MOONTON, NU Laguna join forces for esports and gaming programs

The future of esports and gaming looks bright.

Tertiary educational institution National University (NU) Laguna and game developer MOONTON have joined forces to implement esports and gaming programs for students--the first of its kind in the Philippines.

The memorandum of understanding, signed Thursday at the Inspire Academy, would allow for curriculum development while providing opportunities such as immersions and internships.

MOONTON is also the publisher of popular mobile multiplayer online battle arena Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

"This collaboration sets forth our intention to help hone our students and bridge the gap between the industry and the academe. We are thrilled for NU Laguna scholars and faculty members to be part of the efforts to further push esports and gaming education in the Philippines," said MOONTON Cares Director Theon Hsu.

"NU Laguna’s collaboration with MOONTON Games will pave the way for great opportunities and strategic advancement for the students and the university. We are thrilled about the projects and other opportunities this collaboration will bring. National University Laguna and MOONTON Games will work together in bringing esports to the forefront," added NU Laguna Vice President and Assistant Director for Academe - Industry Linkage Dr. Narro R. Navarro.

One of the first programs to be launched will be a gaming and esports journalism workshop, which would provide insights on media ethics, basic sportswriting, mobile journalism, journalism in the TikTok age, as well as the pros and cons of using AI tools.

"Right now, the most immediate one would be the esports and gaming journalism workshop," emphasized MOONTON's regional PR manager Keith Medrano. "This time, we want to make it bigger and cater to the students of NU Laguna specifically to hone their skills in terms of writing."

The program is expected to launch by May 2024.