Khaberni - His Highness Prince Omar bin Faisal, President of the Jordan Esports Federation, inaugurated the Zain Academy for Electronic Sports and Game Development at the University of Jordan, today Monday.
The academy was established under a joint cooperation agreement signed last year between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Zain Jordan, and the University of Jordan.
The launch of this academy represents a step towards supporting young talents and enabling them in fields of sports, electronic games, and modern digital technologies, and enhancing the presence of the esports sector within the academic environment, in line with the vision of economic modernization, which classified this sector within the creative industries sectors.
Zain Jordan confirmed that the launch of this academy reflects its ongoing commitment to investing in the energies of Jordanian youth and supporting the emerging digital sectors.
The launch will form a comprehensive platform for hosting and organizing local and university tournaments in electronic sports, in addition to implementing specialized training courses and workshops in game development, digital content production, live broadcasting, tournament management, and organizing related events.
The academy will be linked to the Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC), which allows students to benefit from a wide network of experts and entrepreneurs, and enhance their integration into the kingdom's innovation ecosystem.
Zain Jordan stated that the establishment of this academy is an extension of its journey in supporting the gaming and esports sector, which began in 2020 through its esports center (Zain Esports Jo), which formed a unifying platform for players, developers, and content creators in the kingdom, and contributed to establishing a culture of esports and organizing quality tournaments at both local and regional levels.
Zain has provided the academy with an advanced digital infrastructure, including free high-speed wired and wireless internet services on-site, in addition to technical and technical support that ensures a comprehensive operational environment that serves students and academy visitors, and contributes to developing their practical skills within a modern educational environment.
The academy includes an advanced digital infrastructure and professional equipment that meets international standards in the field of esports and game design and production, providing an educational and practical environment that enables students to develop their technical and creative skills, and gain hands-on experiences in game design and development, digital content production, live broadcasting, and tournament management.
During the opening of the academy, Samira Al-Zoubi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, representing the minister, stated that the opening embodies the goals of the Jordanian strategy for sports and electronic games for the years 2023–2027, especially the establishment of specialized centers within universities to serve students and the local community and enhance awareness of this sector.
She added that the academy represents the fruit of cooperation between the ministry, the University of Jordan, and Zain company, and it has been equipped with advanced technical equipment and digital infrastructure to provide a comprehensive training environment that contributes to discovering talents and qualifying professional players, game developers, and content creators, and supports their participation in regional and global tournaments and turning their ideas into digital products that can be exported.
She confirmed that the ministry is working on building a national integrated system for the esports and gaming sector, which includes training coaches, judges, tournament organizers, team managers, and specialized content creators, in addition to developing regulatory frameworks, enhancing partnerships, and attracting quality investments, thereby consolidating Jordan's position as a regional hub for this sector, supporting the digital economy, and providing quality job opportunities for Jordanian youth.
Dr. Nidhal Obidat, President of the University of Jordan, expressed the university's pride in this fruitful national partnership, highlighting its importance in achieving effective integration between academic education and practical application.
He added that introducing digital production concepts within curricula contributes to honing students' skills and opens new paths for entrepreneurship and innovation, appreciating the government's efforts in digitizing state institutions and the role of national partnerships in supporting the technology sector and digital economy.
The launch of this academy represents a sustainable model of cooperation and true collaboration between the public and private sectors and academic institutions. It consolidates a culture of innovation within universities, contributes to building a national integrated system for the gaming and esports industry based on training and development and honing talents, and constitutes a quality addition to the digital infrastructure in the higher education sector. It also prepares a generation that possesses technical and competitive skills that align with the requirements of the global digital economy, enhances the integration between theoretical education and practical application, and transforms students' passion for electronic games into professional pathways and productive opportunities that support the national economy.
