APU Officially Selected As the 1st eSports Focal Sports Centre Coordinator by MoHE

APU’s appointment will boost the eSports and gaming ecosystems by providing coaching and facility experience, organising international eSports tournaments and leagues, and upskilling local players.

From left: Ms. Hashanna Abdul Halim, Mr. Niyewzuan Amar Iszuan Cheng, Mr. Mohd Haniff Ab Razak, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Tan Chin Ike, Mr. Gurpardeep Singh, Dato Dr. Pekan Ramli, Prof. Dr. Ho Chin Kuan, Mr. Tony Azman Hassan, Mr. Norizan Md Isa, Ms. Maznah Abu Samah, Ms. Azliza Lokman and Mr. Jacob Sow Tian You were photographed with members of the APU eSports Club.

The Premier Digital Tech Institution, Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), has been selected as the 1st ‘eSports focal sports centre coordinator’ under the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), Sports Section.

Under the Dasar Pembangunan Sukan Institusi Pengajian Tinggi (DPSIPT), MoHE began implementing the Sports Centres of Excellence (SCE) and Focused Sports Centres (FSC) development programme at selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in 2010.

This programme is part of an effort to grow sports in a more systematic and orderly manner, as well as to develop a generation of ‘The Thinking Athlete(s)’ at higher education institutions (IPT).

In this regard, the MoHE’s Sports Section, Strategic Planning Division (SSSPD) held a meeting of the Evaluation Panel for the SCE and FSC on 19 January 2023 at the Lexis Hotel in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, to evaluate the performance of each SCE and FSC, as well as new applications.

The Sports Section has appointed eight (8) assessors to evaluate performance in accordance with the guidelines of the SCE and FSC Development Programmes.

Following an evaluation of APU’s application, MoHE is pleased to appoint APU as the focal sports centre development programme coordinator for the eSports FSC from 2023 to 2025, with a grant fund of RM100,000 for 2023.

According to Dato Dr. Pekan Ramli, Deputy Division Secretary, Sports Section, the eSports league is a new global event that aims to grow direct engagement with new audiences, and MoHE wants to bring joy and new sights to eSports fans in Malaysia through this unique selection in which they chose APU as the eSports focal sports centre coordinator under its wings.

APU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ho Chin Kuan chaired the meeting with MoHE’s Sports Section representatives led by Dato Dr. Pekan Ramli, while Head School of Computing (SoC) Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Tan Chin Ike gave a presentation on the direction and potential of eSports at APU.

“We are delighted to have APU at this important moment in our development. APU’s expertise in digital transformation and strategic supervision will assist Malaysian eSports athletes improve their professional skills such as critical thinking, perseverance, teamwork, and decision-making.

“Meanwhile, APU will deliver a holistic eSports education that includes both game-based and industrial-based courses in order to nurture global-ready eSports professionals to cater all spectrums of the eSports ecosystem,” he said during an official visit to APU’s state-of-the-art campus in Bukit Jalil on 16 May 2023.

MoHE, Sports Section Head Assistant Secretary Mr. Tony Azman Hassan and his team accompany Dato Dr. Pekan to inspect the eSports facilities and APU XR Studio — Asia’s first XR (META) Studio with built-in Mixed (MR) and Extended Reality (ER) infrastructure.

APU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ho Chin Kuan, APU Chief Operating Officer Mr. Gurpardeep Singh, APU Student Affairs Assistant Manager Ms. Hashanna Abdul Halim, Head School of Computing (SoC) Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Tan Chin Ike, APU Senior Lecturer Mr. Jacob Sow Tian You, APU Senior Lecturer Dr. Lai Ngan Kuen, and APU eSports Club members welcomed the representative from the MoHE, Sports Section.

With this announcement, MoHE will enable eSports enthusiasts to participate in a variety of eSports tournaments, professional leagues, conferences, or events under APU while demonstrating their support for eSports and easily empower both pro and amateur eSports players and gaming communities with the goal of boosting Malaysia’s eSports and gaming ecosystem.

In order to grow eSports professionals globally, APU will offer a comprehensive eSports education that is both a game-based course and is led by industry needs through its specialist lab known as the eSports Lab.

Their state-of-the-art gaming facilities, equipped with high-performance computers such as Alienware and iMacs, game consoles and gaming hardware, as well as dedicated spaces that can serve as training areas for eSports teams and individual players to train game ethics in a positive way, and organise game strategies by APU’s expert trainers from the industry.

​Mr. Sharizal Pujahaas Jaffar explained and demonstrated how to use VR and AR devices to representatives from MoHE’s Sports Section at XR Studio.

In terms of study courses, APU offers several courses that have an indirect impact on the eSports industry such as BSc (Hons) in Computer Games Development, BA (Hons) in Animation, BA (Hons) in Visual Effects, and BSc (Hons) in Multimedia Technology with a specialization in VR/AR.

While the eSports Certificate Programme offered at APU are Levels 1, 2 & 3 in Skills Certificate in League of Legends (LOL), Skills Certificate in Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA2), and Skills Certificate in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).

With the establishment of APU eSports Club, students/players can participate and compete in various eSports events and grassroots leagues with university assistance in terms of coaching, practise facilities, equipment, and competition travel fees.

In fact, members of the club have also won several competitions such as 1st Place: Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) VALORANT Championship 2022, 2nd Place: Predator Championship 2021, and 3rd Place: Campus Esports Showdown 2020 (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang).

“Through our vibrant student body and a very active APU eSports Club, the university has provided an avenue and opportunity for students to venture into the world of competitive games and even eSports management, including shout-casting. Last year, some of our (APU) students competed as competitive eSports athletes in the International eSports Festival.

“APU also actively fosters collaborations and partnerships with industry professionals in the area of game development and eSports to build an ecosystem for our students to thrive in. We believe in building not just mere graduates but well-rounded talents who will bring value to the industry.

“Hence, APU works very closely with all the stakeholders to ensure that the students are provided with career opportunities, industry exposure, value-added internships, and experience to bridge the gap between academia and the entire game ecosystem. Through these initiatives, we hope to nurture talented game developers and professional eSports athletes along the way,” said Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Tan Chin Ike, APU Head School of Computing (SoC).

As Center’s Coordinator For eSports, APU can create a supportive and conducive environment for students interested in eSports, allowing them to pursue their interests while obtaining a quality education.