integrates three type of playing cards: (1) multiple-choice questions for knowledge testing (2) planning initiative cards for value-driven policy prioritisation and (3) crisis cards for critically reflecting on current policy impacts.
The initial game design was conceived by two academics. Then in the spirit of co-design, as a sustainability action for all, and with the goal of building partnerships beyond the formal curriculum we integrated three Master student assistants and one doctoral student into the process, especially in the graphic design and game evaluation. During play sessions students assumed different roles: players, game leaders and game observers. The game provided an opportunity to raise awareness of local sustainability challenges and nurture future advocates. Additionally, the process provided an interactive and playful method for new co-productive curriculum development and the development of team-based relationships between staff and students.