<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div dir="ltr"><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">Please distribute widely. Apologies for cross posting.</font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">Invitation from the Virtual Policy Network and The University of Edinburgh to this year's Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh: </font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; "><a href="http://www.virtualpolicy.net/dise08.html">http://www.virtualpolicy.net/dise08.html</a></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; "><span lang="en-US">The focus of this year's Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh (DIS:E) – August 12</span><sup><span lang="en-US">th</span></sup><span lang="en-US"> 2008 is education for the computer games industry.</span></font></p><p align="justify" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">The issue of educational support for the games industry is a hot topic at the moment, especially in Scotland. In April 2008 the Scottish government controversially announced that schoolchildren are to be taught the basics of video game design as part of the country's new national curriculum - dubbed the 'Curriculum of Excellence'.</font></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">In the face of the UK's dwindling numbers of maths, computing and engineering graduates the country's two computer games industry trade bodies TIGA (The Independent Games Developers Association) and Elspa (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) have joined forced to announce the <i>Games Up?</i> campaign. Through <i>Games Up? </i>The industry has highlighted the need to improve education for the sector; ease skills shortages; and promote workforce diversity.</span></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">In response to the growing popularity of computer games both as a pastime and as career path a number of universities around the UK are now offering game development courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. The methods and emphasises of these courses however vary widely. Skillset offers an accreditation for game development courses, but only four courses so far have this accreditation. Many academic institutions also question the value and meaning of such an accreditation.</font></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">The Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh will bring industry and education together to debate best approaches to these challenging problems which face one of the UK's most successful sectors. The symposium will address issues such as:</span></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">What should the relationship between industry and academia be like?</font></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">Are universities responsible for meeting the needs of the industry?</font></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">Should the industry get more involved with sponsoring and nurturing university courses?</font></p><p align="justify" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">How can education help foster innovation in game development?</font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">Speakers include Prof. Richard Bartle (University of Essex), Dr. Eyjólfur Guđmundsson (CCP / EvE Online), Prof. Austin Tate (University of Edinburgh) and Dr. Gianna Cassidy (Glasgow Caledonian University)</font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; "><span lang="en-US">The Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh (DIS:E) is co-produced by the Virtual Policy Network (</span></font><font color="#000080"><u><a href="http://www.virtualpolicy.net/"><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; "><span lang="en-US">www.virtualpolicy.net</span></font></a></u></font><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; "><span lang="en-US">) and the University of Edinburgh; and is in partnership with the Edinburgh Interactive Festival (<a href="http://www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com/">http://www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com/</a>).</span></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">This year's event is co-located with the Edinburgh Interactive Festival at the Edinburgh International Conference centre.</font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">As with last year DIS:E are offering a special rate and joint booking with the Edinburgh Interactive Festival. <br></font><br></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; ">To register for DIS:E only, at a cost of Ł50 (free for full time students, but registration still necessary), go here:<a href="http://www.virtualpolicy.net/diseBooking.html">http://www.virtualpolicy.net/diseBooking.html</a> </font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font size="2" style="font-size: 11pt; "><br>To book for Edinburgh Interactive and DIS:E - <a href="http://www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com/files/EIF08_booking.pdf">download booking form here</a>.<br></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">ren</span></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0.21cm; "><br></p></div><br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><p class="MsoNormal">--8<--</p><p class="MsoNormal">web: <a href="http://www.renreynolds.com">www.renreynolds.com</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Think Tank: <a href="http://www.virtualpolicy.net">www.virtualpolicy.net</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">blog: terranova.blogs.com</p><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal">m (UK): +44(0) 7778 285 273</p><div>m<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(US, only when I’m there): +1 646-417-0641</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Skype: RenZephyr </div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Twitter:</div><div>twitter.com/RenZephyr</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734676997">www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734676997</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Linked-in: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/renreynolds">www.linkedin.com/in/renreynolds</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div>aim | bebo | club penguin | cyworld | del.icio.us | EvE | gax | gia | habbo (UK) | iLike | jaiku | last.fm | LOTR (EU: Laurelin) | MapelStory | pownce | profilactic | rupture | skype | secondlife | there.com | tumblr. | twitter | upcoming | wacoopa | XBox Live: RenZephyr</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>facebook | flickr | MySpace | openID | plaxo: Ren Reynolds</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>WoW (US Ettrig):</div><div>Cabot</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><div>Moshi Monster: <a href="http://www.moshimonsters.com/monsters/renreynolds">www.moshimonsters.com/monsters/renreynolds</a></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">dopplr: <a href="http://www.dopplr.com/traveller/RenReynolds">www.dopplr.com/traveller/RenReynolds</a></p><div>spock: <a href="http://www.spock.com/user3c4282p51k10169012ck4cc82ss12k273757s00">http://www.spock.com/user3c4282p51k10169012ck4cc82ss12k273757s00</a></div></div></div></div></div></span></span></span></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span> </div><br></body></html>