The Art Institute of Vancouver Ranked as a Top Video Game Design School in the US & Canada

ThePrinceton Review has announced their "Top Schools to Study Video Game Design for 2013," ranking The Art Institute of Vancouver, BC, Canada number nine on the top 15 of the list for undergraduate schools. This is The Art Institute of Vancouver's fourth appearance on the list.

"It is an honor to be ranked again in the top 15 list by The Princeton Review," said John Mazzoni, President of The Art Institutes system of schools. "Being ranked is an accomplishment we take very seriously as it is a testament to the quality of higher education our faculty and staff provide, the hard work of our students, and our commitment to remaining relevant in a gaming industry that constantly changes. It certainly shines a light on our dedication to helping students reach their educational goals."

The Princeton Review conducted a comprehensive survey with 150 colleges in the United States and Canada. The survey asked approximately 50 questions associated with the video game design courses offered at these schools, with topics ranging from the quality of academics to the institutions' facilities. Other important factors taken into consideration by the surveyors were faculty credentials and career services. The company's full report on the 2013 list is accessible at http://www.princetonreview.com/game-design.aspx.

Marc Aubanel, Program Coordinator for Game Art & Design at The Art Institute of Vancouver, has been instrumental in shaping the school's Princeton Review ranked gaming program. He was previously a Vice President and Executive Producer at Electronic Arts Canada (EA), where he worked on such video games as "FIFA" and "Need for Speed Underground." "We pride ourselves in providing industry-relevant training where students can work on projects that have been internationally recognized," Mr. Aubanel said. "In an industry worth billions, being ranked in the top 15 video game design schools speaks volumes for our program."

"We salute the schools on our 2013 list for their commitment to this professional field. We hope our project will guide students considering careers in game design to schools best for them and on to companies at which they can apply their creative ideas and skills for the next generation of game players," said Robert Franek, Princeton Review's Senior VP/Publisher at The Princeton Review, in a statement made for the press release announcing the study's results on March 12, 2013 http://www.princetonreview.com/game-design-press-release.aspx.

This year, The Princeton Review partnered with PC Gamer, a monthly magazine published by Future US, as its reporting partner on the project. PC Gamer has a special feature on the list in its May issue.