By Nick Sheridan

ProtoTeach is being held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 13 and 14 August. It will examine crucial teaching issues with academics such as exploring practical ways to make their courses more industry-facing and broker innovative projects with industry.

The subjects for the conference were ‘crowdsourced’ from academics themselves and cover thorny issues such as trans-European collaboration, design accreditation, and the future of the games industry.

Speakers from Skillset-accredited courses will share the details of their projects. Dr Dan Livingstone from the University of the West of Scotland will talk about teaching smarter in an age of cuts, Peter Hodge, Head of Division at the Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries, will talk about maintaining effective dialogues with industry, Troels Linde from GAME in Sweden will talk about plans for trans-European collaboration, and Gregor White, Director of Academic Enterprise, Abertay University will discuss proposals for new research into Games Design. A panel of representatives from industry and academia will also debate education and the future of the games industry.

Skillset’s Computer Games manager, Saint John Walker, said: “ProtoTeach will provide games academics with a rare chance to meet, discuss and share practical issues about teaching and collaboration. Academics will also discuss tactics to help universities embed stronger relationships with games developers within their courses.”

Paul Durrant, Business Director at Abertay University's Institute of Arts Media and Computer Games said: "Dare ProtoPlay is an international games development student talent showcase underpinned with significant industry buy in, providing the perfect backdrop for the ProtoTeach conference with the focus on excellence and industry relationships."

This latest initiative follows Ed Vaizey’s announcement at the Develop video games conference that Skillset’s accreditation was “incredibly important” and his outlining of Abertay’s £2 million prototype fund.

Mr Vaizey also announced that Skillset will join with NESTA to conduct a wide-ranging review of education and training in the UK games and visual effects (VFX) industries. The review will be led by Ian Livingstone, who is life president of Eidos and chair of Skillset’s Computer Games Skills Council, Charles Cecil, managing director of Revolution Software and also a member of Skillset’s Computer Games Skills Council, and Alex Hope, from leading visual effects company Double Negative.

For further details on ProtoTeach, contact Saint John Walker on saintw@skillset.org.

About the author and Skillset

Nick Sheridan is Skillset press and PR officer (0207 713 9854 or nicks@skillset.org). Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media, with responsibility for 60 per cent of the UK Creative Industries. This comprises TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging, publishing, advertising and fashion and textiles. SSCs are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenges by sector. They are independent, UK-wide organisations, are employer-led, and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.