On September 26, 2011, DigiPen Institute of Technology (USA) launched DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe – Bilbao, a school dedicated to growing innovation in the video game and animation industries.
DigiPen Institute of Technology was the first school in the world to offer a bachelor’s degree in game education and DigiPen is committed to providing an exemplary education and furthering research in digital media and interactive computer technologies. Through the work of its students, faculty and staff, DigiPen strives to empower and inspire the industry around the globe.
Currently, DigiPen has its main campus in Redmond, WA, USA and another in Singapore, which was started in 2008 at the invitation of the Singapore Economic Development Board. The campus in Bilbao, Spain will be the first DigiPen campus to open in Europe.
The growth in the video game, digital imaging and communication industries can only be propelled by a well-educated and qualified workforce.
DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe – Bilbao began this year with forty students and offers two bachelor degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation. Its purpose is to promote and develop the advancing video game and digital media sectors in Spain and throughout Europe. The curriculum at the Bilbao campus will be identical to those offered at the Singapore and Redmond, USA campuses.
In 2006, DigiPen was named by an independent research group, enterprise Seattle, to be “one of three major contributing factors to the exponential growth of the game industry in the Puget Sound region from 2002 to 2006.” It is hoped that the launch of DigiPen in Europe will foster connections and relationships with industry-leading multinationals, which in turn, will encourage innovation, enterprise, as well as research and development, in Bilbao and the surrounding areas. The growth in the video game, digital imaging and communication industries can only be propelled by a well-educated and qualified workforce.
DigiPen has a long history with the game, animation, and software industries. In addition to its graduates working at many digital interactive media companies across the USA, many of DigiPen’s faculty members and executives have worked at or continue to work with world-renowned companies, such as Microsoft, Nintendo, Disney, LucasArts, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Boeing, Renault F1 Racing, among many others. The faculty possess both academic knowledge and industry experience, which allows them to teach the students a curriculum that provides a solid academic foundation and also emphasizes real-life project-based learning. The rigorous curriculum meets and often surpasses industry standards and demands, making DigiPen graduates attractive to companies that require their employees to have comprehensive knowledge and expertise in the field. It is no wonder that DigiPen Institute of Technology has long been the top choice for students pursuing a career in the digital interactive media industries.
For more information about the new campus, visit the DigiPen Europe – Bilbao website.