Written by The University of Warwick is set to celebrate the opening of it’s new Esports Centre with a special two-day celebration of esports and technological innovation in our region.
Following an official opening for the press and regional stakeholders on 14th September (10.00-13.00), guests will be welcomed to the Esports Centre on 15th September (14.00-17.00) for an afternoon of talks from leading esports figures and tournaments.
- Guests on the 14 September will include Professor Stuart Croft, Warwick’s Vice Chancellor, Jo Seppala, CEO of Sisu Capital, and Sarah Windrum, Chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP).
With Warwickshire’s Silicon Spa internationally recognised as a games cluster generating some of the best-known games titles and brands, the Esports Centre, located at the heart of the Warwick campus, will seek to work closely with regional and national partners including CWLEP, Create Central, and the West Midlands Combined Authority to lead on esports.
The Centre will provide cutting-edge facilities that can help in training and research into esports, and provide an adaptable competition venue. In doing so, the centre will help build on the success of Warwick’s esport competitors, who this year retained the title of UK Esports University of the Year for the third time in succession.
Supported by £275,000 of investment by the University, the Esports Centre is the equal of any other such facility in the UK and the first at a Russell Group University – and will provide a significant range of benefits both to Warwick and the surrounding region:
- Skills development that will synergies with many industries but particularly the creative and digital sector in Silicon Spa, the largest creative cluster outside Greater London
- New research opportunities for staff and students alike in subjects areas as diverse as Applied Linguistics and personalised health
- New and novel tourism opportunities as conference delegates and esports fans come to events and tournaments at the Centre
- A variety of jobs coaching, producing, and managing esports initiatives at the Centre
- Increased careers opportunities and skills development in a range of careers, particularly for young people in the local community, students and graduates
- Support for young people and community groups and to explore the educational and social benefits of playing and team-building
- Supporting businesses in the gaming and esports industry use the facility as a test bed for innovation;
- Connecting non esports businesses with researchers to further investigate how they can benefit from the emerging industry.
Commenting on the launch of the Esports Centre and what it will bring to the Warwick community, Jack Fenton, Warwick’s Esports Consultant, said:
“As esports continue to flourish globally, it is vital that we bring together the technological and scientific skills to take esports to the next level. The University of Warwick’s new Esports Centre will provide us with the ideal facility to develop new understandings of the psychological and nutritional needs of competitors, teach the next generation the technical and technological skills necessary to take esports forward, and will enable us to bring together and support an inclusive community of competitors in an environment that allows collaboration to thrive. I can’t wait to see the positive impact the centre will have on campus and within our wider community.”
If you are keen to find out more about Esports at Warwick and would like to attend the event on 15th September, please email: esports@warwick.ac.uk