11 October 2024
Benilde indeed is like no other. Through the years, the College has been given a myriad of opportunities to realize its being an inclusive and innovative community trailblazer especially in the creative, digital, and service industries.
True enough, Benilde signed another Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last October 3 with the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP)—represented by their president, James Lo—to further its network and secure more opportunities for students to expand their horizons.
Established in 2007, GDAP is a trade association in the Philippines that represents and promotes the country’s game development industry. It is composed of digital game developers and service and technology studios and has ties to the government, technology suppliers, the education sector, and the international community of game developers.
However, a Benilde-GDAP collaboration is not new. Through the efforts of recently appointed Game Design and Development (GDD) Program Chairperson Norman G. Lee, Benilde was able to closely collaborate with the then newly established GDAP to craft the structure of the country’s first Game Development program. It launched in 2009.
Through this MOU, GDAP will promote the granting student internships for the various programs of Benilde and the microcredentialing of relevant courses offered by Benilde that are relevant to GDAP and the gaming industry.
This is particularly beneficial to Benilde’s GDD program—formerly known as the Interactive Entertainment and Multimedia Computing program—where students can either focus on Game Development or Game Art. The degree program covers the totality of the ideation, design, art, technical implementation, management and business software geared toward entertainment, simulations, and solutions through game technologies and tools.
The collaboration will also allow Benilde students to be trained in project development, providing them with practical experience and allowing them to contribute to GDAP’s ongoing initiatives in the gaming sector. Joint projects will also give students the opportunities to engage in real-world game design challenges and benefit from GDAP’s guidance. Hand in hand as mentors to the students of Benilde, this MOU with GDAP can also enable class enrichment.
Collaborative workshops, seminars, and conferences for Benilde students, faculty, and the public will also be promoted through the collaboration in order to contribute to and benefit from GDAP’s expertise in the field. Topic speakership in the industry discipline through various capacity enhancement activities are also in the pipeline.
On top of these, immersion and exposure trips at Benilde and GDAP can also be arranged for faculty and associates, as well as cooperative research and joint project development for external funding support beneficial to both parties.
Upon signing, this collaboration will be effective for five years until 2029 and will be open to amendments.
For more information on Benilde’s GDD program and other undergraduate programs and Benildean student life, contact us at (63) 2 8230 5100 local 1801 or admissions@benilde.edu.ph. You may also visit our website at www.benilde.edu.ph.
