Livingstone-Hope Skills Review

Birmingham City University has been recognised for its innovation by a national skills review looking at the multi-million pound computer games industry.

The Gamer Camp project at Birmingham City University has been highlighted as an example of good practice in an official report and featured in an accompanying film produced following a comprehensive review led by experts Ian Livingstone and Alex Hope.

The report recognised that budding games artists and coders are given ‘real world’ preparation for a career in the multi-billion pound games industry – thanks to the Gamer Camp, a finishing school based at NTI Birmingham , a training and media studio part of the Faculty of Performance, Media and English (PME) at the University.

Gamer Camp is aimed at ambitious and talented gamemakers and has now launched three new training schemes: Nano, Mini and Pro.

·       The shortest of the sessions, Gamer Camp Nano, runs for 1 month as up to 8 programmers and 4 artists or animators create games for a smartphone platform.

·       Gamer Camp Mini, the intermediate version of the course, lasts 3 months and focuses on handheld gaming, with students using more advanced development hardware to create a game for the PSPGo.

·       Gamer Camp Pro students, meanwhile, will be awarded with an MA in Video Games Development from Birmingham City University for completing the 9 month course starting in September 2011, and developing a game for the PlayStation 3 using the latest PlayStationMove technology.

Based on original evidence across schools, universities and industry, the Livingstone-Hope Review sets out a compelling vision for how the UK can be a world leader in games production and visual effects.

“We are delighted that the Livingstone and Hope recognised the excellent work being led at Birmingham City University to support this important sector. Our commitment to meeting the needs of industry is helping to drive our innovation in education,” said NTI Associate Director, Oliver Williams.

The independent Skills Review was commissioned last year by the Government as part of its investigation into how growing industries such as video games and movie effects could be supported.

The UK is the world's fourth largest producer of video games, with an industry set to break £1bn in the next three years.

·       For more information about Gamer Camp contact David Allen on 0121 202 4816 or email: david.luke.allen@bcu.ac.uk .

·       Centre of excellence in computer gaming