Background
The Outbreak Investigation Game (OIG) is an answer to a shared need and aim of the participating Veterinary Faculties to promote learning by simulating real life events in a controlled surrounding, a game. Disease outbreaks do happen regularly, and veterinarians need to be prepared for them. Climate change brings up new challenges to the Northern Europe, when new diseases and vectors are introduced. Disease outbreaks can be disastrous, not only for animals and their owners, but also to the people around them. Zoonotic diseases – such as COVID-19 – induce pandemics. Luckily, with good legislation and preventative measures, the class A diseases have been kept mostly under control in the resent years in the EU. On top of giving guidelines to the prevention of easily transmissible dangerous animal diseases, the new EU Animal Health regulation (EU2016/429) also means a common mindset required of all veterinarians in regards of preparedness and action in case of animal disease outbreaks.
Purpose of the game
The game will be used to tech applied epidemiology to veterinary students. By using gamification, the students get to practise outbreak investigation and learn epidemiology in a real-life setting. The game also enables immediate feedback and the students can test different strategies and see the results of their actions, but in a safe environment. More information is found under objectives.
Funding
The project is founded by Erasmus+.
