What does it take to transform complex global trade systems and sustainability challenges into a fun, educational board game? 🎲

What does it take to transform complex global trade systems and sustainability challenges into a fun, educational board game? 🎲

Welcome to the creative process behind EcoTrade, an Erasmus+ KA210-VET project that turns international trade and ecological decision-making into hands-on learning experiences for VET students and trainers across Europe.

At its core, EcoTrade is more than a game - it’s a learning journey. It helps players understand how everyday trade decisions impact people, the economy, and the planet. Let’s take a closer look at how this innovative educational tool came to life. 🌍

💡 From Concept to Prototype

The design journey began with a simple question: How can we make sustainability and trade education interactive, practical, and fun?

During the Co-Creation International Workshop (LTTA 1) in Karditsa, Greece, educators, trainers, and game designers from ITM Miranda (Spain), Dracon Rules Design Studio (Greece), and Training 2000 (Italy) joined forces to brainstorm, design, and test the first version of the EcoTrade board game.

The result? A prototype that merges real-world trade logic with game mechanics inspired by collaboration, decision-making, and critical thinking.

Players simulate being international traders who must balance profit, environmental impact, and social responsibility. Every card, rule, and challenge invites them to consider how their choices affect the planet - making sustainability a part of strategy.

🧩 Designing the Learning Experience

The game was carefully structured to match VET learning outcomes. Each mechanic is linked to a key competence:

🌱 Green Skills – understanding sustainable production and logistics

💼 Entrepreneurial Thinking – analyzing risks and opportunities in trade

🤝 Collaboration & Communication – working in teams to make responsible decisions

🔄 Systems Thinking – visualizing how global supply chains interact

Every game session becomes a mini-classroom of experiential learning, where participants engage, discuss, and learn by doing - a core principle of Erasmus+ and game-based education.

⚙️ Co-Creation and Testing

After the prototype was built, the partners launched the testing phase across the participating countries. Educators and students played the early versions, provided feedback on the rules, balance, and clarity, and helped improve the materials.

This iterative co-creation ensured that EcoTrade wasn’t just a game — it was a collaborative learning ecosystem, shaped by teachers, trainers, and learners themselves.

Each adjustment - from shipment routes to sustainability scoring - was guided by one question: How can this game make learning clearer, deeper, and more impactful?

🚀 What’s Next?

The next phase involves developing the Trainer’s Guide and a digital version of the game on Tabletopia, allowing players to experience EcoTrade online.
The final version will also include a video tutorial and downloadable Print & Play pack, making it accessible to schools and training centers across Europe.

Behind the colorful cards and rules lies a powerful vision: to make education for sustainable development (ESD) engaging, modern, and inclusive.

🌍 EcoTrade – Learn, Play, and Go Green

EcoTrade proves that sustainability education can be exciting. By merging learning, creativity, and gameplay, it empowers young people to think globally and act responsibly.

Stay tuned as the project continues shaping the final version of the game - and transforming the way we learn about the world, one move at a time. ♻️