Top games entrepreneur joins Abertay games for learning project
4 October 2006
Abertay University has enlisted one of the UK's foremost computer games entrepreneurs in a project to give school children innovative games software to support their learning.
Chris van der Kuyl has been appointed chairman of Add Knowledge Ltd - the spin-out company formed by Abertay to develop video games that will teach key elements of the curriculum through the use of cutting edge design and development.
Add Knowledge is now working with Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), the Scottish Executive public body responsible for leading curriculum and technology in schools, to develop a two-year pilot project in a number of local authority areas across the country.
If successful, the pilot project could lead to the rollout of the concept across Scotland, providing more than 400,000 primary school children with their own learning consoles. At the same time, it would create in Dundee one of the world's largest companies in the field of educational video games.
Chris van der Kuyl said: "This is a very exciting project which has the potential to revolutionise education and learning in Scotland. Similar projects in the USA have been extensively studied and shown to be capable of significantly improving pupil attainment but on this side of the Atlantic we have only just begun to scratch the surface of applying computer games technology to education."
"Scotland is ideally suited to becoming a world leader in this area, because of the expertise and creativity that exists within our computer games and creative industries, combined with a world class educational system.
"Scotland was the first country in the world to institute a universal schooling system, and has led the way in new educational developments and progress ever since. I see Abertay's Add Knowledge concept as being very much in that 400-year-old tradition of innovation and progressiveness.
"A huge amount of groundwork has already been done by the Abertay team, and I am looking forward to working with LTS and the local authorities to deliver a pilot project that will clearly demonstrate the dramatic results which this technology can offer. We are confident it works - now the challenge is to instill that same confidence in teachers, parents and everyone concerned with giving our children the best possible education, and to put together the funding package that can make our concept a reality."
Professor Bernard King, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Abertay, commented: "Add Knowledge is a major strategic development for Abertay, and builds on our established pre-eminence in computer games technology and new learning methodologies - a pre-eminence that has already seen us win two out of the first four degree course accreditations granted by the national training body for broadcast, film, video and multimedia.
"We are delighted that Chris has agreed to join Add Knowledge and help steer it through the crucial pilot project and beyond. His experience of computer games development coupled with his long involvement in educational and entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at young people will be enormously valuable assets to the new company."
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NOTES FOR EDITORS
Chris van der Kuyl, BSc(Hons), FRSE
Chris van der Kuyl is a highly experienced Chief Executive and Non-Executive Director ("NXD") whose expertise combines the start-up, development and market listed business arena in the technology, media and entertainment sectors.
Chris grew his first business, VIS entertainment plc ("VIS"), out of a bedroom in Dundee to become a global player in the creation of leading-edge entertainment property for computer, television and video games platforms worldwide. Through the development of VIS, as CEO and President, he took the business through substantive growth by developing and delivering on an acquisition, development and ultimately merger strategy that took the business onto an international stage in 2004 when it merged with the NASDAQ-listed Bam Entertainment company. This experience has equipped him to deliver successful and substantial fundraising exercises in the Private Equity, Corporate Venturing and now Listed Markets. Moreover as a business builder he has an exceptional ability in developing committed employees whilst keeping an ever- watchful eye on the bottom line. Chris is now Chairman of the newly formed Tayforth group which has interests in Video Games development, Digital Music and Entertainment Media.
Chris is widely recognised as one of the UK's leading young entrepreneurs and is a regular contributor to the national business and enterprise agenda through a variety of conference keynote speaking engagements and media coverage. Chris is a member of the Global Leaders of Tomorrow Programme at the World Economic Forum.
In the spirit of 'giving something back', Chris is fully committed to building the next generation of business people by encouraging enterprise education in schools, colleges and universities. He has been Chairman of Young Enterprise Scotland for the past seven years, is a member of the Entrepreneurial Exchange and sits on the influential Smith Group advising the Scottish Executive on educational matters.
Chris is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and is a member of the Scottish Scientific Advisory Committee. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from Napier University and is a Visiting Professor of Digital Entertainment at Abertay.
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