UK reveals world's first Media Academy Network
The world's first Media Academy Network was launched in the UK the 13 December 2007 - a national footprint of colleges and universities to work with industry in developing a new wave of talent to create the 'Facebook', 'You Tube' and ‘Bebo' style concepts and media content of the future.
The Skillset Media Academy Network was launched in London by Culture Minister James Purnell and Skills Minister David Lammy, and leading figures from academia and the media.
The network has been devised by Skillset - the UK Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. The network is made up of 17 Academies, drawing together creative education partnerships from 43 colleges and universities across the UK.
The institutions in the network are already centres of excellence in television 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.
The network will see world-leading academics, content creators, computer games developers, software programmers and creative artists working with industry to develop talent, creativity and business ideas to exploit new technologies and opportunities in broadcast television and interactive media.
The industry engagement will be high-level.
Sir Christopher Frayling, Chairman of Arts Council England, head of the Royal College of Art and noted commentator on culture and media, said:
"The creation of the Skillset Media Academy Network is a big step forward for Higher Education in the UK. With the new technologies in media and communications, we now find ourselves in a world that doesn't have borders and boundaries, a place of online social networks where people 'put their lives online' and increasingly use interactive media applications to navigate their way through everyday living. The space of places is making way for the space of flows.
"Pioneers and innovators, in this digital and interactive world, will play a key role - creative men and women from wide and varied backgrounds with the skills, information and knowledge to harness existing and create new media technologies for the benefit of all of us. It is absolutely fundamental that we lay down the educational infrastructure bringing together our finest minds, entrepreneurial flair and the best technical know-how. It's a question of convergence. The Skillset Media Academy Network represents a new approach for a new digital age."
Greg Dyke, former Director General of the BBC, Skillset patron and chair of the Media Academy approvals panel, said:
"We live in a very competitive world where one good idea can see a person move from mum's garage to global media magnate virtually overnight. The problem for the UK, though, is that a lot of people all over the world are having good ideas in television and interactive media! Good ideas are simply not enough - they have to be world-beating! This is where education and industry collaboration can play a crucial role.
"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 'You Tube' 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."
The Rt Hon James Purnell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, 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."
David Lammy MP, Minister for Skills, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, said:
"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."
Dinah Caine, CEO of Skillset, said:
"We live in a digital age where people can access information, ideas and entertainment wherever they want and whenever they want. It is a time of I-pods, Bebo, Facebook, You Tube and broadcast television online. People can download movies and music to mobile phones, enjoy the best of British television on the Internet, and even share their own video clips with an audience of millions through social network sites.
"We are experiencing unprecedented change in our television and interactive media industries. And where there is change, there is always opportunity. We can proudly say that the UK is taking a leading role in how this digital future is taking shape. But we have to get better at what we do, and the way we do it to stay ahead of a very competitive international field."
Kate O'Connor, Skillset Deputy CEO and Executive Director of Policy & Development, said:
"In this new world, the UK is up against fierce international competition. The focus can no longer be about 'Education', on the one hand, and 'Industry-led demand for Skills' on the other - the infrastructure for a more holistic approach is needed and the Skillset Academy Network model is delivering that vision."
"The Skillset Media Academy Network is providing the blueprint for how industry and education can work together, harnessing collective resources and knowledge into a tangible network to unleash a powerful new force in creative education in the UK."
Clive Jones CBE - Skillset Chair, Chairman of GMTV, and Chairman of Two Way TV - said:
"The industry support behind the Skillset Media Academy Network is a who's who of leading and innovative media organisations. There's a simple reason for this - broadcast and interactive media organisations know the crucial importance of creating the human and intellectual capital needed in a fast-changing environment where traditional media is crossing over to new media with content across many platforms."
Media contact: Rajiv Maharaj, Skillset Press Manager- rajivm@skillset.org
Phone: 02077 139812 | Mobile: 07968 010325
Notes to Editors:
1. High-resolution jpeg images of James Purnell awarding licences to representatives of Network institutions will be available from 3pm, December 13.
2. Media companies supporting the Skillset Media Academy include: BBC, C4, ITV, Five, Nickelodeon, Adobe, QVC, Sony, Nesta, Dare to be Digital, Nokia, Bafta, Tate Media, Cogapp, Attic Media, SMG, UTV, Two Four Productions, Lime Pictures, b.TWEEN Digital Festival, Public Zone, Illumina Digital, Endemol, Chapter Eight, DESQ, Fiftbusiness, Startcreative, Airlock Chinwag, New Media Knowledge, Wired Sussex, AKQA, Tribal DDB, LBi, AvenueA Razorfish, Tequila, Preloaded, RGA, PACT and BIMA.
3. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries covering Broadcast, Film, Video, Interactive Media and Photo Imaging. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. SSCs are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector. For more information see www.skillset.org
4. The Skillset Media Academy Network (note: a number of Academies are stand-alone institutions while others are partnerships of a number of institutions and training organisations):
(1) Birmingham City University Skillset Media Academy .
(2) Bournemouth Skillset Screen & Media Academy (Bournemouth University, Arts Institute at Bournemouth).
(3) Central Saint Martins Skillset Media Academy (Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design).
(4) Cornwall Skillset Media Academy (University College Falmouth, Cornwall College Truro College).
(5) Creative Loop Skillset Media Academy (Aberdeen College, Adam Smith College, Cardonald College, Dundee College, Perth College, Reid Kerr College).
(6) Goldsmiths, University of London Skillset Media Academy (Goldsmiths, University of London, Documentary Filmmakers Group, Hi8us, London Film Academy).
(7) Hertfordshire Skillset Media Academy (University of Hertfordshire, West Herts College, The Film and Digital Media Exchange).
(8) Liverpool John Moores Skillset Media Academy (Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Community College).
(9) Middlesex Skillset Media Academy (Middlesex University, SAE Institute, Top TV Academy).
(10) National Film and Television School, A Skillset Screen & Media Academy.
(11) North by Southwest: The Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Skillset Media Academy (University of Gloucestershire, Cirencester College, Gloucestershire College, Wiltshire College).
(12) Northern Ireland Skillset Media Academy (University of Ulster, Coleraine, Belfast Metropolitan College, North West Regional College, Southern Regional College).
(13) Ravensbourne Skillset Media Academy (Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication, Cass Business School, 01zero-one).
(14) Yorkshire and Humber Skillset Media Academy (University of Bradford, East Coast Media at Grimsby Institute).
(15) University of Teesside Skillset Media Academy (University of Teesside).
(16) University of Sunderland Skillset Media Academy (University of Sunderland).
(17) Westminster Skillset Media Academy (University of Westminster, City of Westminster College).
For more information please visit: www.skillset.org/mediaacademies
