Esports Insider and the University of Warwick are pleased to unveil the highly anticipated agenda for the inaugural ESI Next Gen conference.
The one-and-a-half-day event is dedicated to exploring the exciting intersection between esports, video games, and education. Attendees can expect a dynamic and immersive experience that includes interactive sessions, networking opportunities, and valuable insights from industry leaders. This includes representatives from the likes of Dovetail Games, Ubisoft, Codemasters / EA, British Esports, Digital Schoolhouse and more.
The line-up of speakers and talks can be found here
The event will take place on March 22nd and 23rd, 2023, at the state-of-the-art Esports Centre located on the University of Warwick campus. With this groundbreaking conference, ESI and the University of Warwick are poised to make a significant contribution to the growth of esports and gaming industries in the field of education.
ESI Next Gen is supported by Gold Partner IN4 Group, Silver Partner NEWVU Academy, Official Youth Esports Partner Esports Coaching Academy, Official Regional Partner West Midlands Growth Company and event partners Chillblast, Viperio, NSE, Esport1, Swipe Right PR, UKIE and NUEL.
Thursday 23rd March
- Keynote Talk
- Annabel Ashalley-Anthony – Melanin Gamers
- The Skill Gap – the esports & video games edition
- Mo Isap – IN4 Group
- James Fraser-Murison – Queen Mary’s College
- Becky Wright – NSE
- Gina Jackson – SKILLfull
- Dr. Maria Stukoff – The University of Salford
- Representation is not a tick-box: Why is it critical to seek and create diverse teams?
- Alex Gate – Dovetail Games & Safe in our World Ambassador
- Mikayla Sinead – Bridge Network Group
- Meg Daintith – Codemasters / EA
- Dominic Shaw – UKIE
- GameTech Now and next – How Video Game technology is redefining our digital future
- Simon Benson – IN4 Group
- Parent Trap: How can we work with the real stakeholders in esports and games education?
- Mark Ward – Digital Schoolhouse
- Kalam Neale – British Esports
- Ólafur Steinarsson – Esports Coaching Academy
- Phil Bale – Ubisoft Leamington
- Jack Fenton – University of Warwick
- Breaking Boundaries: How do we remove barriers within Higher Education and Industry to work together, apply research, and benefit both sectors?
- Bianca Wright – Coventry University
- Ben Miles – Chillblast
- Jo Garde-Hansen – University of Warwick
- The Big Debate: The value and role of esports degrees
At ESI Next Gen, in addition to the panels there will be three workshops, all designed to support education staff, industry stakeholders and students equally.
Esports Coaching Academy will host a ‘Pathways to Building a Career and Business in Grassroots Youth Esports’ workshop, which will provide attendees with valuable insights and resources on the grassroots esports industry and how to build a career and business in it. Topics will include the current landscape of youth esports, career pathways, business opportunities and best practices in grassroots esports.
West Midlands Growth Company will host a special by-invitation only round table aiming to discuss the unique features of the West Midlands, Coventry & Warwickshire in respect of the esports and emerging CreaTech sector to build on the unique strength and depth of the sector in the region. It will also serve to identify the key characteristics of what’s required to facilitate a robust innovation eco-system for this growth industry, where the opportunities are and how core stakeholders should work together to build capacity.
Sam Cooke, Managing Director and Founder at ESI, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce the full agenda for our first-ever ESI Next Gen event working with the University of Warwick! Get ready for an unforgettable experience as we bring together the brightest minds in esports and gaming, alongside visionary leaders in the education industry. This event will set the stage for a powerful collaborative relationship between the industries, and ignite the emergence of new talent that will revolutionise the way we think about gaming and esports!”
Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with game developers, publishers, esports teams, tournament operators, education sector service providers, and regional government representatives, all under one roof, in the heart of one of the UK’s largest creative clusters. Join us for an immersive experience that will take your understanding of esports and gaming to new heights.
Currently enrolled students may register to attend #ESINextGen at a special discounted rate. Full Passes and group tickets are still available here, including an option for inclusive accommodation.
