Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of Ukie, who delivered the keynote speech at the state-of-the-art facility’s official launch, said: “Staffordshire University recognised esports early on as a growth sector. It was an early adopter in shaping its world-leading Esports degree, and producing the business leaders and creators of tomorrow.
“Staffordshire University also recognises the importance of building really close links with the industries within which its graduates will end up working, so having Digital Institute London opening in Here East – at the heart of London’s most vibrant tech and creative sectors – really provides the UK with an absolutely golden opportunity to be globally leading.”
Located on the Here East campus in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Staffordshire University’s Digital Institute London will offer students from around the world the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and thrive in careers of the future.
An extension of the Staffordshire University community, Digital Institute London offers forward-thinking degree courses such as Esports and Games Design. The facility will add Cyber Security and Games PR and Community Management to its course offering for the 2020/21 academic year.
Professor Liz Barnes CBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Staffordshire University, said: “Digital Institute London is not only the culmination of our efforts to create a truly Digital University, but also a statement of intent from Staffordshire University. It represents a core part of our ongoing commitment to empower students and prepare them for the careers of tomorrow.
“We are investing in a model of future learning that will give young people a distinct edge when it comes to carving out careers in these rapidly growing sectors. With the support of our industry partners, we believe that Digital Institute London will become a shining example of our shared goal to connect the most employable graduates with the most exciting emerging industries.”
The brand-new facility features studio-style learning spaces, an esports arena, a state-of-the-art control room and a host of other high-tech amenities. Traditional classrooms have been replaced with the types of tech-enabled spaces typically associated with leading industry players.
Rachel Gowers, Director, Digital Institute London, said: “Creativity is a skill set synonymous with Staffordshire University, and we want to develop graduates with the ability to be original, to think outside the box, and to see problems as opportunities to do things differently.
“By giving graduates a set of skills and attributes that encourages them to take risks, make mistakes and be daring, we are actually preparing them for jobs of the future, such as cloud architects, full-stack developers, digital archaeologists and even roles that may not yet exist.
“Digital Institute London and its approach to learning and teaching will benefit our students in Staffordshire and London, enabling us to share opportunities, knowledge and skills between our sites.”
Dr Twist added: “Behind all successful industries there is a successful pipeline in education, and I think there is sometimes an over-focus on STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics].
“A creative and story-telling community that understands the human motivation is what we need for the future, and I have no doubt that Digital Institute London is going to play an incredible role in that future.”