TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, has called on the new UK Coalition Government to ensure that educational standards in the UK are improved. This will strengthen the competitiveness of the UK economy so that creative industries such as the video games sector can flourish, said TIGA.
These comments were made in response to the publication of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s (OECD) Education at a Glance 2010 report.
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said: “If we are to continue to produce outstanding computer games and compete internationally, then the UK needs to make sure it has an education system to match.”
“Unfortunately, according to the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2010 report the number of tertiary graduates in the UK for 2008 is lower than the OECD average. This indicator is even more worrying in the context of the results in 2000 when the UK was significantly above the OECD average. If the UK is to compete in the international economy then it needs to arrest this decline,” Wilson continued.
Wilson outlined that the key to maintaining a high percentage of foreign enrolments in their tertiary education institutions is more expenditure on higher education. “The UK is already below the OECD average for spending on primary, secondary and tertiary education as a proportion of GDP. The UK needs to review both how much it is spending and how it is spending this money to ensure that it delivers the best value for money,” said Wilson.
“TIGA recommends the deployment of stronger financial incentives to attract the top graduates to teach in schools; greater flexibility in the national curriculum to allow schools the freedom to teach subjects such as computer science; and providing information about developing a career in the video games industry to schools, to encourage more young people to stick with science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects,” Wilson concludes.
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The majority of TIGA members are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. They also represent games publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities.
TIGA’s vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of its members.
