TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021 launched to promote outstanding students, education providers and best practice

LONDON, June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry, today launched the TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021 to recognise outstanding students, education providers and best practice.

Creative Assembly, the UK's largest developer, behind the Total War series and an upcoming sci-fi FPS, is the headline sponsor of the TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021. As a multi-award-winner for their education work, Creative Assembly utilises the skills and passions of their 800 employees to provide industry outreach to students across the globe. The Awards are further supported by BeautyLabs International, a company pioneering the future of enhanced reality in the beauty and wellness industries.

The TIGA UK Games Education Awards will be open to entry from 21^stJune 2021. The closing date is 28^thJuly 2021. The winners will be announced in a fast paced virtual Awards ceremony on 23^rdSeptember 2021.

Award categories:

1. Outstanding TIGA Graduate of the Year: Artist
2. Outstanding TIGA Graduate of the Year: Designer
3. Outstanding TIGA Graduate of the Year: Programmer
4. Outstanding TIGA Graduate of the Year: Production/Enterprise
5. Outstanding TIGA Graduate of the Year: Computer Games Technology
6. Outstanding TIGA Post Graduate of the Year
7. Outstanding TIGA BTEC Learner of the Year *
8. TIGA FE College of Year
9. Innovative Teaching Award
10. Excellence in University - Industry Collaboration
11. Excellence in Games Research
12. Best Student Business
13. Diversity Award
14. Creative Assembly Best Student Game 2021

A Special Award will also be announced at the ceremony. For more information see: https://tiga.org/education-awards/about To enter see: https://tiga.org/education-awards/enter

TIGA's charity partner for the Awards will be The Passage. The Passage has been the caretaker of the homeless community in London for the past 40 years. The Passage's aim is to provide the support to help people transform their lives through outreach services, three residential projects, befriending programmes and the UK's largest Resource Centre. The Passage offers practical support with employment, welfare rights, immigration, and accommodation, as well as tailored advice for mental health or addiction issues and victims of modern slavery. The Passage believe that homelessness is everyone's responsibility and by working together we can be part of the solution. For further details please visit www.passage.org.uk or contact [e-mail]

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

"The UK video games industry depends on a highly skilled workforce and cutting edge research, both of which are provided by higher education. TIGA now wants to strengthen the relationship between industry and higher education via our TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021. Our Awards will recognise outstanding students, the best education providers, and good practices, such as excellence in diversity.

"The global pandemic has resulted in difficulties for many students in terms of anxiety, loneliness and isolation. The TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021 will help to reward and recognise student achievements in what has proven to be a highly challenging year. The pandemic has also created significant challenges for the homeless and so we are pleased to be working with The Passage, our charity partner.

"I would like to thank Creative Assembly, our headline sponsor and BeautyLabs international, for supporting excellence in skills and learning and for making the TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021 possible. We look forward to announcing the winners of the Awards on 23^rdSeptember 2021."

Emma Smith, Head of Talent at Creative Assembly said;

"We have long been advocates for excellence in games industry education; it's at the core of our award-winning Legacy Project. There are so many talented students in the UK who will go on to create incredible games and we want to play our part in helping them get there. Creative Assembly is delighted to be the headline sponsor of the TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021 and we will also be offering expert mentorship to the Graduate of the Year and BTEC Learner of the Year winners."

Mark Gerhard, Co-Founder and CEO of Beauty Labs International Ltd, said:

"Beauty Labs, a leading provider of AI for the connected consumer, is proud to be an inaugural sponsor of the TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2021. Excellence in education is at the very heart of creating innovative compelling consumer experiences and pioneering a smarter future."

Notes to editors

*FE colleges that are members of TIGA will have the opportunity to nominate a 'TIGA BTEC Learner of the Year' from each of their TIGA accredited courses. TIGA will review all the submissions and award the best nominees the accolade of 'TIGA BTEC Learner of the Year'. Students from TIGA accredited courses will be eligible for the Award.

For more information see: https://tiga.org/education-awards/about
To enter see: https://tiga.org/education-awards/enter
To see the categories: https://tiga.org/education-awards/2021-categories

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