The University of Warwick, based in Coventry, England, has won the UK’s Esports University of the Year title for the fifth consecutive year.
The competition, run by UK university esports body National Student Esports (NSE), ranks UK universities based on competitive performance across several major esports titles.
The University of Warwick finished top out of 111 universities that entered the race for the 2022/2023 academic year, with the University of Exeter finishing second and Durham University third.
Warwick has one of the biggest and most established university esports programmes. The university’s esports society on campus boasts 3000 members, according to a University of Warwick press release.
The university has invested in esports in recent years and been heavily active in the industry. Warwick opened a £275,000 esports centre in 2021, and its esports society has struck commercial sponsorships in the past.
In February 2022, the University of Warwick received a £135,000 government grant to provide young people with opportunities through esports. The university also teamed up with Esports Insider to host ESI Next Gen, a conference on the intersection of esport and education, in March.
NSE hosts competitions across several major esports titles, which universities across the UK enter teams into to compete for prize money and prestige.
NSE itself recently struck a sponsorship deal with Pringles, and has long-running commercial partnerships with both Intel, its lead sponsor, and Monster Energy. The organisation is also partnered with charity SpecialEffects and sporting body British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS).
Caity Emery, ex-President of Warwick Esports for 2022-2023, commented in a release: “I am so proud of the entire Warwick Esports community for their hard work throughout this year to secure our fifth consecutive victory.
“Every single team, player and staff member in Warwick Esports should be filled with pride today – I am sure this win will give the fresh-faced exec team all the motivation they need to continue on our legacy next year.”
The award follows the conclusion of the British University Esports Championship, the finale of NSE’s competitive season, which was held offline at Insomnia Gaming Festival in early April.
The UK has a strong collegiate esports scene, with multiple universities having built dedicated esports facilities, and several offer esports degrees.
