Final-year students on the University of Chichester’s esports degree have completed what lecturers are calling a standout year for the programme’s flagship practical dissertation, producing two live LAN (local area network) events assessed by leading industry figures.
Now in its fifth year, the Live Event Production dissertation sees students plan and run professional-standard esports broadcasts from the ground up. This year’s cohort staged League of Legends and Rocket League show matches in Stage One of the Tech Park, with industry assessors on hand to provide formal feedback and grades.
Lee Cumbers, Esports and Esports Psychology Lecturer at the University, said: “The final year groups meticulously planned and thoroughly executed two outstanding LAN events, filled with ambition and creativity. Every year we raise the bar of expectation, and subsequently, without failure, the students manage to exceed it.”
Highlights included a custom-welded trophy weighing around 14kg – taking approximately 80 hours to make – handmade role symbols for player desks, and 3D-printed and hand-painted in-game items used as decorative props.
Industry assessors included Jon Winkle, Managing Director of EPIC.LAN; Dominic Sacco, Founder of Esports News UK; Edward Kitchener from Fnatic; and Michael O’Dell Director of Esports and Gaming at Scan Computers.
Siu-Yin Shing, Founder and MD of eyewear brand XP-Pro, said: “It felt like a glimpse into the next generation of esports talent. We walked away with new insights, new ideas, and a lot of respect for the people shaping this space from the ground up.”
The productions also involved students from Sports Media and Digital Film Production, who handled lighting and filming across both events.
Lee added: “Witnessing them apply three years of knowledge, practice and experience into an engaging, immersive and entertaining spectacle was an incredibly proud moment.”
Rams Singh, Programme Co-ordinator and Senior Lecturer in Esports, said: “I’m so proud of how much the students develop and grow here at the University. I’m even more proud when we see what they have learned here and show it practically, not just to us but to their friends, family and industry experts who are looking for the next lot of people for their companies/careers.”
The University of Chichester offers one of the UK’s longest-running esports degrees, with industry integration central to its curriculum design. To find out more, visit: https://www.chi.ac.uk/creative-industries/course/ba-hons-esports/