The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will host the first-ever international Academic Esports tournament with gamers from around the world competing from Friday to Wednesday. Courtesy photo/UH Maui College

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will host the first-ever international Academic Esports tournament, welcoming student teams from six countries for the week-long competition.

Running from this Friday to Wednesday, gamers from Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Germany, Austria and UH Maui College’s own esports team will face off in popular titles like “Valorant,” “League of Legends” and “Rocket League.”

“I’m thrilled that gamers from around the world will be joining us to compete,” UH Maui College student Malia Mancianti said. “I’m eager to meet new faces, to share the beauty of Hawai’i and the opportunities that are available here at UH Maui College.”

A special team from Maui High School will also compete.

According to organizers, it’s the academic approach that makes this tournament unique. Students must excel in three academic challenges — a programming and problem-solving competition that tests technical skills, a business innovation challenge that develops entrepreneurial thinking, and an academic debate forum addressing global gaming culture and sustainability.

It’s the first time ever that a tournament has combined esports games with academics and transferable skills to highlight the best of what esports in education can achieve globally. Esports are a common language that brings people together and has a strong part to play in both education and recreation.

All the action will take place in the Student Lounge in the Pilina Building on the UH Maui College Kahului campus. The public is invited to watch.

For updates and event schedules, go to https://world.academicesports.net. People can also follow the competition live on Twitch at twitch.tv/uiaesport and YouTube at youtube.com/@UiAEsport.

Students are preparing to compete in a multi-day tournament at the University of Hawai’i Maui College that grew out of an international partnership focused on developing academic esports programs. Courtesy photo/UH Maui College

Spearheaded by organizers Rune Andersen, head of Academic Esports at the University of Agder, Norway, and UH Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana, the event grew from an international partnership formed a year ago that focused on developing academic esports programs.

“This tournament breaks new ground in how we think about esports in education,” Andersen said in a statement. “By combining competitive gaming with real academic challenges, we’re creating something that has never been done before at this international scale.”

Participating universities include Mittweida University of Applied Science, Germany; MCI, The Entrepreneurial School, Innsbruck, Austria; Staffordshire University, London, England; University of Agder, Norway; University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Yonsei University, South Korea; University of Hawaii Maui College and Maui High School.

“UH Maui College has always included international educational components in our students’ experiences. That is part of what makes hosting this event so significant for us,” Hokoana added. “It’s also noteworthy that the international student players will be fully immersed in Hawaiian culture during their stay, experiencing traditional practices, learning about Maui’s rich heritage, and engaging in cultural exchange activities with the local community. While staying on campus, they’ll share their own diverse cultural perspectives, creating a unique blend of global gaming culture with Hawaiian traditions.”