TWENTY years on from becoming the first in the world to offer courses in video and computer games, Abertay University is offering three student teams the chance to study at top gaming hubs in India, China and the USA.
The prize placements will go to the winners of the University’s Dare to be Digital games design competition, which is being re-booted after 16 years.
The three winners of the contest, which opens for entries on February 1, can expect to jet out in October, November and December.
In another first, Dare teams will be given stands with individual team branding to promote their games at EGX, Europe’s second largest gaming trade show.
Held at the NEC in Birmingham, the event attracts 75,000 visitors over three days and will provide an invaluable showcase for the students, allowing access to video games industry leaders, trendsetters and gamers.
The teams will also attend Resonate: Total Gaming festival in Glasgow with the same high level of support.
Under new branding, Dare to be Digital will become Dare Academy and the competition is open only to Abertay students.
A further opportunity to showcase this year’s Dare talent will be offered at a hugely expanded five-day Digital Graduate Show at the end of the year, taking place in the University’s Hannah Maclure Centre from May 5.
The show will see Dare material included in an array of exhibitions, retro games, performance pieces and other events to celebrate achievements from Abertay’s games courses over the last two decades.
Professor Gregor White, Head of the School of Arts, Media and Computer Games, said: “We felt it was the right time to re-evaluate what our Abertay students were getting from the experience.
“Attendance at EGX and Resonate, coupled with the opportunity to win an international work placement, means there is more on offer to our contestants than ever before.”
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