Skillset Media Academy launched

14 December 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LJMU and LCC celebrated becoming the North West's only Skillset Media Academy at a gala event in London earlier this week, hosted by Culture Minister James Purnell and Skillset patron and former Director General of the BBC, Greg Dyke.

The national network, devised by Skillset - the UK Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries - is made up of just 17 Academies, drawing together creative education partnerships from 43 colleges and universities across the UK. All of the institutions in the network are already established centres of excellence in television production and interactive media. This is the first attempt anywhere in the world to 'hardwire' collaborative partnerships between the media industries and academia into the fabric of national education infrastructure.

Professor Roger Webster, Dean of LJMU's Faculty of Media, Arts and Social Sciences, explained: "Securing Skillset Media Academy status is the equivalent of getting a prestigious industry kitemark. It means that the courses we offer are of exceptional quality and meet the demands of the media and creative industries for talented and highly skilled graduates. Out of 144 initial applications for Media Academy recognition just 17 were finally successful, and the Liverpool John Moores Skillset Media Academy is the only one in the North West region."

He continued: "Seismic shifts in digital technology have changed how we engage with, not just films, TV and radio but also the internet, our mobile phones and games consoles. Through the Academy, we will be able to embrace this convergence agenda, dissolving the boundaries between film, television and multimedia production. By embracing the potential of new technologies, we can give our students a huge advantage in this increasingly important sector."

Both LJMU and LCC already have high level industry links, with organisations such as the BBC, ITV and EMAP to name just a few. Now through the Liverpool John Moores Skillset Media Academy, the institutions will have access to around 100 of the world-leading academics, content creators, computer games developers, software programmers and creative artists who are working with industry to develop talent, creativity and business ideas that exploit new technologies and opportunities in broadcast television and interactive media.

The Liverpool John Moores Skillset Media Academy will offer a wide portfolio of courses, from BTec courses in video technology, media production and digital animation through to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in broadcast technology and engineering, drama, journalism and screenwriting, media professional studies, digital games, interactive media, and much more. 

Speaking at the launch, Greg Dyke, chair of the Media Academy approvals panel, said: "Media organisations are all about ideas and doing the unthinkable - going left when the herd veers right. You're looking for people who do things very differently. You go into a college or university in the Skillset Media Academy Network and you find people who are working with industry and doing remarkable things that aren't predictable, and that's what you're looking for all the time.

"We are talking about the next wave of talent, the people who are going to come up with the next 'Facebook' or 'YouTube' and brilliant interactive entertainment concepts. It makes absolute sense for media companies to have partnerships and collaborations with the best academics and the best talent in a network that has benchmarked standards of excellence."

David Lammy MP, Minister for Skills, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, added: "The Skillset Media Academy Network is the realisation of a new tradition of partnership between Industry and Higher Education. I applaud the initiative taken by Skillset in building the key relationships that are needed to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global competitiveness."

These words were echoed by James Purnell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who said: "The collaboration between Skillset, Industry and Higher and Further Education must be applauded for its strategic thinking, insight and commitment in establishing the Skillset Media Academy Network. The partnership will guarantee a continuous flow of talent, creativity and business ideas to fully exploit the opportunities of the digital age."

Picture: Dr Tamsin Spargo, Director of the School of Media, Critical and Creative Arts, and Sue Scott, from Liverpool Community College, receive the official Skillset Media Academy licences from Culture Minister James Purnell and Skillset patron, Greg Dyke.