Agenda
9:00 - 9:30 Registration and Welcome
Hanna Sommerseth
09:30 - 10:30
Keynote: Jessica Mulligan
Industry & Academia talking: what's the point?
Industry insider Jessica Mulligan provides an insight into the development of the computer games industry and its off-and-on relationship with academia. Followed by a Q&A Jessica will discuss how industry and academics might get the best out of each other, or should they just not bother?
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 - 12.30
Computer games as regulated media
Chair: Ren Reynolds
Should computer games be regulated? If so: how, why and by whom? As digital media consumption grows it is attracting interest from a range of regulatory authorities and regulated bodies. As a form of media, computer games fall under the BBFC - but how does the Video Recordings Act bend to accommodate digital media? The BBC is creating a greater number of games and Ofcom has proposed a Public Service Publisher? Should public money fund games? As people live off digital currencies from virtual environments such as Second Life questions of economics and now taxation is becoming an issue. How does UK tax law apply to virtual worlds?
Speakers:
William Garrood (Ofcom)
Chris Francis (IBM)
Antonis Patrikios (Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 15:00
Education
Chair: Barry Atkins
What is the role of educators when it comes to industry? A panel tackles the age-old question of education as training for a job or learning for life. Do current courses meet the needs of industry or is this even important?
Speakers:
Barry Atkins (University of Newport, Wales)
Richard Coyne (University of Edinburgh)
Gregor White (University of Abertay)
15:00 - 15:30: Coffee Break
15:30 - 17:00
The computer games industry
Innovation and the Industry. With increasing barriers of entry for independents and stringent controls of IPR, the games industry is often accused of stifling innovation. This panel considers the possibilities and problems relating to innovation and creativity in the industry, both from the perspective of content innovation as well as process and management structures, and discusses potential ways of shaking things up a bit.
Speakers:
Jim Terkeurst (University of Teesside)
Jason Rutter (University of Manchester)
Brian Baglow