Joshua Wales-Ferguson

Lecturer

Digital, Tech, Innovation & Business

Hello! I’m a lecturer in broadcast technology and project management here at Staffordshire University. My first experience with esports came watching The International in the early morning hours of a family holiday 11 years ago and my passion for it has spiralled out of control ever since then!

I took my passion to higher education, volunteering at events and working in a business development role outside of esports, before transitioning to academia to focus on the development of esports as a higher education field and on areas of research that pique my interest.

As an academic here at Staffs, I most enjoy using my background in project management to get involved with student projects in support of guidance, having led the Final year Esports Project module that saw the Alpine Community Cup, which attained over half a million impressions, and Brink: A UK Smash Summit, which raised £6,000 and averaged 600 viewers.

Academic qualifications

  • Post-graduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education (current), Staffordshire University
  • BA (Hons) Esports, Staffordshire University

Expertise

  • Stakeholder Management
  • Business Systems
  • Project Management
  • Contemporary Marketing Applications
  • Event Production Workflows
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Independent projects

Research interests

  • Esports Sponsorships
  • Esports Branding Culture
  • Traditional sports partnerships in Esports
  • Business Ethics
  • Experiential Marketing Applications in Esports
  • Corporate Social Responsibility

Enterprise and commercial interests

I have worked extensively within the department to develop curriculum and extra-curricular student opportunities, resulting in direct student collaboration with companies such as EPIC.LAN, Alpine Esports, Overclockers & Field trips to instalments of EPIC & ESI, the UK’s largest esports networking conference.

Within the last two years, I have established Campus Clash as an annual course event, allowing students the opportunity to lead the management of an esports event throughout the production pipeline, engaging with industry partners and working to an event budget.

Teaching

Undergraduate

  • Live Broadcasting Technology
  • Contemporary Marketing Applications
  • Live Production Workflows
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Final Year Project
in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021