The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Korea University’s School of International Sport Science at its Sejong campus, agreeing to embed project-based esports work directly into the university’s regular degree curriculum. The deal was signed on 10 June 2026 during the 2026 E-KUS (Esports Korea University Sejong) Esports Forum on the Sejong campus, and is KeSPA’s latest move to professionalise South Korea’s esports education pipeline. KeSPA Secretary General Kim Cheol-hak and Kim Sang-ho, Chair of the School of International Sport Science, both attended the signing.

What the Partnership Covers

The agreement sets up a cooperative framework that links the esports industry with Korea University’s regular curriculum, rather than treating esports as an extracurricular add-on. The two organisations will work together across four main areas.

• Creating and operating project-based courses tied directly to industry needs
• Jointly developing and running industry-academia programmes
• Sharing human networks and physical infrastructure
• Collaborating on event sponsorship and promotional activities

The organisations also plan joint research and collaborative projects, with the project-based, industry-linked courses set to be established and operated as part of the standard degree programme.

KeSPA’s Push to Professionalise Esports Education

The MoU continues KeSPA’s broader institutional drive to formalise how South Korea trains the people who staff its esports industry, from players to production and management roles. Kim Cheol-hak framed the deal as a foundation for that pipeline. “This agreement will serve as a meaningful stepping stone for fostering talent and promoting industrial development in the esports sector together with Korea University Sejong campus,” the KeSPA Secretary General said in remarks translated from Korean. “Moving forward, we will support the cultivation of convergent talents equipped with both professional expertise and practical experience, ensuring that creative outcomes derived from the curriculum lead to industrial advancement.”

Inside the E-KUS Esports Forum

The signing took place at the E-KUS Esports Forum held on the same day at Korea University’s Sejong campus. Across the forum, industry and academic representatives delivered topic presentations and took part in panel discussions, while brand booths and other programmes ran alongside the talks.

With the agreement now in place, KeSPA and Korea University Sejong move from signing to delivery, designing and running the project-based, industry-linked courses that the MoU puts at the centre of the curriculum.

The post KeSPA Signs MoU With Korea University to Build Esports Curriculum appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A Global Classroom for Esports

Manchester University in Indiana, USA, has announced a partnership with South Korean esports powerhouse Gen.G Esports to join the organisation’s Practicum Abroad programme, a three-week study trip that lets students learn directly from esports professionals while exploring Korea’s gaming culture.

🚨PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT!!🚨

Manchester University Esports officially partners with esports organization @GenG to provide discounted travel and individual cohorts for Gen.G’s Practicum Abroad program in Seoul, South Korea!!

For more info, see the link in comments!! pic.twitter.com/D2Qxt2roJ1

— Manchester Esports (@MU_esport) October 9, 2025

The programme, one of Gen.G’s most ambitious initiatives, offers participants a rare chance to travel to Seoul and gain hands-on insight into the world of professional gaming. Over the course of the trip, students will take part in mentorship sessions with industry experts, attend “lunch-and-learn” events, visit top esports organisations and game publisher studios, and discover Korea’s rich gaming history and culture.

“This is our most ambitious programme since the launch of our Gen.G Practicum Abroad programme,” said Arnold Hur, CEO of Gen.G. “The students will be fully immersed in Korea with hands-on experiences to give them a 360-degree view of the esports industry.”

From the Classroom to the Esports Arena

According to Manchester University’s Director of Esports, Garrett Schieferstein, the partnership reflects the university’s growing commitment to preparing students for global careers in competitive gaming.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with such an amazing esports organisation like Gen.G to provide our students here at Manchester with an amazing opportunity to travel to Seoul and learn the esports industry from the best in the business,” said Schieferstein.

He added that this collaboration offers “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about esports on a global scale and experience South Korean esports and culture.”

Students looking to enrol must be part of a four-year accredited university programme (US or international) for the 2024/2025 or 2025/2026 academic year. The course costs $5,450 (around £4,100), not including airfare or dinners.

Esports Education on the Rise

The partnership between Manchester University and Gen.G is part of a wider movement where universities around the world are integrating esports into higher education. In 2025, institutions have been expanding their engagement with the gaming industry, offering everything from collegiate tournaments to specialised esports programmes.

Earlier this year, the University of Limerick teamed up with Logitech in a €2.5 million research project to study gamers’ habits, while Middle Tennessee State University introduced dedicated esports concentrations on its campuses. Similarly, the University of Suffolk has announced plans for new esports facilities.

With the esports job market growing rapidly, and reports showing that one in four young boys in the UK now aspire to work in the industry, opportunities like Gen.G’s Practicum Abroad could play a key role in shaping the next generation of gaming professionals.

The post Manchester University Partners with Gen.G for Esports Study Trip to South Korea appeared first on Shane the Gamer.