Lenovo, GEMS launch dedicated esports zone in a school

GEMS Education and Lenovo have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance student gaming opportunities.

The project is driven by the launch of the Lenovo Esports program – a customised gaming solution for K-12 and university institutions looking to expand their gaming offerings.

Lenovo has created its first ‘Legion Gaming Zone’ at GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai as part of the collaboration – a 360-degree solution comprising of Legion PCs and displays for gaming immersion, high performance ThinkStation workstations for seamless designing and programming.

The MoU will also deliver the educational institution with Yoga Tab tablets, which will enable teachers to conduct courses with increased visibility and efficiency, as well as deliver on critical results. The Lenovo Esports solution also makes use of advancements from premier Esports venue software and services supplier ggCircuit to keep gamers connected while also keeping them secure.

Commenting on the Lenovo Esports program and MoU with GEMS Education, Mohammed Hilili, General Manager, Lenovo Gulf, said, “Gaming is profoundly impacting not only the entertainment and sporting arenas, but also future job roles and upskilling. We look forward to continuing to foster this important dialogue and further strengthening our partnership in the months ahead.”

“Over the years, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in learning and teaching. Gaming, for example, which was seen largely as a recreational hobby, is now an enviable skill and is being considered preparatory ground for a full-time career. We are excited to be one of the first educational institutions in the region to leverage the Lenovo Esports program, and explore how gaming can be used to nurture talent, expertise and future readiness in innovative and academically stimulating ways,” said Nargish Khambatta, Principal, GEMS Modern Academy and Vice President – Education, GEMS Education.

Shabeer Mohammed, Chief Information Officer, GEMS Education, said: “At GEMS, it is of utmost importance to provide the best opportunities to the students at our schools. We aim to provide environments in which they can develop as exponential thinkers while providing opportunities for students to build on their skills within their existing framework. Infrastructure is a key part of this, and we are delighted to be partnering with Lenovo on this unique project.”

GEMS Modern Academy’s acquisition of the Lenovo Esports programme compliments the school’s accreditation as a Dubai SME Certified Incubation Center for Entrepreneurship Development, which it obtained in 2019. Work is now being done to finish the implementation at a second campus, GEMS FirstPoint School – The Villa.

Lenovo and GEMS Education seek to expand their partnership, with the possibility of additional expansion and implementation across other schools and markets in the Middle East.