Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI).
The University of Staffordshire has become the UK’s first uni to have its campus digitally recreated in Fortnite, with gamers able to explore ‘StaffsVerse’ virtually.
Built by games students in Unreal Engine and hosted as a Fortnite island, StaffsVerse is a virtual space which students, staff and the global community can access. It’s open for exploration from today (Friday January 10th).
Visitors to the Fortnite island can play mini games while navigating the university’s three main campuses, which have been virtually recreated.
It will be used to host future campus tours, public lectures and other online events. StaffsVerse will also be introduced to prospective students at the university’s virtual Open Day on Thursday January 16th 2025.
To access the StaffsVerse campus, launch Fortnite and type in the island code 7421-1052-8692.
StaffsVerse was created by students from a range of games courses as part of the University’s award-winning 1UP placement programme, which offers work experience through its in-house games studio.
The University of Staffordshire is home to the UK’s largest games department and was recently awarded ‘Best Educational Institution’ at the TIGA Games Industry Awards.
Last year, Staffs Uni opened new £2.7m+ esports facilities, and the Staffs Uni Valorant team became the first to win a University Esports Masters title for Great Britain.
Kimberley Chadwick-Reaney, Head of Schools’ Liaison, commented: “StaffsVerse redefines the conventional campus introductory experience.
“It not only shows off the incredible skills of our Games Institute’s staff and students but offers young people a unique way to interact with the university in a format that they are familiar with and enjoy.”
“We know that not everyone is able to physically visit an Open Day or our other on-campus events, and we hope that StaffsVerse will help to engage new audiences by showcasing our range of courses and the opportunities that higher education can offer.”
Kimberley Chadwick-Reaney, University of Staffordshire
Professor Chris Headleand, Head of the University’s Games Institute, said: “We’re thrilled to launch the StaffsVerse virtual campus, an exciting and innovative project that unites our Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and London campuses in a single, immersive metaverse experience.
“Designed and built by our incredibly talented students, StaffsVerse offers a new and engaging way to explore and connect with the University.
“StaffsVerse also provides a space for students to engage with the university and each other throughout their higher education journey. From those looking to learn more about what we do, to new students transitioning to university life and those who are currently studying with us.”
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Martin Jones, added: “The launch of StaffsVerse marks an exciting new chapter for University of Staffordshire. By blending cutting-edge technology with our commitment to innovation, the StaffsVerse virtual campus redefines how students, staff, and the wider community can engage with our university.
“This groundbreaking initiative showcases our commitment to shaping the future of education in the digital age.”
There’s more detail about StaffsVerse in the University of Staffordshire’s latest episode of the Level of Detail vodcast:
There’s more info about University of Staffordshire’s games courses 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.
