M1 partners with institutes of higher learning to accelerate gaming development

[L - R] Mustafa Kapasi, Chief Commercial Officer, M1; Jason Chu, Chief Operating Officer, International, DigiPen Institute of Technology

[L - R] Mustafa Kapasi, Chief Commercial Officer, M1; Boo Chong-Han, Deputy Principal, SkillsFuture & Organisational Development, Republic Polytechnic

SINGAPORE, 25 OCTOBER 2022 – M1 Limited (M1), one of Singapore’s leading Mobile Network Operators (MNO), today announced that it has entered separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with two institute(s) of higher learning (IHLs): DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore and Republic Polytechnic (RP) to develop the next generation of gaming talent.

As part of the MoU, M1 will be working with selected DigiPen (Singapore)’s students from the BS in Computer Science in Interactive Media and Game Development and three other relevant courses to have their fully designed game published for three years on M1’s newly launched cloud gaming platform, Zolaz. This creates an opportunity for the students to showcase their work while driving greater reach amongst the gaming community.

M1 will also be accepting interns and final year project students from RP School of Technology for the Arts for a duration of five months. They will get to work directly on Zolaz or be given opportunities to explore other technology departments in M1. Selected final year projects from graduating students will also be showcased on Zolaz’s microsite.

“The partnerships with DigiPen (Singapore) and RP are testament to M1’s commitment in shaping the gaming industry in Singapore. Apart from being a connectivity enabler, we also strive towards being a partner in elevating the gaming community through our technology capabilities and experience. With M1’s True5G network, we are now able to transform the cloud gaming ecosystem and we look forward to nurturing a new generation of talent in game development by providing the right platform for learning,” said Mr Mustafa Kapasi, Chief Commercial Officer, M1.

“DigiPen (Singapore) has been a leader in the digital media industry for many years. Our students are taught to push the boundaries of technology to develop their own software engines and simulations, which they then combine with professional quality artwork to bring the projects to life. With this collaboration, we are excited to partner with M1 to offer our student games to a wider audience. We hope that these games will bring a smile to the players' faces as a testament to our students' creativity and talents,” said Mr Jason Chu, Chief Operating Officer, International, DigiPen Institute of Technology.

“We are pleased to collaborate with M1, one of Singapore’s leading mobile network operators. This partnership will equip students from the Diploma in Design for Games & Gamification with digital technology skillsets that reshape the gaming experience. The combined learning resources including M1’s digital infrastructure will further enhance the learning experience and put graduating students in good stead to join the industry as game design professionals,” said Ms Emida Natalaray, Director, School of Technology for the Arts, Republic Polytechnic.