Abertay expertise helps train first generation of Turkish games designers

NEWS RELEASE

18 December 2007

Abertay University expertise is helping to train a new generation of computer games programmers in Turkey, thanks to a deal signed with the Izmir University of Economics (IUE).

The articulation agreement links a two-year masters degree at IUE with Abertay's masters degrees in computer games technology and smart systems

Students on the linked programme will spend their first semester at IUE, then travel to Abertay for two semesters, one of which will include writing a dissertation.

After spending most of a year at Abertay, the students will return to Izmir to complete their IUE masters degrees.

The first group of 20 students to take part is expected to arrive at Abertay in January 2009, and the partners are planning to increase overall numbers on the linked courses to 50 within five years.

Professor Lachlan MacKinnon, Head of the School of Computing and Creative Technologies, said: "We are delighted to have secured this new partnership with IUE. It is part of a network of links we are building up around the world, and the IUE link joins similar successful links we already have with universities in China and Canada.

"We are all looking forward to welcoming the first students onto our courses, and I am sure they will find the Abertay experience a very valuable and significant component of their learning journeys."

Mr Ekrem Demiritas, President of the Board of Trustees of Izmir University of Economics said: "This is a very significant agreement for UIE and I'd like to thank the University of Abertay Dundee, SQA and Dundee College together with Scottish Development International for all their hard work in getting this excellent education entity up and running."

Hadi Fawzy, Senior Executive at Scottish Development International said; "This deal is an excellent illustration of the very healthy international demand there is for Scottish skills and knowledge. Scotland's educational establishments are world leaders in many fields and being able to trade knowledge in this way is having an increasingly positive impact on the Scottish economy and the country's international links and reputation."

For further information please contact Tracey McNeish on 01382 308935.

(ends)

NOTES FOR EDITORS

IUE approached Abertay because of the latter's long-established pre-eminence in computer games technology. Abertay established the world's first masters degree in the subject in 1997, and has since expanded its portfolio to include undergraduate degrees in the same subject, as well as degrees in related fields like computer arts, smart systems, and a variety of other topics.

IUE, was established in 2001 under the auspices of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce. It is a private sector university with faculties of Administrative Sciences & Economics, Sciences & Literature, Fine Arts & Design, Communications, and Computer Sciences.

Izmir is Turkey's third largest city and second largest port, with a history of trade and industry going back more than 3,000 years.