UC Davis uses a game to chart its future

If you want new ideas, you may need to come up with fresh ways of soliciting them. And that’s why the University of California at Davis is turning to a game.

Envision UC Davis is a massively multiplayer online game from Institute for the Future that launches at 11 a.m. Pacific time tomorrow. It runs for 36 hours, and during that time, it gives students and faculty the opportunity to float concepts and themes for the future of the university in a social, rapid-fire manner. As part of this game, people can meet in person, but most of the interactions will take place online. Students, employees, and anyone else affiliated with UC Davis can register now on the Envision UC Davis website, and then you can play on your phone, tablet, or browser. Gaming is an increasingly important discipline for universities as more students choose to pursue that path as part of their higher education. UC Davis is using that energy to more thoroughly connect its student body with its staff.