The Scottish Games Education Network (SGEN) announced two major advancements for Scotland’s games talent pipeline at the 2026 Scottish Games Education Symposium, held on 3 March at West College Scotland. The event marked the unveiling of a new dedicated national games qualification and the beginning of work to establish a Scottish Games Skills Forum.
Led by Dr. Amanda Ford, the newly developed qualification introduced a refreshed framework for college‑level games education. After years of consultation with educators and industry, the qualification was designed to better equip learners with the technical and creative skills required by modern studios. The symposium offered attendees the first look at the planned rollout and national standardisation process.
The event also initiated the formal mapping of a Scottish Games Skills Forum, a key recommendation of Level Up: The National Games Action Plan by Brian Baglow, Founder and Director of the Scottish Games Network. His work has been central in defining Scotland’s long‑term vision for developing a cohesive, industry‑aligned talent pipeline. Attendees contributed to identifying existing skills‑focused organisations, key stakeholders, and the intended remit of the Forum, which aims to provide Scotland with a unified voice in national skills policy and engagement with the UK Games Skills Forum.
This year’s symposium expanded its reach beyond games development to include wider creative industries such as animation, storytelling, art, sound, and digital media. Discussions highlighted persistent challenges across institutions, as well as the growing opportunities for cross‑disciplinary collaboration. Participants agreed on the need to raise earlier awareness of games as a viable career path and emphasised the transferable skills gained through games education.
Purpose and Vision
The symposium brought educators, industry leaders, and creative professionals together to:
- Share perspectives on games’ place within the wider creative landscape
- Explore opportunities for closer collaboration across creative disciplines
- Discuss how education can better prepare graduates for today’s evolving creative and digital sectors
Dr. Amanda Ford has led the Scottish Games Education Network for the past five years, working to unite educators and strengthen Scotland’s games education ecosystem. The developments announced at the symposium mark the next major step toward establishing a coordinated National Games Skills and Education Forum.
