The Cologne Game Lab (CGL), Institute for Game Development & Research at TH Köln, has elected its new board under the institute’s updated governance framework. The board is chaired by Björn Bartholdy as Head of the Institute, with Nanette Kaulig responsible for Teaching and Learning, Sonia Fizek for Research, and Odile Limpach for Incubation and transfer activities. In this context, Prof. Nanette Kaulig was also elected Deputy Head of the Institute.

The new board will drive the implementation of the CGL strategic development plan 2026–2031, which positions the institute at the intersection of technology, arts, sciences, and society and strengthens the CGL’s profile as an internationally visible hub for education, research, and transfer. Central to this agenda is the CGL’s guiding triad “Study – Research – Incubate”: advancing degree programmes with a focus on games literacy, critical judgement and interdisciplinary project work; reinforcing an integrated research culture with strong third-party funding and international visibility; and consolidating transfer and incubation formats that connect academic expertise with industry, culture, education, and civil society.

A further focus of the new board is organisational and infrastructural consolidation: professionalising internal processes, supporting growing project and cooperation demands, and safeguarding the spaces and technical resources required for teaching, research, and incubation. Building on recent developments, the CGL will also continue to expand its role as a platform for international exchange on the future of play, including through the TransFormations conference format.