COMPUTER GAMES ACCREDITATION SCHEME

Skillset's Computer Games Skills Forum is seeking to work with an industry research consultancy or individual to develop criteria and guidelines for an industry accreditation scheme of relevant degree level courses.

This project is co-funded by the Department for Trade and Industry.

Project requirements and proposed methodology

The research team will be required to work with Skillset and the Computer Games Skills Forum to:

• Establish a comprehensive list of relevant courses, including those that are directly relevant to the computer games industry and those on the periphery of the industry, such as animation.

• Survey and interview a representative sample of games developers and publishers to understand their awareness of existing courses, their views on the suitability of these courses and attitudes towards recruitment of specifically trained graduates. A comparison should be made with the more traditional routes into the industry, such as Maths and Physics graduates.

• Survey and interview a representative sample of Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) with existing computer games courses, to establish the success rates of placing graduates in employment within the computer games industry. This survey should aim to identify a process which all HEI's could use to ensure that the employment of graduates within the games industry is known and recorded.

• Agree with the Computer Games Skills Forum and wider industry the Occupational Standards and other key requirements that would need to be covered in an accredited course or courses.

• Make recommendations about the possible career paths suitable for each accredited course

• Draw up draft guidelines and assessment criteria that are in line with existing quality systems and make recommendations on how they should be implemented and how industry can support this scheme.

• Consult widely on Guidelines with industry and education providers.

It is expected that the guidelines will be ready to be taken forward to the pilot scheme by end March 2005. Skillset is currently piloting Industry Accreditation Schemes for Animation and Screenwriting and copies of those guidelines are available on request.

The consultant will work directly with Skillset's Interactive Media and Animation Team alongside the wider Computer Games Skills Forum and project steering group.

BIDS

To express an interest in this project please email Chris Chilton, Computer Games & Animation Co-ordinator by 5th November 2004 followed by a more detailed bid outlining your methodology, timescale and likely costs (showing number of days and cost per day) to complete this project by 19th November 2004.

Contact:

Chris Chilton

Computer Games & Animation Co-ordinator

Skillset

Prospect House, 80-110 New Oxford Street, LONDON WC1A 1HB

T: 020 7520 5794 E: chrisc@skillset.org W: www.skillset.org