This summer University of Salford Business School will launch a brand new state-of-the-art Esports Lab just in time for the new academic year commencing in September.
The bespoke, industry pioneering Lab provides an immersive environment and has been purpose-built to host the digital requirements of students completing the University and Greater Manchester Institute of Technology’s (GMIoT) Higher National Diploma (HND) Esports Business Management programme.
Equipped with a tournament arena, industry grade broadcasting equipment, including Blackmagic 4K cameras and television studio mixers, plus an esports suite for teaching, learning and gaming, the Lab is designed to support students looking to pave the way in this rapidly expanding and innovative sector.
In addition, the Lab has 23 Yoyotech i9 RTX Esports Gaming PCs with Intel i9 Processors and NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super graphics cards, amongst other industry leading technology. The Lab’s teaching and six seat tournament space has been designed to accommodate broadcasting and competitions, while its Formula 1 licensed racing simulator resembles the very technology drivers themselves use to prepare for the tracks, providing a truly immersive experience that emulates the cockpit.
According to Uswitch, the global esports market is expected to generate £3.41 billion in revenue this year. With a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%, this figure is forecast to reach £4.52 billion by 2028. To add to this, as of 2024, around 11.7% of the world’s population is estimated to participate in the esports market, equating to almost 948 million people worldwide.
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Iain Earle, Program Leader for Esports Business Management at Salford Business School, comments: “There’s no doubt that esports is a thriving industry. Whilst once seen as a hobby for many, in recent years it’s been transformed into one of the biggest entertainment markets on the planet. It’s now worth billions, making it not only a viable career route, but an incredibly lucrative one at that.
“Esports is a rapidly growing and ever-evolving sector so, with the latest cutting edge technology integrated into the Lab, we have made a considerable investment to really elevate our student experience in this space, while ensuring access to industry grade equipment. Salford is now home to higher education’s leading Esports Lab which will be instrumental in ensuring our students have been fully immersed in the latest technology disrupting the sector, as they progress into their graduate careers.”
Now in its second year, Salford Business School’s HND Esports Business Management programme has been developed in collaboration with industry leaders including Horizon Union, ensuring each module helps to build the skills required by future professionals to be successful in the industry. Throughout the course, students are given the opportunity to explore the esports industry’s ecosystem, gaining an expert perspective of the environment while developing awareness of the ethics and integrity that sustain the sector. Beyond this, the University’s partnership with GMIoT allows its esports educators and learners to network and share best practices and insights.
Earle concluded: “Turning your esports hobby into a career is now within reach, thanks to courses like this and spaces like our Esports Lab. Those who are passionate about the sectors they work in, really do go on to have fulfilling and rewarding careers, and we’re committed to making that happen for our students.”