Games education festival wins industry award

The UK's biggest videogames education festival has won an industry award for successfully engaging and educating hundreds of children and teachers in computer science and digital creativity over the summer.

The Games Britannia festival was named 'Best university / educational initiative' at the national TIGA Games Industry Awards 2012 last week, where the award was collected by this year's festival director, Mark Hardisty.

The week-long festival included 54 workshops and talks, attended by around 1,000 pupils. There was also a keynote address by industry champion Ian Livingstone OBE, a game jam led by Sheffield Hallam University, a BAFTA Games Question Time and careers advice sessions.

Dr Jake Habgood, senior lecturer in game development at Sheffield Hallam University will be taking on the role of festival director for the 2013 event. He said: "The Games Britannia festival brings creativity and technology together, providing schools and colleges with workshops and activities led by games industry experts and academics.

"We're delighted that this year's festival has been recognised for its achievements with an industry award, and it is credit to everyone who was involved in making it such a great event.

"We're also very proud to announce that Games Britannia will continue - and the 2013 festival will have even more focus on inspiring the next generation of talent for the creative digital industries."

Games Britannia 2013 will be held entirely at Sheffield Hallam University, and will focus on engaging and inspiring school pupils and teachers with practical workshops in computer science and digital creativity.

For more information on Games Britannia visit www.gamesbritannia.com.