Here East has revealed that Staffordshire University will be opening a new digital innovation centre at the award-winning campus located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The university’s specialist Esports hub, Digital Institute London, will offer specialist teaching and from September the university will be introducing its specialist games industry courses at the new facilities in Here East.
The university, which was the first to launch a dedicated Esports degree last year, will join a community where a dedicated Esports cluster has been forming.
Digital Institute London is designed to train the next Esports managers, shoutcasters and broadcasters and will be an exciting addition to the digital and tech campus. It will join companies such as Sports Interactive, BT Sports, Bid Stack, and will be the perfect addition to the already prominent community at Here East.
Esports has exploded over the past few years, with countless companies emerging to offer their services in the sector. Staffordshire University’s latest course, offering Games PR and Community Management, aims to attract students from across the nation to this newly formed cluster.
Gavin Poole, CEO of Here East, said: “Welcoming Staffordshire University’s Digital Institute London to Here East is a significant step for our community. The institute will be joining leading companies, startups and our existing academic institutions, providing a fantastic opportunity for further collaborations.
“Here East has a thriving academic and e-sports community and we have no doubt that the arrival of Digital Institute London will further accelerate the sectors presence at Here East.”
Professor Liz Barnes, vice chancellor and chief executive of Staffordshire University, said: “We’ve been impressed with the rapid transformation of the Here East super-campus environment which will position us alongside a diverse community of exciting business startups and creative industries.
“We believe this is the right fit for the Digital Institute London and we look forward to playing a key part in Here East’s success as a location for growth and innovation.”