Supplier News
US – IGT and the McKenna Institute at the University of New Brunswick establish partnership to expand game development
By Phil - 30 August 2023
International Game Technology has reached a five-year agreement with the McKenna Institute at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) to fund the expansion of the university’s software curriculum.
As part of the agreement, IGT will fund the creation of two new faculty positions and an innovation director role, and will work closely with the university and the McKenna Institute to create research and educational opportunities in the subjects of AI, data science and gaming software and hardware platforms and automation. IGT will also fund contributions towards technology and scholarships.
“IGT’s investment in innovation will help UNB and the McKenna Institute establish New Brunswick as a national center for design in regulated gaming technologies. It will provide our students with increased opportunities to use AI and data science to develop knowledge and skills in a field that is in high demand,” said Dr. Paul Mazerolle, UNB’s president and vice-chancellor. “On behalf of everyone at UNB, I wish to thank IGT for its commitment to developing the next generation of talent for the gaming industry and beyond.”
“We’re excited to establish this strategic agreement between IGT, UNB and the McKenna Institute to fortify gaming technology, data science and artificial intelligence platforms at UNB,” said Renato Ascoli, IGT CEO Global Gaming. “IGT’s strong commitment to New Brunswick takes an important step forward with our establishment of this significant research and educational partnership in the region. Our investment can greatly foster the development of a larger and more effectively aligned talent pipeline in gaming-related technologies.”
The McKenna Institute at UNB endeavors to actively position New Brunswick as a globally competitive digital economy. The institute works with business, academia and government on a number of initiatives including fostering digital literacy, attracting top talent to New Brunswick, idea generation, growth acceleration, support for research and development, and job creation for the region. The McKenna institute and UNB’s faculty of computer science are investing in practical, agile solutions to advance the development of digital industries across New Brunswick in a rapidly digitizing world.
