UK’s National Student Esports partners with Intel for its second season

National Student Esports (NSE) – which works to support the growth of esports within the higher education sector in partnership with British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) – has announced a “strategic, long-term partnership” with Intel, starting with the second season of the UK’s British University Esports Championship.

Working with BUCS, which is the governing body for university sport, NSE is committed to investing in grassroots esports in the UK and plans to work with Intel “on a range of initiatives throughout the 19/20 championship season and beyond”.

The inaugural season of the British University Esports Championship saw almost 600 teams compete in seven different titles across 73 universities, with championships featuring Counter-Strike – Global Offensive, Dota 2, FIFA 19, Hearthstone, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League.

Looking ahead to the 2019/20 season, the organisation says it has “plans to expand titles in the coming months”.

“We are thrilled to have such a well-established brand like Intel recognise NSE as an industry leader when it comes to university esports,” said Jonathan Tilbury, executive director at National Student Esports. “NSE’s core audience are mostly students enrolled on STEM courses, including a significant number of computer science students. As digital natives and tech enthusiasts, many of these graduates will potentially go on to shape the future of the esports, games and tech industries, making this an exciting venture for tech-focused brands like Intel.”

“Intel is committed to the future of esports – which as well as creating new technology means supporting grassroots university leagues to hosting major tournaments and investing in the ideas, communities, and talent we believe in,” added Scott Gillingham, UK gaming and esports lead. “That’s why Intel is proud to become the headline sponsor of NSE, to help showcase new and exciting career paths for university students, and to show the world that esports is here to stay.”

More details about NSE and Intel’s partnership will be announced soon.