Could it be mere coincidence that the game was released on the internet during the month of Ramadan? I think not. Was it a deliberate action to coincide with the anniversary of 9/11? Most likely.

The objective of the game, so I am informed (for I confess I have not and will not visit the site), is for an American soldier, parachuted into the Middle East and armed with a machine gun and rocket launcher, to kill as many Arabs as possible - some dressed as terrorists, others apparently civilians.

Players compete through various levels until ultimately they take on Osama Bin Laden and then certain revered religious entities.

The sick programmer who devised the game, a freelancer known as Sigvatr, claims it is "just a game where you blow the gently caress [slang for a common swear word] out of Arabs".

What is it with such persons that they need to exacerbate an already sensitive situation? There are still many Muslims who are still smarting over the cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) published in a Danish newspaper originally, but subsequently picked up by other "daring" and insensitive media.

'Obviously not'

Have these people no understanding of what Islam means to Muslims. I think the answer is "obviously not", which is a shame because a some comprehension of Islam would go a long way to better appreciation of what motivates more than a billion (and increasing) Muslims around the world.

It is often said that as fast as Islam is spreading globally, so Christianity is depreciating.

Obviously there are a number of reasons for the depreciation, but I suspect one is that many Christians have for years followed their religious beliefs in a very casual manner, often jokingly being called a "four-wheeled church goers". (It is at christenings, weddings and funerals, where a person is always taken to church in a four-wheeled vehicle.)

This is especially noticeable in Britain, where church attendance is at all all-time low and religion plays an insignificant role in people's lives.

It is because of this causal attitude towards religion that many people fail to grasp the major role Islam has in the lives of Muslims. The Quran teaches Muslims conduct in every aspect of their lives. Christianity does not have such strictures, which is possibly why it is treated by some in such a light-hearted way.

I should here concede there are many branches of the Christian faith that do take their religion very seriously - Evangelists for example, but there are others - but they are known on occasion to have strongly contentious arguments against Islam, rather than seeking common ground.

It is in the light of this that the possibility arises that the video game becomes popular with certain sections of society, for they will look upon it as "just another game".

But it isn't. It is a sure-fire way to incite hatred against ones fellow persons of a particular religious persuasion. It is invidious in its concept and it is invidious that it is available to everyone on the internet. But apparently there is nothing that can be done to have it removed.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) can classify films and DVDs by certifying a viewing age and, sometimes will ban them, but the BBFC has no legal control over the internet. It needs a physical product it can put a sticker on.

If the programmer of such a game is in the UK, there could be a possibility of intervention under obscenity or race hatred laws. Otherwise nothing can be done by them if, as it would seem in this instance, it is produced outside the UK.

The BBFC, the games industry and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport are supporting a new voluntary regulation where producers submit internet games to the BBFC for official age rating. But people like of Sigvatr are unlikely to do that. Video games like "Muslim Massacre" call for greater control of the internet.

"It allows them to do their homework and projects online, and provides opportunities for them to network with foreign students and industry experts," adds Wan.

The initiative is part of Autodesk's overall education strategy to train a new generation of skilled graduates who can meet the employment needs of China's fast-diversifying economy.

Three years ago, the group set up a Centre of Excellence computer laboratory with cutting-edge design technologies in collaboration with leading Chinese universities to develop a multidisciplinary curriculum customised to student needs.

Currently, Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Harbin Institute of Technology, South China University of Technology (SCUT) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University benefit from this project.

"Institutes of higher learning are places where information regarding changing cultural trends and advanced skills and technology are passed on to students. Architecture is one such skill," says Professor Li Jian Cheng, deputy director of the Architectural Technology & Science Institute, School of Architecture at SCUT.

"To enable our students to have a competitive edge in the workforce after graduation, the principal of SCUT pays constant attention to technological advances to ensure our students have working knowledge of the latest developments."

Prof Li adds that the training has enabled his graduates to find employment in the field of building design, where the demand for architectural skills is growing.

As public and private sector organisations in China increasingly recognise the opportunity the global design industry offers the local economy, China's universities are realising the importance of partnering with global leaders such as Autodesk.

The industry ventures are in line with a recent government campaign to focus on "independent innovation". The goal is to move away from "Made in China" to "Designed in China", by creating value-added, home-grown products, services and technologies.

Message of innovation

China's policymakers - no longer content with the country's role as the "world's factory" - have been aggressively promoting the message of innovation as the key to competitiveness.

"The government also wants to move towards sustainable development. The rising pressures on the country to reduce carbon emissions make sustainable design a growing area of importance and have led to a focus on integrating new technology," says Wan from Autodesk.

He adds that the transition cannot happen unless China nurtures and develops a pool of skilled labour, which can help it raise its status from that of low-cost manufacturing base.

"The government recognises one of the effective ways to bring about change is through education, to improve the global image of its students and show that they have the skills and knowledge to compete in the global marketplace."

Local enterprises such as Lenovo, Huaqi Information Digital Technology and Founder Technology have also set up independent industrial design departments to enhance their competitiveness.

But China's onward march is not without challenges. Because design is important in so many industries, there is a dearth of local experts to keep pace with rising demand.

Unlike other parts of Asia, such as Singapore or Hong Kong, which roll out the red carpet for foreign workers, mainland China cannot get round the problem by hiring from abroad.

"One foreign hire is equal to 10 local hires, so cost is an issue," says Wan. "This is why they need to train local people to fill the design-related technical jobs, as the demand is across all industries, not just for certain sectors."

While the educational investments by Autodesk have introduced innovation and creative design at the ground level, the more important goal of bridging the skills gap, is certainly going to be a more time-consuming process.

Wan says that it may take China a decade to build a sustainable talent base of engineers and designers who can support the industrial needs of the country.

"Every year, about 1.5 million engineers graduate in China. In about 10 years time, there will be enough qualified skilled students to meet the challenges China faces."

"It allows them to do their homework and projects online, and provides opportunities for them to network with foreign students and industry experts," adds Wan.

The initiative is part of Autodesk's overall education strategy to train a new generation of skilled graduates who can meet the employment needs of China's fast-diversifying economy.

Three years ago, the group set up a Centre of Excellence computer laboratory with cutting-edge design technologies in collaboration with leading Chinese universities to develop a multidisciplinary curriculum customised to student needs.

Currently, Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Harbin Institute of Technology, South China University of Technology (SCUT) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University benefit from this project.

"Institutes of higher learning are places where information regarding changing cultural trends and advanced skills and technology are passed on to students. Architecture is one such skill," says Professor Li Jian Cheng, deputy director of the Architectural Technology & Science Institute, School of Architecture at SCUT.

"To enable our students to have a competitive edge in the workforce after graduation, the principal of SCUT pays constant attention to technological advances to ensure our students have working knowledge of the latest developments."

Prof Li adds that the training has enabled his graduates to find employment in the field of building design, where the demand for architectural skills is growing.

As public and private sector organisations in China increasingly recognise the opportunity the global design industry offers the local economy, China's universities are realising the importance of partnering with global leaders such as Autodesk.

The industry ventures are in line with a recent government campaign to focus on "independent innovation". The goal is to move away from "Made in China" to "Designed in China", by creating value-added, home-grown products, services and technologies.

Message of innovation

China's policymakers - no longer content with the country's role as the "world's factory" - have been aggressively promoting the message of innovation as the key to competitiveness.

"The government also wants to move towards sustainable development. The rising pressures on the country to reduce carbon emissions make sustainable design a growing area of importance and have led to a focus on integrating new technology," says Wan from Autodesk.

He adds that the transition cannot happen unless China nurtures and develops a pool of skilled labour, which can help it raise its status from that of low-cost manufacturing base.

"The government recognises one of the effective ways to bring about change is through education, to improve the global image of its students and show that they have the skills and knowledge to compete in the global marketplace."

Local enterprises such as Lenovo, Huaqi Information Digital Technology and Founder Technology have also set up independent industrial design departments to enhance their competitiveness.

But China's onward march is not without challenges. Because design is important in so many industries, there is a dearth of local experts to keep pace with rising demand.

Unlike other parts of Asia, such as Singapore or Hong Kong, which roll out the red carpet for foreign workers, mainland China cannot get round the problem by hiring from abroad.

"One foreign hire is equal to 10 local hires, so cost is an issue," says Wan. "This is why they need to train local people to fill the design-related technical jobs, as the demand is across all industries, not just for certain sectors."

While the educational investments by Autodesk have introduced innovation and creative design at the ground level, the more important goal of bridging the skills gap, is certainly going to be a more time-consuming process.

Wan says that it may take China a decade to build a sustainable talent base of engineers and designers who can support the industrial needs of the country.

"Every year, about 1.5 million engineers graduate in China. In about 10 years time, there will be enough qualified skilled students to meet the challenges China faces."

Source: Gulf News