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Saudi Esports Academy marks milestone with first graduating class
The Saudi Esports Academy is celebrating a significant achievement as it witnesses the inaugural graduation of its maiden batch of students from both master’s degree and diploma programs.
Esports business education in the spotlight
A commencement ceremony took place at Boulevard Riyadh City, commemorating the accomplishments of over 300 students
Among these, 10 graduates completed the intensive nine-month master’s degree in Esports business, collaboratively offered in partnership with the Law and Business School in Spain. The program incorporated industry internships as an integral part of the curriculum.
Diploma courses were also extended in diverse fields including coaching and Esports team management, project management in Esports, broadcast management for Esports events, refereeing and Esports competition management, honing expertise in games like PUBG Mobile, Rocket League, Dota 2, Rainbow Six, and Valorant.
This achievement not only symbolises personal growth but also holds the potential to open doors to opportunities within the gaming and Esports sector, enhancing career prospects for the graduates.
With an investment of nearly $8 billion over the past 18 months in acquiring and establishing stakes in gaming companies, Saudi Arabia is striving to position itself as a key global player in the Esports realm.
Saudi Esports Academy: Sowing the seeds for a prosperous future or a shameless cover-up?
Last year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman initiated Saudi Arabia’s national gaming and Esports strategy, with the ambitious goal of generating 39,000 job opportunities and propelling the country’s gross domestic product by $13.3 billion by 2030.
Ibrahim AlSheddi, the Chief Shared Services Officer at the Saudi Esports Federation and Chairman of the Academic Committee at the Saudi Esports Academy, expressed the significance of celebrating the first cohort of graduates from the academy’s master’s degree and diploma programs.
“Celebrating the first batch of graduates from the Saudi Esports Academy’s master’s degree and diploma programmes is a milestone moment for the academy, the Saudi Esports Federation, and Saudi Arabia’s gaming and Esports ambitions.”
“In addition, these graduates also give inspiration to the next batch of Saudi Esports Academy students.”
AlSheddi emphasised the readiness of the Saudi Esports Academy graduates to excel in various aspects of the Esports ecosystem, whether as professional players, broadcasters, project managers, or other roles. He underscored that these graduates hold a unique opportunity to contribute to the realisation of Saudi Arabia’s national gaming and Esports strategy.
The rise of Esports in Saudi Arabia has mirrored the nation’s growing prominence in sports, securing major events such as the 2034 Asian Games and 2029 Asian Winter Games. Nonetheless, this trajectory has attracted criticism from opponents who perceive it as an attempt at sportswashing – to divert attention from concerns regarding human rights within the Mohammed bin Salman regime.
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