News & Media

16 January 2024, Tokyo, Japan – The Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) has recently established a strategic partnership with Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), encompassing collaborative efforts in both competition and education. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties has been formalized and signed at the university’s campus in Tokyo last Friday, with the attendance of AESF Director General, Mr. Sebastian Lau, AESF Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Steve Kim, as well as representatives from TUJ such as Mr. Matthew Wilson, Dean of TUJ, and Mr. John A. Lipartito Jr., Assistant Professor and TUJ Esports varsity team director.

In the area of competition opportunities, the TUJ Esports team will be invited to participate in future AESF University Championships and other university-related competitions. This program will also be applied to other AESF university partners to provide international competition opportunities for the young talents in academia. 

On the educational front, the AESF supports the TUJ Esports academic program and facilitates an Esports Exchange program for TUJ students with partnered universities in Asia and beyond. The collaboration further aims to integrate guest lecturers, facilitate introductions to industry experts, and jointly develop projects to cultivate Esports talent through training programs, education, boot camps, and research.

Mr. Sebastian Lau, AESF Director General, expressed, “We are pleased to announce the establishment of this strategic partnership. The collaboration and MoU signing mark an exciting milestone, opening doors to incredible opportunities for the TUJ Esports team and faculty, both in competitions and education. Various innovative programs and research initiatives shall be introduced through this collaboration. This is AESF’s inaugural partnership with a university in Japan, signifying a crucial step in jointly developing the Esports landscape in the country, together with universities. Furthermore, as Esports is included as a medal event at the 20^th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, this partnership holds significance in our preparations for this prestigious event”.

TUJ’s Dean, Mr. Matthew Wilson, commented, “TUJ is thrilled to build upon its excellence in education through our new partnership with AESF.  Our university aims to provide students with a state-of-the-art educational journey. As one of the only universities in Japan with an academic program in Esports, we provide pathways for our students to prepare for career prospects involving Esports spanning across diverse fields such as business, management, broadcasting, media, arts, computer science, law, psychology, and medicine.

By teaming with AESF, our students and faculty will be able to engage with industry experts, participate in cutting-edge events, and make contributions to the exploding Esports industry. We are excited to provide our students with such opportunities.” Dean Wilson continues, “we are also most grateful to Dr. Baro Hyun, CEO at LuneTone Inc. and author of ‘Demystifying Esports’ who has not only facilitated the bridge between TUJ and AESF, but who also elevates excellence in our classrooms by teaching and inspiring our students about the world of Esports.”

Alongside AESF’s continuous efforts to actively contribute to the development of Esports education globally, this collaboration is a strategic move in light of TUJ's launch of its Esports certificate program in early 2023, embracing the world of Esports both academically and in gaming activities.