In this paper, a Generic Automated Marking Environment (GAME) is proposed for assessing student programming projects and exercises with an aim to facilitate student-centred learning. GAME has been designed to automatically assess programming assignments written in a variety of languages. The system has been implemented in Java and contains marker modules that are tailored to each specific language. A framework has been set in place to enable easy addition of new marker modules to extend the system's functionality. Currently, the system is able to mark programs written in Java and the C language. To use the system, instructors are required to provide a simple "marking schema" for any given assessment item, which includes pertinent information such as the location of files and the model solution. GAME has been tested on a number of student programming exercises and assignments providing encouraging results.