University of Glamorgan joins ELSPA

ELSPA has welcomed the University of Glamorgan as its newest member following the successful proposal to establish a Digital Games Content Laboratory (DIGiLab) at the University.

DiGiLab is the result of a successful funding bid to the Academia for Business (A4B) scheme for £422,555. It will aim to produce digital games prototypes to demonstrate the commercial potential to games publishers; broker relationships between existing companies and games industry associations, and provide work based experiential learning for development graduates in Wales.

“We are delighted to welcome the University of Glamorgan to our ranks and we congratulate the Welsh Assembly on this forward-thinking move to support the fledgling video games industry in Wales,” said director general of ELSPA Mike Rawlinson.

“As ELSPA transitions to the Association of UK Interactive Entertainment, to reflect the evolution and growth of the industry, I look forward to working with many of the businesses that will benefit from this great initiative.”

Dean of the University’s Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries Professor Peter Robertson said: “In collaboration with Swansea Metropolitan University and @Wales Digital Media, the project will provide a unique resource to support open innovation in the Welsh media industries.”

“This sub-sector is a key part of the creative industries in the UK but recent consultation with companies in Wales has highlighted there is lack of expertise in computer games content development, which we hope to address with this scheme.”

The project is associated with the University’s Media Lab initiative which has to date been given £866,434 of grant funding and will be formally opened by the First Minister of Wales in September.