Jadavpur University (JU) is set to become the first academic institution in the country to have a centre for development of computer games.

The increasing preference of young engineers for a career in the rapidly-growing gaming industry has prompted the university’s decision to set up Games Valley.

Two reputed foreign institutions will collaborate with JU in the project. The university will soon tie up with Digipen, in Washington DC, which conducts programmes in design and computer games. An agreement will also be signed with Algon Quin University in Canada, which is known for producing quality game developers, said JU officials.

“A team of four senior teachers will visit the US in January to finalise the agreement with Digipen. The team will also visit Ottawa for inking the pact with Algon Quin University,” said Parthapratim Biswas, a member of the university’s executive council. Biswas is part of the team that is going to the US.

The JU authorities have plans to seek faculty support from Digipen.

At the national level, the university has decided to collaborate with IBM and Institute of Toy Making Technology for developing the infrastructure of Games Valley.

“Games Valley will open an avenue for young graduates to pursue careers in entertainment technology, which is much in demand in both the national and global markets,” stated Biswas.

JU officials said one of the attractions of Games Valley will be its well-equipped workshops. The team going abroad will interact with experts to finalise the design of the workshops, laboratories and other facilities at the centre.

“We will engage experts in various fields to offer inputs on games. For instance, there are going to be experts on arts and literature,” said Biswas.

The university had announced in January this year postgraduate courses in gaming for graduates in computer science and engineering and electronic science and engineering.