New £1.6million esports lab and mock law court launched at University of Sunderland

Students at the University of Sunderland now have access to new £1.6million facilities to help them prepare for careers at the cutting edge of their chosen profession.

The new esports and market research technology, and mock law court, have launched at the University’s St Peter’s campus.

It means students studying the Esports Event Management degree will have everything from an international competition spec racing rig and flight simulator, to a master streaming device for live broadcast at their fingertips. 

Law students will be able to bring their studies to life thanks to a new mock court room, including seating for the prosecution, defence and witnesses. 

Those studying Marketing will have access to various new technology, including a brain scanner which detects responses to visual cues, supporting the development of stimulating marketing capital. 

There is also a simulation lab featuring virtual reality headsets for VR tourism development projects. 

Professor Lawrence Bellamy, Academic Dean of the Faculty of Business, Law and Tourism at the University of Sunderland, said: “The esports, market research and moot court facilities are all designed to develop student knowledge and, critically, employability skills. 

“Employability is at the heart of the University of Sunderland’s educational ethos, and we are committed to providing the very best learning environment for our students.

"Ensuring that our graduates complete their programmes with the skills they need to secure a great career is our priority – and I am confident that these new facilities will help them achieve that.” 

The new facilities are part of a greater £250million investment by the University to transform the facilities enjoyed by students at its campuses in Sunderland and London over the next 10 years. 

Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland, Sir David Bell, said: “Our University has always been a beacon of academic excellence, the pursuit of knowledge, a centre of intellectual growth, and a proving ground for the leaders of tomorrow.

"Undoubtedly, these new facilities further strengthen our standing in each of these areas.

"So, to our students, whether you are aiming to climb the legal ladder or dominate the ever-expanding world of esports, our facilities here in the Faculty of Business, Law and Tourism offer the perfect environment to hone your skills.”

Sir David added: “As the working world evolves, so does our response to it. We are adapting to the ever-changing needs of the economy, providing our students with the best possible opportunity to pursue their chosen career on graduation.”

A full breakdown of all the new Faculty of Business, Law and Tourism facilities can be found below: 

Esports

• An international competition spec racing rig and flight simulator 

• 10 off competition standard (2 x teams of 5) laptops, plus a master streaming device for live broadcast

• Adjacent group room with capacity for up to 48 (8x clusters of 6 teams) for observation, chill-out and group simulation activities 

Market Research

• A brain scanner will detect responses to visual cues, supporting the development of stimulating market capital

• Eye-tracking software will be used to monitor how individuals respond to complex static and moving images, again to support the optimisation of marketing materials

• 10 PCs loaded with marketing research supporting software for data input and analysis

Law (Moot) Court

• Proceeding visual and audio capture of mock court environment

• Seating arrangements for the bench, prosecution, defence and witness plus observation group

Simulation Lab

• A six-group working room for dynamic financial and business simulations

• Virtual reality headsets for VR Tourism development projects

• A greenscreen for event broadcast and marketing content development