The University of Salford’s Business School has today launched a new esports lab in time for the new academic year commencing in September 2024.
The university said in a press release sent out today that the ‘bespoke, industry pioneering lab provides an immersive environment’. It’s been purpose-built to host the digital requirements of students completing the University and Greater Manchester Institute of Technology’s (GMIoT) Higher National Diploma (HND) Esports Business Management programme.
Equipped with a tournament arena, ‘industry grade’ broadcasting equipment, including Blackmagic 4K cameras and television studio mixers, plus an esports suite for teaching, learning and gaming, the lab is designed to support students looking to pave the way in esports.
In addition, the lab has 23 Yoyotech i9 RTX Esports Gaming PCs with Intel i9 Processors and Nvidia RTX 4080 Super graphics cards, amongst other technology. The lab’s teaching and six-seat tournament space has been designed to accommodate broadcasting and competitions, while its Formula 1 licensed racing simulator resembles the technology drivers themselves use to prepare for the tracks.
View more images of the University of Salford esports lab in our gallery on Instagram here:
The news comes a few months after British Esports and Pearson announced higher-tier BTEC qualifications will launch in the UK this September.
Iain Earle, Program Leader for Esports Business Management at Salford Business School, commented: “There’s no doubt that esports is a thriving industry. Whilst once seen as a hobby for many, in recent years it’s been transformed into one of the biggest entertainment markets on the planet. It’s now worth billions, making it not only a viable career route, but an incredibly lucrative one at that.
“Esports is a rapidly growing and ever-evolving sector so, with the latest cutting edge technology integrated into the lab, we have made a considerable investment to really elevate our student experience in this space, while ensuring access to industry grade equipment.
“Salford is now home to higher education’s leading esports lab which will be instrumental in ensuring our students have been fully immersed in the latest technology disrupting the sector, as they progress into their graduate careers.”
Iain Earle, Salford Business School
“Turning your esports hobby into a career is now within reach, thanks to courses like this and spaces like our esports lab. Those who are passionate about the sectors they work in, really do go on to have fulfilling and rewarding careers, and we’re committed to making that happen for our students.”
Now in its second year, Salford Business School’s HND Esports Business Management programme has been developed in collaboration with industry including Manchester-based gaming content organisation Horizon Union, with each module designed to help build the skills required by future professionals to be successful in the industry.
Throughout the course, students are given the opportunity to ‘explore the esports industry’s ecosystem, gaining an expert perspective of the environment while developing awareness of the ethics and integrity that sustain the sector’.
Beyond this, the university said its partnership with Greater Manchester Institute of Technology allows its esports educators and learners to network and share best practices and insights.
Salford’s is the latest university esports lab to open in the UK over the last few years.
Read more esports education news here
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
