2017 Dare Academy Updated

DARE ACADEMY Computer Game Design Summer School

10 July - 11 August 2017 Dundee Scotland – the city where Grand Theft Auto originated Combine summer school with trips to Scotland’s cities and world famous attractions

Where we are Experience Scottish education, culture and student life at Abertay University this summer!

Abertay University is in Dundee, Scotland, the country’s fourth city.

Abertay University is ranked by the Princeton Review as the top university in Europe to study computer games. We’re a designated Centre of Excellence in Game Education and offer undergraduate and maser degree programs in game design and production, game application and development, game technology, computer arts and sound and music for games.

We offer a wide array of summer schools, from game design to business to environmental science, highlighting our excellence in these educational fields. We are a global community, hosting students from over 70 countries, but thanks to our small size and city center location there is a real “Abertay family” feel to our campus. Our summer schools give you not only a rigorous academic experience but also the opportunity to experience the beauty and uniqueness of our wee country. Scotland is distinctive and inspiring, with history, excitement and adventure around every turn.

By Rail

By Bus/Coach

Dundee train station is a less than 10-minute walk from Abertay and provides regular, direct services to and from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. It takes just over an hour to get to each city from Dundee.

Dundee’s bus station is just five minutes from our campus. Scottish Citylink, National Express, Stagecoach Group and Megabus services regularly arrive in Dundee from major cities across the UK, including London.

It takes just six hours to reach Dundee from London’s Kings Cross station.

This service stops at various locations on the way, including Peterborough, Doncaster, York and Newcastle.

There is also a great network of local bus services covering the whole city and its surrounding area.

There’s also an overnight sleeper service.

By Air

Aberdeen

Dundee Airport receives two FlyBe flights a day from London Stansted, and you are just over an hour away from international airports in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Dundee Glasgow Edinburgh

Newcastle

Discover what Abertay has to offer and begin your own Scotland story!

Belfast

Dublin

Manchester

Birmingham Cardiff

London

7 reasons to come to Abertay and Dundee 1. We’ve a reputation for being ground-breaking We have a lot of firsts under our belt.

We were the first university in the world to offer degrees in Computer Games education and Ethical Hacking and we’re renowned for both. Grand Theft Auto was created by an Abertay student and the game originated in the city.

2. GQ Magazine describes Dundee as “the UK’s coolest little city”* A hub for the digital and creative industries, Dundee is a city bubbling with arts, culture, bars and restaurants.

It’s vibrant and edgy, but also friendly, compact and incredibly affordable.

Oh, and did we mention the stunning Scottish countryside just 30 minutes away?

3. Learn from industry experts Our lecturers aren’t just brilliant academics – they come with years of industry experience.

4. Study at the same time as other students This summer school will run parallel to Abertay’s accelerated degree program, so international students will reap the benefits of collaboration and teamwork with local Abertay students.

With staff and students from many

different countries and a variety of cultural backgrounds, DBS offers you a diverse and rewarding international experience.

5. Dundee is breathtaking Dundee is Scotland’s sunniest city and in June it will be daylight from early morning to 10pm so you can make the most of summer nights after you finish lectures. The city is built on a river, close to the sea and we have a beach on our doorstep. In spring and summer dolphins visit our waters. Join the dog walkers on the beach trying to spot them (two hours before high tide is best). At the centre of the city is an extinct volcano with spectacular 360 views.

6. Convenient location Britain is a small country. Dundee is only a 90 minute flight from London or there’s a direct train. Or you could choose to fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow and take the train to Dundee (it only takes an hour). Dundee has excellent transportation links to Scotland’s key cities.

7. Affordability With the US dollar buying close to 25% more British pounds than it did this time last year, there’s hasn’t been a better value time to visit in years.

Summer school in Scotland About the learning Abertay University’s international summer schools consist of a varied schedule of lectures, seminars and workshops, along with field visits to industry locations using our staff’s impressive professional contacts. This combination of classroom learning and external visits is designed specifically to complement and enhance your learning through personal observations and development of your critical thinking skills, while improving your social and cultural awareness and helping you to gain meaningful, hands-on experiences directly linked to academic and professional objectives.

Making the most of an extraordinary opportunity It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity studying in Scotland, so we want to make sure you see the best our amazing country has to offer. We’ve organized trips and excursions for you every weekend of the summer school to showcase the magnificent beauty of Scotland, from the rugged castles of the south to the stunning majesty of the Highlands. You’ll also have free time to explore the exciting city of Dundee and make it your home. We want you to most of every moment of your two weeks in Scotland!

Dare Academy About the program

The Dare Academy summer school is a program of lectures, workshops, seminars and master classes led both by Abertay faculty and by visiting designers, artists and lecturers who are world-leaders in their fields. You will have the opportunity to work with peers from all over the world on a project especially suited to your skill level. We welcome any level of skill, from beginners to final year game students, and we will organize the students into teams based on their confidence with the material.

Under the supervision of Abertay staff and peer mentors, each team with create a game prototype, which could be anything from a pen-and-paper model up to a fully-fledged vertical slice. These projects will be displayed at a showcase at the end of the five weeks, where they will receive feedback from industry, peers and the general public.

Fees* Abertay’s Dare Academy summer school costs £3,700 ($4,600) per student.

This fee includes tuition, accommodation, and transportation for all field trips and cultural visits. It does not include flights, airport transfers or food.

To guarantee your space, your application and a 50% nonrefundable deposit must be submitted to Abertay University by May 15, 2017. *Abertay University reserves the right to cancel the summer school if less than 10 enrolments are registered.

WEEK TWO DATE Monday July 17 Tuesday July 18

10 - 12PM

12 - 2PM

2 - 5PM

From concept to prototype: summer school project creation (Session led by guest lecturer Peter Brinson, University of Southern California)

Wednesday July 19 Thursday July 20

Dare Academy Summer School Program 2017*

Friday July 21

Sound and music for games workshop

Saturday July 22

Cultural trip: Edinburgh

Sunday July 23

Free day

Lunch break

Sound and music for games exercises

Monday, 10 July – Friday, 11 August 2017 You should arrive in Dundee no later than Sunday, 9 July.

WEEK THREE

WEEK ONE DATE

10 - 12PM

12 - 2PM

2 - 5PM

DATE

10 - 12PM

12 - 2PM

2 - 5PM

Monday July 24

Development of group project

Lunch break

Development of group project

Tuesday July 25

Development of group project

Lunch break

Special topic lecture

by Abertay Staff

Wednesday July 26

Development of group project

Lunch break

Development of group project

Thursday July 27

Development of group project

Lunch break

Special topic lecture

by Abertay Staff

Friday July 28

Play testing session

Saturday July 15

Saturday July 29

Free day

Sunday July 16

Sunday July 30

Cultural trip: St Andrews Highland Games

Monday July 10

Welcome breakfast and orientation

Tuesday July 11

Games studies workshop (Session led by guest lecturer Adam Liszkiewicz , University of Southern California)

Wednesday July 12

Lunch break

Free time

Thursday July 13 Friday July 14

Weekend excursion to the Scottish Highlands

WEEK FOUR DATE

10 - 12PM

12 - 2PM

2 - 5PM

Monday July 31

Development of group project

Lunch break

Development of group project

Tuesday August 1

Development of group project

Lunch break

Special topic lecture

by Abertay Staff

Wednesday August 2

Development of group project

Lunch break

Development of group project

Thursday August 3

Development of group project

Lunch break

Special topic lecture

by Abertay Staff

Friday August 4

Play testing session

Saturday August 5

Cultural visit: Scottish castles

Sunday August 6

Free Day

WEEK FIVE DATE Monday August 7

10 - 12PM

12 - 2PM

2 - 5PM

Final games showcase

Tuesday August 8 Wednesday August 9

Business of games workshop: state of the industry

Thursday August 10

Business of games workshop: organizing and funding a games collective

Friday August 11

Business of games workshop: business planning

Saturday August 12

Departure

Wrap-up party

* Disclaimer: All cultural visits and field trips are indicative only and the timing and location may change depending on the weather conditions.

How to Apply The application and deposit information can be found on Abertay University’s website: abertay.ac.uk/studying/international-summer-schools

Any questions?

Don’t be shy, we’d love to hear from you and are here to help. Please contact: Adrienne McLaughlin International Summer Schools Coordinator Abertay University Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG T: 0044 1382 308 E: international@abertay.ac.uk Abertay University is an operating name of the University of Abertay Dundee, a charity registered in Scotland No: SC016040.