Today, at our GDC Education Breakfast, we introduced new education R&D initiatives and launched a grant program for secondary schools that will dramatically help teachers secure approvals, implement and deliver interactive application and game development courses. The new program will include no-charge educational licenses with all the features and power of the Unity 5 engine and editor; a 40 page Professional Skill Standard cross-referenced to academic standards like Common Core, Next Gen Science Standards, 21st Century Skills and STEM clusters; and a 200+ page Curricular Framework that covers the entire professional pipeline from design and development, through deployment.

With this innovative new program, we are committed to removing barriers for secondary institutions and supporting teachers to realize high quality outcomes in the classroom. While students are fascinated and excited with art, design and technology; educators will appreciate Unity as a vehicle for delivering important academic material like physics, math and programming logic in an engaging, multi-disciplinary, team-based, project learning environment.

Mike Preble, Instructor at United Technologies Center in Bangor, Maine commented, “I have seen the value of teaching Unity in my classroom. It has increased the level of engagement and interest in every student that walks through my door. The day I received Unity’s curriculum framework and skills standard, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could do what I love: teach. My work became validated and my students gained the ability to be learn comprehensively at a faster pace. The standards-based Curricular Framework provides a base of knowledge and understanding that is unprecedented in my world, which is incredibly valuable in every sense of the word.”

Tim Lawrence, Executive Director at SkillsUSA and Delegate to WorldSkills added, “Unity’s work in the area of curriculum development and instructor resources will enhance student learning and achievement both nationally and globally. Perhaps the most exciting part of Unity’s work is the alignment with academic standards.”

Of course, post-secondary educators and institutions are welcome to the Professional Skills Standard and Curricular Framework. Based on feedback from many of you, we are confident you will find them valuable too. Through this initiative, our ultimate goal is to generate more excitement with younger students, driving them to pursue programs at the post-secondary level and into rewarding careers.

Along with the announcement earlier this week of the Unity 5 Personal Edition, individual students, faculty and staff now have easy and open access to Unity for their personal computers, and a seamless workflow with educational licenses in their school labs and classrooms. Given our commitment to investing in educational communities, this is only the beginning. Watch for more exciting announcements from Unity in 2015.

The program and both foundational documents were showcased this morning and are immediately available. For your no-charge electronic copy of the Professional Skills Standard, the Curricular Framework or to request a secondary school software grant, please contact us.