Development of an FHNW Gaming, eSports & Community Management Focus at ICC including two Modules for a CAS “Gaming, eSports and Community Management”

The gaming and eSports industry is expanding; eSports is even embraced by the IOC, and such a development is only possible with a dedicated community. This thesis explores how the FHNW can position itself as a first mover in this field through a CAS in Gaming, eSports and Community Management.

Tijan Njai, 2025

Art der Arbeit Bachelor Thesis
Auftraggebende FHNW
Betreuende Dozierende Casanova, Marco
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The FHNW seeks to establish a new Focus in Gaming, eSports and Community Management, anchored by the development of a modular CAS. The vision is to respond to market trends and rising demand for digitally native education as well as position itself as a credible institution in these emerging fields. To achieve the set vision, a CAS with separate modules focusing on eSports and on gaming and community management will be developed.
This paper uses a mixed-methods approach. This is achieved through combining insights from the literature review, expert interviews with international specialists from the industry, a benchmarking of international programs, and a FHNW internal module analysis. The findings inform the CAS structure, content, strategic positioning, and marketing concept, ensuring modularity, relevance, and visibility in a competitive continuing education landscape.
The benchmarking revealed cross-continental collaborations, including partnerships between South Korean eSports organisations and US universities, as well as emerging ties with Saudi Arabia, driven by its ambition to become a global eSports hub. These trends display the globalisation of eSports education and industry partnerships, providing valuable reference points for the positioning strategy. The thesis proposes a three-module structure which is aligned with the upcoming micro credential system, where a CAS is built upon 5 modules worth 3 ECTS each. Module 1 is based on eSports, while focusing on policy, regulation, and the overall ecosystem. Modules 2 and 3 are based on gaming and community management. Module 2 looks at the meta-level, focusing on gamification principles, platform economy and user-generated content. Module 3 looks at the macro-level and expands on module 2 with applied gamification, strategic community activation, and immersive events. The paper presents a roadmap for implementation and a targeted social media strategy, enabling the FHNW to position itself as a pioneer in Switzerland's higher education landscape for gaming, eSports, and community management.
Studiengang: Business Administration International Management (Bachelor)
Keywords Gaming, eSports, Community Management, Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), Gamification, Strategic Positioning, Marketing & Social Media Strategy, Benchmarking Strategy
Vertraulichkeit: vertraulich
Art der Arbeit
Bachelor Thesis
Auftraggebende
FHNW, Olten
Autorinnen und Autoren
Tijan Njai
Betreuende Dozierende
Casanova, Marco
Publikationsjahr
2025
Sprache der Arbeit
Englisch
Vertraulichkeit
vertraulich
Studiengang
Business Administration International Management (Bachelor)
Standort Studiengang
Olten
Keywords
Gaming, eSports, Community Management, Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), Gamification, Strategic Positioning, Marketing & Social Media Strategy, Benchmarking Strategy