June 2000
University launches
new degree in ‘Computer Games’ Engineering
The computer games market is vast - and, with a
new generation of consoles and mobile systems soon to appear, likely to expand even
further. Although the UK already has a fair proportion of the global market in games
development, there is a great shortage of people with the right technical knowledge and
experience to work in the industry.
So the University has launched a unique new MSc
in Computer Games Engineering - the first postgraduate-level course of its kind in
the country.
The one-year course, which has already attracted
a lot of local and national media interest, will enrol its first students in October 2000.
It is intended for graduates with a background in computer science, electronic engineering
and physics.
Professor Andy Downton, Head of the Department of
Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE), said the technical knowledge and experience gained
during the course will be applicable over a range of industries.
Computer games technology, in the form of PCs,
games consoles and handheld computers, is likely to provide the focus for all kinds of
future consumer products providing entertainment, multimedia, games, Internet services and
broadcasting.
Students will gain a grounding in games software
engineering but also familiarity with mobile computing and networks, multimedia
communication, and Internet infrastructure and services. They will also complete a
six-month project in companies in the games and allied industries.
The aim is that graduates will be able to be
immediately productive not only in the computer games industry, but also in other
established and developing areas which exploit the games engineering skills e.g. mobile
computing, telecommunications services, defence simulation and e-Commerce.
Professor Downton, said: ‘Although the
course considers playing and designing games, its focus is on the technical issues that
underlie them - software engineering, mathematical modelling, rendering technology,
computer and peripheral architectures, and multimedia communication.’
Go-ahead for new
building
- The University’s Council gave the go-ahead to
three building projects on 8 May:
- ‘Building 2001’ project consists of a
£2.5 million teaching and office building built as an extension out from the
Accommodation Office, parallel to the Hex and the Library. This space will accommodate
History, and Accounting, Finance and Management departments, releasing space for
Psychology and other departments to expand into. The plan is for the new building to be
ready for occupation in January 2002.
- Approval was also given for the design work on the
‘Student Street’ to start as soon as possible if the first facilities are to be
available for October 2001. This area between the Day Nursery and the Health Centre will
be a phased development of buildings and facilities for students.
- More work will also be done on the conversion of
the former Physics building and the Central Science Workshop to create more office space
for October 2000.
Victoria County
History moves to Essex
Research historians from the Victoria County
History (VCH) of Essex are to move to the Department of History at the University.
The VCH, established by royal warrant by Queen
Victoria, is a highly respected, quality work of reference.
It will make an invaluable contribution to the
work of the Local History Centre, established in 1977 within the Department of History,
whose range of activities include Masters, PhDs, and the Certificate in Local History.
The three researchers and writers of the VCH will
continue to be funded by Essex County Council. The move is a further expression of the
fruitful relationship that the History Department has developed with Essex County Council
over recent years. The County Council twice funded three-year Research Fellows, 1990-7,
and from 1997 has contributed generously to the Essex County Council Lectureship in Oral
History.
Dr Joan Davies, Head of the History Department,
said: ‘We welcome the arrival of the VCH to the University as it will link into all
of the related research and teaching activities currently conducted in the Departments of
History, Government, and Sociology and in the Centre for Lifelong Learning. The Department
of History, in particular, has a strong commitment to research and teaching in local
history – especially Essex history. Taken together with the expanding local history
special collection in the University’s Albert Sloman Library, this will provide a
significant campus-based resource for research into Essex local history.’
The staff will be accommodated within the
Department enabling them to integrate fully with History staff and graduate students
working on local history topics. In addition, they will be able to make use of the
dedicated University of Essex room in the new Essex Record Office at Chelmsford, where the
Department also has access to superb teaching facilities.
Opening of SX Express
 Tuesday 16 May 2000 saw the opening of SX Express, the new
fast food outlet, on Square 4.
On the night of 18 May, Catering Services hosted
a welcome event to all customers who walked through the door between 7-8pm, each was
greeted with a free glass of bubbly. This was a thank you from Catering Service for the
customer support shown for the initial opening of this new unit.
This is the first phase of the new Catering
Services outlets, replacing the Hexagon, which are scheduled to be completed for the
commencement of the Autumn Term 2000. These will include a restaurant serving foods of the
world, an upmarket café environment and a new takeaway area for quick service of hot
drinks, bread and baguettes, all this located on Square 3. The service area of the Blues
Café will also be extended to incorporate a deli bar and the Salad Bowl will continue to
serve a selection of salads. The existing Bistro area will be refurbished with increased
seating during the Christmas vacation.
Strategic plan goes online
The University’s draft four-year strategic
plan is now available on the web, for consultation by staff and students.
The plan has been prepared by the
University’s Planning Office, in consultation with the Vice-Chancellor’s
Advisory Group and other managers across the University and has been developed with
reference to departmental plans.
It aims to identify the University’s
priorities for the period 2000/01 to 2004/05 and to set key achievement targets for
monitoring progress in these areas. The targets build on current activities, and are
intended to be stretching but achievable.
Dr Sonia Virdee, Planning Officer, explained that
the final draft will become a public document and will be submitted to the Higher
Education Funding Council (Hefce) at the end of July.
To view the draft, see the Planning Office web
pages.
New audio interview
facility on campus
A new audio facility for conferences and
interviews which allows broadcast quality audio has been installed by the
University’s Information Systems Services.
This facility will be particularly useful for
radio interviews, when the media require an expert opinion on research, teaching or
current affairs. The facility can accommodate up to two speakers at this end and users can
dial out, or receive calls.
The facility is located in the new
videoconferencing room on level seven, (Room 5N.7.22) – the site of the former
Vice-Chancellor’s and Registrar’s offices.
One of the first users was Professor Anthony
King, of the Department of Government, who gave an interview for BBC Radio 4.
Michelle Waterworth, Public Relations Officer,
said: ‘The facility uses a digital telephone line (ISDN), which will allow broadcast
quality conversations between the Essex campus, and both the BBC and independent studios.
It will make the University much more attractive to radio producers and avoid interviewees
having to make the trip down to the BBC studio in Colchester.’
Members of the University who would like to use
the service should contact the Teaching Services Unit on ext 3220 or email tserv@essex.ac.uk.
|
