BUV contributes to solving the human resources problem in the Vietnamese gaming industry.

The British University Vietnam (BUV) is strengthening cooperation and upgrading its training programs and facilities to meet the demand for high-quality personnel in the gaming industry.

At the end of 2023, the British University Vietnam (BUV) and the National Innovation Center (NIC) exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding on strategic cooperation to develop the Vietnamese gaming industry, focusing on areas such as promoting knowledge exchange and learning, collaborating on research and innovation projects, and strengthening the university's role in the NIC's gaming technology development ecosystem.

Students and faculty from BUV's Game Design and Programming program at the 2023 Vietnam National Game Industry Forum. Photo: BUV — Students and faculty from BUV's Game Design and Programming program at the 2023 Vietnam National Game Industry Forum. Photo: *BUV*

BUV also decided to establish BUV GamePad - a Center for Innovation, Investment, and Startup Incubation for projects in Game Programming, Design, and Graphics. (BUV GamePad – the Innovation, Investment, and Entrepreneurship Centre for Computer Games Programming, Art, and Design). The organization expects the project to become a launching pad for young talents, attracting and training them through a nurturing and development-oriented model for developers, programmers, and designers.

The school began offering Bachelor of Game Design and Programming programs in 2018 and continues to enroll students in the Bachelor of Game Graphics (Games Art) program for the 2024-2025 academic year. Both programs are awarded degrees by Staffordshire University (UK), ranked among the top 7 universities in the world for Game Design and Development in 2023, according to The Rookies .

BUV equips students with a solid foundation of formal knowledge and practical skills. Simultaneously, the university has built a Game Studio with modern facilities to optimize practical training. This includes a Computer Lab with state-of-the-art, high-configuration computers; a Game Design and Programming Room (CGDP) equipped with 27-inch monitors that can be adjusted in height and rotation to suit various needs; and a Motion Capture Studio with a green screen, motion capture equipment for game programming, professional cameras, virtual reality (VR) glasses, and more.

BUV students practice in the school's computer lab. Photo: BUV — BUV students practice in the school's computer lab. Photo: *BUV*

In addition, all graduates of the game development program at BUV have the opportunity to participate in creative game development projects under the evaluation and guidance of lecturers and leading industry experts. The university also conducts programs and competitions in this field to provide students with experience in a real game development environment. Among these, the Game Jam competition is a challenging competition where students have to create a game for 44 consecutive hours. Through these activities, students can hone their practical skills and gain a better understanding of the real game development process.

Further explaining the investment in expanding Game Industry training, a representative from BUV stated that the Ministry of Information and Communications aims to increase the game industry's revenue from $600 million to $1 billion within five years, making it one of the country's leading growth sectors. In this context, many businesses and educational institutions are also focusing on developing human resources to meet market demands.

The industry has received such attention and investment due to its significant potential in recent years. Industry revenue reached over $600 million, ranking fourth in Southeast Asia. With 54.6 million users and a growth rate of 9% per year, higher than the regional average (8.2%), Vietnam is highly regarded by experts.

Bloomberg News considers Vietnam a gaming powerhouse, ranking among the top 5 mobile game producers globally in terms of downloads during the first six months of 2023. However, the gap with the world's leading countries remains significant when considering complexity, game quality, and graphics. Training and upgrading the skills of the workforce is a positive solution to this problem.

According to the school's representative, as the gaming industry increasingly establishes its position, the government , private entities, and training institutions are also actively contributing to the overall development of the industry.

"When educational institutions take pioneering steps and make systematic and thorough investments, young people will have more training program options and be able to join the skilled workforce for the Vietnamese game industry in the future," the representative added.

Nhat Le

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