SUTD to launch courses on game development next year

The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) (foreground) is seen on Nov 28, 2011. From next year, second-year students at the SUTD will be able to take courses on game development, which will be offered under the Information Systems
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) (foreground) is seen on Nov 28, 2011. From next year, second-year students at the SUTD will be able to take courses on game development, which will be offered under the Information Systems Technology and Design specialisation. -- ST FILE PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

From next year, second-year students at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) will be able to take courses on game development, which will be offered under the Information Systems Technology and Design specialisation.

The university hopes to "play a significant role in developing Singapore's game industry", said SUTD president Professor Thomas Magnanti. He was speaking at a showcase event to exhibit the works of 32 tertiary students from around Singapore who had participated in a 14-week Game Innovation Programme held by the SUTD Game Lab in May.

Over the next five years, the SUTD Game Lab aims to train 500 interns to boost the local gaming industry, and grow game developers and entrepreneurs.

"In Singapore, games is a nascent but one of the fastest-growing sub-sectors in our local media industry," said Mr Yeo Chun Cheng, the Media Development Authority's industry assistant chief executive officer. The sector had in 2011 comprised more than 200 companies and generated $630 million in operating receipts.

The SUTD Game Lab continues the work of the Singapore-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Gambit Game Lab, of which collaboration ended last year. The programme, which was based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, trained 269 tertiary-level interns from Singapore,

Over five years, they produced 64 games - 55 of which were prototypes and nine which were taken up commercially. More than 80 per cent of its graduates have entered the game or media industry, with five start-up companies set up by its alumni.

The SUTD Game Lab had also created One Upon Light which last week clinched the Best Game title at this year's Independent Games Festival China.

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