Association for Creative Development, Innovation and Design LUDENS INSTITUTE Skopje

Association for Creative Development, Innovation and Design – LUDENS INSTITUTE is a voluntary, non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan organisation based in Skopje, North Macedonia. We work nationally and internationally to promote creative development, innovation and non-formal education. Our distinctive approach uses board-game design and game-based learning as practical tools for developing skills, encouraging participation and strengthening communities. Our work is organised around three complementary areas. The first is youth development and active citizenship, including democratic participation, media and information literacy, leadership, volunteering, intercultural learning and the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities. The second is entrepreneurship and the creative industries, supporting young designers, authors and creators in developing products, business models, crowdfunding, marketing and professional skills. The third is game-based learning, including educational games, STEM learning through games, digital tools, gamification and training for teachers, educators and youth workers. Our programme includes workshops, training courses, seminars, game jams, creative challenges, mentoring, digital prototyping, playtesting, public events and awareness-raising activities. Through these activities, we aim to strengthen creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, digital competences and entrepreneurial skills. We also support the development of educational and socially relevant games that address real-life and community challenges. Our international cooperation priorities include youth exchanges, training activities, study visits, European partnership projects and the exchange of knowledge and good practices. We welcome cooperation with youth organisations, schools, universities, public institutions, NGOs and organisations from the creative industries. We are particularly interested in projects that give young people an active role in research, co-creation, testing and dissemination, while promoting equal opportunities, democratic values, intercultural dialogue and socially responsible innovation.