Dare to be Digital 2011

Everything students need to apply is available online at http://daretobedigital.com/applications/apply.php

Teams of five take part in the contest to design and build a fully-working game, with industry mentors providing invaluable training and oversight throughout the nine weeks at the University of Abertay Dundee. The winners then compete for the unique BAFTA ‘Ones to Watch’ award.

Students from universities and colleges of art can apply. If you are still looking for team members, please visit the Dare to be Digital website - http://www.daretobedigital.com/applications/2011-vacancies.php

Dr Louis Natanson, Academic Director of the Institute of Arts, Media and Computer Games at Dare to be Digital organiser Abertay University, said: “We’re down to the last week of entries, and we’re strongly encouraging students who are excited about computer games and want to break into the industry to apply now.

“Dare to be Digital is a life-changing experience for many young developers, artists and audio engineers, giving them money-can’t-buy access to personal mentoring from some of the world’s leading game companies.”

Elaine Russell, Dare to be Digital project manager, added: “Dare to be Digital is great fun every year, and working in an incredibly competitive and exciting environment helps all the students develop their personal and professional skills way beyond what they arrive with.

“In just a few short weeks, we see very promising students turn into polished, confident young games industry professionals.

“So, any student who wants to get their big break in the games industry should get a team together and apply right away!”

Teams from the UK, Irish Republic, China, India, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are fully funded for Dare to be Digital. Accommodation is paid for, and an allowance is available for living costs.

Dare to be Digital reaches its peak each year with Dare ProtoPlay, the three day games extravaganza where all the Dare games go on show to the public. The competition winners are announced on the final night of Dare ProtoPlay at a glitzy awards ceremony.

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For media enquiries, please contact Chris Wilson (Communications Officer) – T: 01382 308935 M: 07837 250284 E: chris.wilson@abertay.ac.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

UK-based teams must have five members; international teams apply with four members, and are each assigned one Scottish student as their ‘student ambassador’ and final team member.

About Dare to be Digital:

Dare to be Digital is a video game development competition for undergraduates at universities and colleges of art, organised and run by the University of Abertay Dundee.

Teams of student programmers and artists compete in an intensive 'hot-house' development environment over the summer vacation, building fully-functioning prototypes for assessment by industry judges and a public vote at Dare ProtoPlay in August.

The three winning teams from Dare to be Digital each year become the sole nominees for the BAFTA ‘Ones to Watch’ Award.

See http://www.daretobedigital.com for more information and to apply.

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Chris Wilson | Communications Officer (MC)

Communications Centre | University of Abertay Dundee | DD1 1HG

T: 01382 308 935 | M: 07837 250 284 | F: 01382 308 298

chris.wilson@abertay.ac.uk | http://www.abertay.ac.uk  | http://twitter.com/AbertayUni