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Ubisoft has announced an initiative to encourage and promote the inclusion of more people of colour in the UK games industry. Inspired by British musician Stormzy’s #Merky Foundation, The Ubisoft Scholarship for Black UK Students will include a three-year programme of support for two black students applying to a Computer Science Degree course at Newcastle University’s prestigious School of Computing in 2021.
The two winning applicants will each receive a yearly bursary of £11,250 to go towards fees and living expenses. Ubisoft will also provide an ongoing and comprehensive programme of mentorship from Ubisoft developers, incorporating expert support in relation to engineering, a broad insight into games development and a suite of soft skills coaching and training. The support will culminate in a three-month paid internship for both students at Ubisoft Reflections.
“Over the last few years we’ve been proud to support educational programmes in the UK, such as Digital Schoolhouse as well as BAFTA’s Young Games Designers scheme,” said Giselle Stewart, director of UK corporate affairs at Ubisoft. “This year, we wanted to go one step further and tackle an area where we can truly make a meaningful difference to diversify the UK games industry. A combination of financial support in a top-ranking university and paid, work-based experience should give these students the very best chance at securing a career in the industry.”
“A lack of diverse workforces in the science and technology sectors is a challenge,” said Professor John Fitzgerald, Head of Newcastle University’s School of Computing. “This Ubisoft Scholarship for Black UK Students is another step forward in attracting the best students from underrepresented backgrounds to Newcastle and we commend our partners at Ubisoft for taking action. In the School of Computing we are all committed to making this initiative a huge success, and ensuring it has a wide-ranging impact on the lives of the students who will benefit from it.”
Students interested in applying can do so here.
