HKBU opens virtual door to 'future world'

Baptist University will introduce the city's first bachelor's degree for gaming design and animation from September to embrace the growing trend of online games and virtual environments.

With Joint University Programmes Admissions System applications closing today for next school year's admission, HKBU is expecting an enthusiastic response for the 20-seat program, which will replace its popular animation and media arts concentration.

The Bachelor of Communication (Hons) in Game Design and Animation trains students in drawing, programming and storytelling through animation and online games.

The four-year degree also offers music, history and creative writing courses to facilitate students to create stories for their games.

"Game design and animation [program] is not to train students to play games," said Kelvin Lee Kai-wah, program director for the new course.

"[It] is to teach students to use skills for designing games and apply them to the future world, such as 'metaverse.'

"The hope is to train students "a new universal language, which can be applied for jobs across the globe, such as game studios in the Greater Bay Area, Taiwan and the United States."

As augmented reality technologies will gradually be applied into daily life - as seen from inventions like Apple AR Glasses - Lee said commercial sectors would need talents on game design and animation.

The program it replaced was deemed the most popular bachelor's degree for three straight years as 37 people fought for one seat through JUPAS for the semester that started in September this year.

Lee said the university is confident with the number of student intake in the new program and has increased the opening through JUPAS from 12 to 20. He expects up to five additional seats available for students from the mainland and overseas.

Students taking the incumbent animation and media arts program who are interested in making online games have had to take additional courses on computer science.

That inspired the school to transform the program into one that specializes in game design and animation.

Lee said another reason why the new program was developed was that the skills behind making games have been used in various sectors, adding that game engines used to making games are easily accessible and can be done at home.

Graduates can use their skills in game design and animation to work for gaming companies, animation studios as well as commercial jobs.

An HKBU spokesman said many sectors want talents of game design and animation to promote new commercial products, museum exhibition displays, and as an assistance tool for education.

Students invited for an interview for the new degree would have to submit a portfolio to show their creations that can demonstrate their potential in creativity. They also have to submit a letter of intent to state their reasons for applying to the program.

"We don't want students to be mistaken that applying for this program is to learn how to play online games. We don't want parents to think that we encourage students to play online games. So we want students to clearly state their ambition and their plans after graduation," Lee said.

Other universities in Hong Kong also offer courses in animation such as Lingnan University, which offers a bachelor's degree in animation and digital arts program. However, Lee said HKBU has been offering animation courses since 1997.

maisy.mok@singtaonewscorp.com