Shanshan Qian, a student on the Interactive Media Practice MA course, has landed an internship with the world-leading video game company Tencent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tencent is one of the most economically valuable and biggest social media companies as well as one of the largest venture capital firms and investment corporations in the world. The company is best known for its messaging services and ownership of WeChat.
They also own a lot of Western culture’s entertainment services. The company currently own 40 per cent of Fortnite studio, Epic games, and have the license to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PubG). In terms of music, they own 10 per cent of Universal Music, in addition to some investment in Spotify, one of the world’s biggest music streaming services.
Many students from China at the University of Westminster go into employment in Shenzhen, where Tencent is based. According to WIRED magazine, the city is best known for being the heart of the tech industry in China.
Shanshan Qian said: "One of the best things about IMP is that it pushes you out of your comfort zone, you have to do more than simply design, but also coding and research. The way of learning on the Master's course is very useful for my working practice at Tencent as it helps with communication and understanding. IMP takes you to another level for the world of work, with exceptional support and motivation."
Speaking about the importance of employability and supporting students, Savraj Matharu, Course Leader and Founder of the Interactive Media Practice MA course, said: “We have a rich history of student employability on the MA into world-leading organisations particularly within Big Tech and bluechip organisations globally. Outside of our day-to-day curriculum, we support our students through a range of enrichment opportunities from live project briefs to attending conferences with leading industry professionals Amazon and Google. We create a rich learning ecosystem which fosters students’ learning and innovation.
“Universities play an instrumental role in supporting young people into a changing world of work. Our employer-focused curriculum, industry enrichment and research-informed practice enable us to be at the forefront of digital innovation at postgrad level. Our curriculum is challenging with academic rigour and continues to develop successful alumni. It’s great to see our students achieving significant success during the academic year despite a global pandemic. It's business as usual at the University of Westminster, as we aim to deliver exceptional teaching to support students into industry 4.0.”
Learn about Art, Design and Visual Culture and Computer Science and Engineering courses offered at the University of Westminster.
