Dubai: Gems Education, Lenovo launch region’s first esports zone in a school

Gems Education and Lenovo have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and launched an esports programme to accelerate opportunities for students in gaming.

Lenovo has unveiled its first ‘Legion Gaming Zone’ at Gems Modern Academy in Dubai as part of the collaboration – a 360-degree solution that includes Legion PCs and displays for gaming and high-performance ThinkStation workstations for designing and programming.

The MoU will also provide the educational institution with Yoga Tab tablets, which will give instructors the tools they need to conduct courses with improved visibility and efficiency and deliver on crucial results.

Commenting on the Lenovo esports programme and MoU with Gems Education, Mohammed Hilili, general manager, Lenovo Gulf, said, “Gaming is profoundly impacting not only the entertainment and sporting arenas but also future job roles and upskilling. As an industry leader, Gems Education has illustrated a clear understanding of gaming’s potential to profoundly impact students’ lives and confidence in Lenovo to deliver an integrated and customised esports solution. We look forward to continuing to foster this important dialogue and further strengthening our partnership in the months ahead.”

Lenovo esports programme

Research indicates that an estimated 90 per cent of esports communities within schools have either not considered or are unaware of the opportunities to represent their school at a competitive gaming level. Furthermore, many educational institutions have not considered the direct correlation between esports and education, which can boost student engagement and foster the creation of a more inclusive community.

Gaming has been proven to promote soft skills such as teamwork and problem-solving, while esports curriculums open new avenues for those interested in competitive play, programming and design, esports marketing and management, and more.

The Lenovo esports programme offers educational institutions an initial consultation period, followed by the creation of a bespoke roadmap and mutually-agreed goal setting to ensure that esports remains an intelligent, long-term investment.

The addition of the Lenovo esports programme at Gems Modern Academy complements the school’s status as a Dubai SME certified incubation centre for entrepreneurship development, which it acquired in 2019. Work is underway to complete rollout at a second site at Gems FirstPoint School – The Villa. This is the first institution in the UAE and wider region to offer specialised international BTEC courses in Esports and Creative Media – Game Design.

Lenovo and Gems Education intend to evolve their partnership, with potential for further expansion and rollout across other schools and markets in the Middle East.

Nargish Khambatta, Principal, Gems Modern Academy and vice president – Education, Gems Education, said, “Over the years, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in learning and teaching. Gaming, for example, which was seen largely as a recreational hobby, is now an enviable skill and is being considered preparatory ground for a full-time career. We are excited to be one of the first educational institutions in the region to leverage the Lenovo esports programme, and explore how gaming can be used to nurture talent, expertise and future-readiness in innovative and academically stimulating ways.”

Shabeer Mohammed, chief information officer, Gems Education, said: “At Gems, it is of utmost importance to provide the best opportunities to the students at our schools. We aim to provide environments in which they can develop as exponential thinkers while providing opportunities for students to build on their skills within their existing framework. Infrastructure is a key part of this, and we are delighted to be partnering with Lenovo on this unique project.”

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