Esports

Esports at ITMO

out of

The first esports section at ITMO University launched in 2015, and in March 2020, the university started its Esports PE project, allowing students to take part in online gaming competitions (in over 15 esports disciplines) to gain points that go towards their PE grades. A custom-build platform with a student verification system was designed specifically for the project within two weeks from scratch; it can evaluate a student’s performance and convert it into a grade. The project received great media coverage. 

ITMO University is the first university in Russia to offer an esports stipend for students and the first university in St. Petersburg to open its own esports venue, KronBars Arena. The university regularly competes and excels at different-level tournaments by the National Esports Student League. ITMO’s team took the first place in the first season of Moscow Student Esports League and was ranked sixth based on its performance at competitions by the National Esports Student League.

The university also hosts Esports Leaders – a major esports forum that brings together esports managers from all over Russia. The event includes meetups with esports experts, experience exchange sessions, lectures, workshops, and interactive zones. 

Facilities

• Coworking spaces – an area with four PS5 consoles, an overhead projector, and everything for club meetups, team building activities, and fun gatherings;

• Recording studio – a studio equipped with everything necessary for podcasting, interviewing, and creating any other kinds of content; 

• Gaming area – an area with pro gaming PCs for tournaments and training.

Partners

ITMO University worked with CS.MONEY to allow students to engage with advanced IT technologies and participate in esports projects, as well as provide the university’s team with equipment and uniforms. The partnership with Dostayevsky made it possible to award competition winners and supply the university’s teams with food and uniforms for tournaments. 

Events

ITMO University holds its annual Esports Games (2,000+ participants every year), organizes and hosts city-wide and national events, and trains teams in 11 esports disciplines: Dota 2, CS 2, Hearthstone, SC II, Apex Legends, and others. Members of the university’s team participate in more than 200 tournaments every year.