This year the Bath Digital Festival (BDF) is built around the simple idea of ‘What if?’, with three days of big questions, bold thinking about open experimentation of digital technology.

The University of Bath has key events taking place on Wednesday 20 May as part of the Festival lineup. This includes University of Bath Research Institutes and Centres showcasing immersive and interactive demonstrations at Newark Works as part of the Wednesday Showcase from 9.30am-11.30, to explore how technology is shaping the way we think, create and connect.

During the afternoon there is a talk with Tom Dore, Vice-President of British Esports, and Emily Salvidge, University of Bath, on ‘What if you could get a degree in Esports?’ to discuss this practical question that universities are beginning to ask. They will explore how Esports is not just a new form of competition but a window into the future of digital skills, technology infrastructure and emerging careers.

In the evening of 20 May, a Festival keynote is taking place at BRLSI as part of the University of Bath’s 60th anniversary Adelard Lecture series. Jacky Wright, Former Chief Digital Officer (DDO) and Corporate Vice-President (VP) at Microsoft US, will be discussing ‘Riding the next wave of digital innovation’ with Professor Rachid Hourizi MBE, Director of the University of Bath’s national Institute of Coding. They will explore how we can build a digital future that is responsible, inclusive, and accessible to all.

Katrina Kelly, Head of Community Engagement at University of Bath says:

At the University of Bath we're delighted to be supporting Bath Digital Festival again this year, and in celebration of our 60th anniversary we have a fantastic line up of events taking place on Wednesday 20 May including representation of our research and teaching as part of the showcase, talks and discussions, and culminating with a keynote from global technology pioneer, Jacky Wright, on how we can build a digital future that is responsible, inclusive, and accessible as part of our Adelard Lecture series. Every year, Bath Digital Festival brings people together across the region to celebrate the strength of our digital and tech sector, and this year looks set to be bigger and better than ever before.

Throughout the Festival, the University of Bath’s SETsquared Bath Innovation Centre will open its doors to host a range of events for digital tech community. This includes a talk from [Ross Exton]) https://www.bath.ac.uk/case-studies/case-study-ross-exton-founder-of-watch-learn-productions/), University of Bath alumnus and Founder of Watch and Learn Productions, on ‘What if you could slay a dragon’ for advice on how to produce good storytelling.