Latest news with #DCT–AbuDhabi
Gulf Insider
21-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
From Console To Classroom: Abu Dhabi Unveils Region's First Dual-Certified Video Game Design Degree
In a major move to boost Abu Dhabi's rising stature in the global gaming industry, the region's first dual-certified bachelor of arts degree programme in video game design will be introduced in the upcoming academic year at Abu Dhabi University (ADU). The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT – Abu Dhabi), ADU, and Rubika signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the programme. Saeed Ali Al Fazari, Director of Strategic Affairs at DCT Abu Dhabi; Prof Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University; and Dr Stephane Andre, CEO of Rubika, were the signatories. 'This agreement to launch the region's first bachelor of arts degree in game design aligns with DCT – Abu Dhabi's strategic priorities to elevate culture and creative industries in the emirate, as well as to inspire and empower youth,' Al Fazari said. 'By ensuring that aspiring game designers have access to world-class education and practical experience, we are enabling the growth of the gaming sector, regionally and globally, developing a highly qualified talent pool and positioning them to excel in this dynamic industry, right here in Abu Dhabi.' Internships, scholarships Through Abu Dhabi Gaming, DCT – Abu Dhabi will facilitate deep industry integration by offering structured internships, mentorship programmes, and connections with local game studios. The department will fund up to 140 scholarships over a six-year period to support access and participation in the programme. Rubika, a globally recognised French institution specialising in video game design, animation, and digital arts, will provide academic leadership, curriculum oversight, and faculty training. The school will also enable international exchange opportunities with its global campuses, bringing international best practices to Abu Dhabi. 'Our strategy is to establish ourselves in regions with a strong cultural heritage. By leveraging their creativity, the students in our programmes are encouraged to draw from their own cultural roots to contribute to the enrichment of global culture through video games and animated films,' Dr Andre noted. From August ADU will host the programme on campus and enrolment is set to begin in August. 'This partnership reflects our commitment to aligning education with emerging industry needs. By launching the region's first dual-certified game design degree, we're giving students access to specialised training that opens up career opportunities, both in the UAE and internationally,' Prof Aouad underlined.
The National
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Abu Dhabi Art announces dates and visual campaign artist for this year's fair
Abu Dhabi Art will return to Manarat Al Saadiyat in November for its 17th year The annual fair, which is organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, will take place between November 19 and 23. The event is a staple in the emirate's cultural calendar. Last year, more than 100 galleries from around the world took part. DCT – Abu Dhabi has also named the visual campaign artist for this year's Abu Dhabi Art. Shaikha Al Mazrou will define the fair's visual identity and her work will inform its marketing campaign. The Emirati artist is a notable figure in the country's contemporary art scene. Her sculptural works are often large and use painted metal to explore form, space and abstraction. Her 2022 work Red Stack, for example, was displayed in Regent's Park as part of London's contemporary art fair Frieze. Eight large cushions, cast in metal, were piled several metres into the sky. Between the pillowy forms of the cushions and the rigidity of the cast metal, the structure appears hard yet soft at the same time. 'Shaikha participated in our 2017 edition of Abu Dhabi Art as a Beyond Emerging Artist and we are thrilled to see the progression in her work at this stage in her career,' Dyala Nusseibeh, director Abu Dhabi Art, said. 'Shaikha has become one of the most successful artists of her generation in the UAE. The series we have chosen to work with for the visual campaign and visual feel of the fair offers an exploration of materiality and a repurposing of discarded matter from fabrication sites in the UAE.' Al Mazrou's 2023 work Beyond All Measures will be among the highlights at the fair. The artwork, using oxidised brass, depicts the horizon while exploring its symbolism as a threshold and point of transformation. 'Like the material itself, which is inherently unstable, its colours forged by heat and oxygen, Beyond All Measures metaphorically invites us to explore new ways of perceiving the world around us and to question our position in it,' Nusseibeh said. Al Mazrou, who is represented by Lawrie Shabibi Gallery in Dubai, has works in several major collections around the world, including the RMZ Foundation, Art Jameel and The Farjam Foundation. In 2022, she won the prestigious Paulo Cunha e Silva Art Prize and was shortlisted for the Louvre Abu Dhabi Richard Mille Art Prize. Al Mazrou is also an assistant arts professor of visual arts at NYU Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Art is also accepting gallery applications for its 2025 fair. The deadline to apply is April 30.
