The University of Warwick and the Centre for Entertainment Arts (CEA) have officially joined forces in a bold new CreaTech strategic partnership, uniting one of the UK's most innovative universities with a global leader in digital entertainment education.
The initiative marks CEA's first UK university collaboration and reinforces Warwick's role as a pioneer in immersive, industry-focused learning. Over a two-year pilot, the partners will deliver short, high-impact training courses at Fusion, a dedicated space on the Warwick campus designed for creativity, technology, and experimentation.
From 3D animation to AI, and game development to visual effects, these high-demand courses offer fast-track upskilling led by experienced industry practitioners. Designed for adult learners, aspiring creatives, and professionals across the UK's digital industries, the initiative responds directly to national skills shortages and to a growing demand for specialist creative tech talent.
"Our new partnership with the CEA is a model of applied education that connects directly to creative industry needs," said Mick McLaughlin, Business Development Manager at Fusion. "We are building a powerful innovation ecosystem for our diverse communities where ideas turn into opportunities for students, start-ups and businesses alike."
"This is more than a partnership: it's an innovation alliance," added David Plumb, Chief Innovation Officer at the University of Warwick. "We're blending creativity, technology, and industry expertise to shape a future where immersive entertainment inspires new possibilities for learning, collaboration, and regional economic growth."
The partnership will also launch a series of future-facing industry events, workshops, and thought-leadership forums to help shape the UK's evolving CreaTech landscape.
Diwakar Gandhi, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, CEA, said, "We're thrilled to be combining CEA's expertise with the University of Warwick to empower participants with industry-aligned, project-based learning and portfolio-ready experience. Together, we are enabling the next generation of creative technologists, ready to drive the future of immersive and entertainment industries."
CEA is an officially recognised Unreal Authorised Training Centre, part of a select global network supported by Epic Games to deliver expert-led training in Unreal Engine, one of the world's most advanced 3D creation platforms used across games, film, and virtual production.
Backing from studios like Navigator Games reflects the real-world relevance of the collaboration. CEO Will Moore commented:
"As a studio powered by Unreal Engine and always in search of world-class developers, designers, and 3D artists, we see this partnership as a game-changer, creating a talent pipeline rooted in real-world skills and creative excellence. This initiative strengthens both the UK education system and the future of global entertainment. It's exactly the kind of programme that helps young creators go from the classroom to the studio floor."
About Fusion
Fusion is the University of Warwick's dedicated CreaTech innovation space, where creative skills and emerging technologies come together to inspire new ways of engaging audiences and driving business growth.
Developed from Warwick's Esports Centre facility, Fusion has been reimagined as a dedicated CreaTech innovation space that spans the full creative-technology ecosystem, offering a hub for experimentation, collaboration, and future-focused learning.
