Lenovo is working accelerating opportunities for students in the UAE in gaming through the rollout of the Lenovo Esports program – a bespoke gaming solution for K-12 and university institutions with an interest in advancing their gaming offering.
As part of the collaboration, Lenovo has launched its first ‘Legion Gaming Zone’ at GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai powered by Legion PCs and monitors for gaming immersion and ThinkStation workstations for designing and programming. To keep gamers connected, the Lenovo Esports solution is working with Esports venue software and services provider ggCircuit.
Research shared by Lenovo states that an estimated 90% of Esports communities within schools have either not considered or are unaware of the opportunities to represent their school at a competitive gaming level. Educational institutions have also not considered the direct correlation between Esports and education, which can boost student engagement and foster the creation of a more inclusive community.
Gaming has been proven to promote soft skills such as teamwork and problem-solving, while Esports curriculums open new avenues for those interested in competitive play, programming and design, Esports marketing and management, and more.
The addition of the Lenovo Esports program at GEMS Modern Academy complements the school’s status as a Dubai SME Certified Incubation Center for Entrepreneurship Development. Work is underway to complete rollout at a second site at GEMS FirstPoint School – The Villa. GEMS FirstPoint School became the first institution in the UAE and wider region to offer specialized International BTEC courses in Esports and Creative Media – Game Design.