The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Abertay University signs China games design deal
partnership: Sturgeon witnesses new tie-up in Beijing
The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was on hand to see the signing of a deal between Abertay University and a major Chinese entertainment company.
The Dundee university – recently named as the best institution in Europe to study games design – has agreed a 10-year partnership with Beijing-based games company Perfect World.
Abertay will deliver a new postgraduate degree programme in the Chinese capital – an Executive Professional Masters in Games Development (e-MProf) – as part of efforts to strengthen bonds between the two countries.
The course will allow for 100 China-based students access to Abertay’s degree programme and will, hopefully, deliver further business, academic and research opportunities between Scotland and Asia.
Abertay enacted a similar partnership with Perfect World in 2016, which introduced a joint teaching programme between Scotland and China.
Ms Sturgeon witnessed the signing of the “historic” deal during her visit to China, as part of the Scotland Is Now event organised by Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International in Beijing.
Principal and vice-chancellor of Abertay University, Professor Nigel Seaton – who was also in China for the partnership signing – said the institution was looking to share its expertise in games across the globe.
He said: “The extension of this fruitful partnership between Abertay University and Perfect World opens the door to another level of collaboration, benefiting academics, students and business alike.
“Over the next 10 years, we look forward to expanding this relationship, exploring together opportunities for the development of academic programmes and research in the area of computer games.
Ruby Wang, chairwoman of Perfect World Education, said: “Both Perfect World and Abertay University are strong in their respective fields, have a consistent educational philosophy and complementary resources.”
Ms Sturgeon will address an audience of policy makers and academics in Beijing today and say Scotland and China will inevitably have “different perspectives” on some issues but are also facing “common challenges”.
The First Minister, who has already raised the issue of human rights during her trip to China, will use a speech in Beijing to highlight how both nations are working to tackle poverty and improve life for children.
The speech is part of a joint Scottish Government and Unicef event, and comes after Ms Sturgeon had a “constructive discussion” with Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua.