TIGA Games Education Conference – Full agenda announced!

TIGA’s Games Education Conference 2026 takes place in less than 2 weeks – and you can now see the full confirmed agenda below!
 

The event, hosted at Birmingham City University and sponsored by Epic Games, will gather 30+ speakers from leading  educators and studios across the UK deliver insights, foster collaboration, and strengthen the future of the games sector through education.
 

This year’s event will once again comprise a full day of keynotes and panel discussions, providing a vital forum for educators and studios to exchange knowledge and ideas around the following topics:-

 

• Skills requirements from the games industry

• Graduate employment opportunities

• Games Research

• Incubators and accelerators within universities for start-up studios

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Games Education

• Government’s FE and HE reforms

• Internships, placements and industrial secondments

• New games courses

Who Should Attend?

Games course lecturers and educators.

Games developers and studios who are passionate about talent, education and innovation.

Tickets are FREE for TIGA members

Non-member educational institutions: £299+VAT

Non-member game developers: £49+VAT

(includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day)

Date: Friday, 3rd July 2026

Timings: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Venue: STEAMhouse, Belmont Row, Birmingham, B4 7RQ

(Please note that STEAMhouse is at the top of Cardigan Street, on the junction of Belmont Row)

TIGA Games Education Conference Agenda

10.00 - 10.30: Registration, networking and refreshments.

10.30 - 10.35: Introduction - Dr. Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO.

10.35 - 10.40: Welcome - Dr. Mathew Randall, Senior Lecturer,

Computer Graphics and Motion Capture, Birmingham City University.

10.40 - 10.55: ‘Teaching Games Design Through Practice-Led Examples’ – Dr. Jon Weinel, Programme Leader - Game Design, University of Surrey.

10.55 - 11.20: Panel: ‘Games Research’.

Speakers:

• Dr. Jon Weinel, Programme Leader - Game Design, University of Surrey.

• Professor Ruth Falconer, Head of Department: Games Technology and Mathematics, Abertay University.

• Dr. Lee Cheng, Associate Professor, Anglia Ruskin University.

• Phil Meredith, Head of Games, Escape Studios.

11.20 - 11.45: Panel: ‘Graduate Employment Opportunities and Skills’.

Speakers:

• Lei Hopwood, Senior Recruiter, Playground Games.

• Devon Pearce, Group Commercial Director, Keywords Studios

• Neil McKenna, Lead External Producer, Slitherine Software

11.45 - 12.15: Networking coffee break

12.15 - 12.40: Panel: ‘Government’s HE and FE Reforms’.

Speakers:

• Professor Christos Gatzidis, Pro Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Media, Science and Technology, Bournemouth University.

• Joel Cable, Strategic Lead - Vocational and Applied Product, Pearson Qualifications UK.

• Brett Clarke, Head of Curriculum - Creative Industries, North Hertfordshire College.

12.40 - 2.00: Networking lunch

2.00 - 2.25: Panel: ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Games’.

Speakers:

• Dr. Mathew Randall, Senior Lecturer, Computer Graphics and Motion Capture, Birmingham City University.

• Teodora Kuzmanova, Senior Lecturer / Deputy Programme Leader, Game Art (BA) Hons, De Montfort University.

• Chris Janes, Senior Lecturer - Games Development, University of Suffolk.

2.25 - 2.40: ‘This is Not a Pipeline’ – Andra Ivănescu, Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead, Games Design BA, Brunel University.

2.40 - 2.55: ‘The Ecosystem Approach: Games Education as a Community Endeavour’ – Declan Cassidy, CEO, Into Games.

2.55 - 3.20: Panel: ‘Incubators and Accelerators’.

Speakers:

• Matt Bett, Head of Virtual Production, Abertay University.

• Elaine Green, Founder, Nellyvision Ltd.

• Professor Christopher Headleand, Head of Games Institute, University of Staffordshire.

• Brian McDonald, Head of Games and Games Incubation, Falmouth University.

3.20 - 3.50: Networking coffee break

3.50 - 4.05: ‘Reflections on the TIGA Skills Survey and some Next Steps

for Higher Education’ – Dr. Neil Dansey, Programme Lead (Games), University of Portsmouth.

4.05 - 4.30: Panel: ‘Preparing Students for Work’.

Speakers:

• James Butcher, Games Training Centre Director, University of Staffordshire

• Lila Hamilton, Teacher, Game Design, Leeds City College

• Dr. Neil Dansey, Programme Lead (Games), University of Portsmouth.

• Dr. Ian Wilcock, Head of Screen Department, University of Hertfordshire.

4.30 - 4.55: Panel: ‘New Games Courses’.

Speakers:

• Carla Ludgate, Senior Lecturer in Computer Games Development, Manchester Metropolitan University.

• Zayd Dawood, Academic Course Leader in MSc Game Development, University of Gloucestershire.

• Simon Fenton, Deputy Principal, Escape Studios.

4.55 - 5.00: Closing remarks – Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA

5.00 - 6.00: Networking drinks reception

STOP PRESS! Entries are now open for the TIGA UK Games Education Awards 2026.

The awards are unique in celebrating excellence across games education, recognising outstanding learners and graduates, teaching and research, as well as colleges and universities.

The closing date is 23:59 on July 13^th 2026. Winners will be announced in the autumn.