Network News March 2013 Network News is a monthly newsletter produced during term time for teaching and support staff whose work involves DMU’s UK, undergraduate and postgraduate collaborative programmes. 4 2 5 2 3 3 11 42 3 4 3 5 5 7 7 52 32 In this edition: 1 Happy Easter 2 Confetti Industry Week 2013 3 £70m Centre for Central College Nottingham 4 Spotlight on Sarah Gilkinson Network News Contents Happy Easter 1 Confetti Industry Week 2013 2 £70m Centre for Central College Nottingham 3 Spotlight on Sarah 3 Gilkinson 4 Colleges share Principal and Chief Executive Educational Partnerships wish you all a Happy Easter. Please note that the university will be closed from: 5 Friday 29 March Professorial Lecture Series and will reopen: Wednesday 3 April. 1 56 1 Network News Confetti Industry Week 2013 England and working for Madonna. She was an inspiring Confetti Institute of Technologies has just celebrated its twelfth annual Industry Week. An event that just and motivating speaker and gave students a valuable gets bigger and better. For one week in February the insight into the mechanisms of film and television usual timetable stops and their 1000 Further drama. Education and Higher Education students attend a myriad of inspiring day time lectures, seminars and Music legends DJ Phantasy and Harry Shotta cooked up workshops and an exciting array of evening events. a storm with the students in our famed recording studio Electric Mayhem. “It truly was a pleasure to be part of For their students studying TV & Film, Music your industry week and it was great to meet so many Technology, Technical Events Production and Gaming different students who all have different ambitions and the industry experts’ insights into the ‘real world’ goals. We were so impressed with everything you guys are doing – it really sounds so exciting and a place was akin to greeting A list celebrities on the red where dreams can come true.” carpet. Special guests included Michael Eavis the founder of Glastonbury Festival who braced the Throughout the week not only did our students learn February snow wearing his customary shorts and a from over fifty industry professionals, they also cheerful smile. He was greeted by more than one employed the practical skills they have acquired hundred enthusiastic students (and a few staff…) documenting the weeks activities. who listened to his tales from the festival. Michael Confetti students filmed, vision mixed and streamed all was interviewed on stage by BBC Radio Nottingham the sessions live across the web. In addition they presenter Frances Finn. He opened up about family interviewed guests for the Confetti Industry Week radio loyalties, the risks of entrepreneurship, his initial station and sound engineered recording sessions with money worries and the risks that putting on a festival internationally renowned DJ’s and MC’s. of that scale entail. Despite Frances’s best efforts he wouldn’t reveal the 2013 Glastonbury line-up but he From Rock Star Games to Roc Nation, Glastonbury to did say the rumours are good… Aardman, Industry Week 2013 proved to be an enlightening and entertaining experience for both students and guests alike. VickyMonday McClure 25Nottingham’s February famed- BAFTA award- winningFriday actress 1 March captivated 2013 an audience of film and TV students with her behind the scenes stories of workingThis onyear’s dramas festival such high- as Shane Meadows’ This Is 2 Network News £70m Centre for Central College Nottingham Central College Nottingham has revealed plans for a preferred location to build a new iconic £70 million centre in Nottingham City Centre. Discussions are taking place with the relevant authorities regarding funding, planning and the logistics of the site as part of the launch of a wider public consultation. The project will take between three and five years to complete. The state of the art “Hub” development will form part of the Southside Gateway regeneration transforming the area south of the city from the Castle to Nottingham Train Station. The empty plot of land at Broadmarsh East is ready for development and is located on Canal Street alongside the tram line and The design will incorporate a public access behind The Nottingham Contemporary. walkway from the Train Station through to The Nottingham Contemporary via Canal Street. Key features include: College Principal, Malcolm Cowgill said: “We think our A six storey development in two blocks consisting plans fit in very well with the need to regenerate and of teaching and learning facilities, workshops, transform this part of the City. The proposal creates an offices and open access areas. iconic building that will serve the City well for decades to The Hub will house the majority of the College’s come.” Further and Higher Education and can cater for up to 4,000 full-time students. “The new build is part of the College’s long term The site will provide around 30,000m sq of ambition to improve education and progression to teaching accommodation plus sports facilities employment in Nottingham. The ambition links to the Plans include a focus on STEM subjects (Science, College’s new name, Central, revolving around a ‘Hub Technology, Engineering and Maths), including and Spoke’ strategy. A central Hub, flagship Nottingham workshops and science labs focused around the City base, with a number of Spoke centres of learning emerging Low Carbon Technology sector to within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, all of which enable the city and its residents to take are central to their individual communities and the advantage of the economic growth potential of employers with whom the College works.” this area. Plans include the development of the biggest Following the College’s merger with Castle College in indoor sports hall in Nottingham and an all- 2011, a commitment was made to review the name weather pitch on the roof, both available for which no longer reflected the breadth of the College’s community hire. presence across Nottingham. Minister for Skills, Matthew Hancock MP approved the College’s The main entrance will be level with the tramline and house a new tram stop. name change from South Nottingham College The site will contain space for an employer and in October 2012. local employment opportunities on the Canal Street entrance. 3 NetworkNetwork NewsNews Spotlight On Sarah Gilkinson Spotlight on is a feature that will concentrate on a particular collaborative partner college or institution or a specific student success story. If you have a story about your college or institution, or about a student you’d like to share, we would love to hear from you. Our first spotlight on is Confetti student Sarah Gilkinson. Please send your stories to: [email protected] Hi, my name is Sarah Gilkinson. I am a 40-year-old mum of three from Beeston in Nottinghamshire. When I was younger I dreamed of making films, but after having my children at a young age I thought that dream was unreachable. Now however, I’m coming towards the end of the second year of the Foundation Degree in Television and Film Production at Confetti ICT. When I started the programme back in 2009, I felt very frightened and intimidated by all of the modern technology that surrounded me. I had been out of education for over 20 years and learning to learn again was probably my biggest challenge. I had never turned on a computer before, never heard of half the words that were being spoken to me and was in a room full of teenagers; I thought “I’ve got away from my own children and now I’m with 20 other parents’ children. It was very strange. But three great, “some not so easy” years down the line I have swooped two awards; Post Production 2012 and Confetti ICT’s De Montfort University Student of the Year award, which I feel very proud of. Later this year I will be travelling across the United States, from New York to San Francisco with five volunteers creating a documentary for small not for profit charities. If it wasn’t for being part of Confetti and going back in to education this would not be happening. The skills that I have obtained from my course are about to take me to the other side of the world. “That can’t be bad.” I was diagnosed with a learning disability in 2011 which didn’t set me back, I just knew I had to work harder than most, if anything it answered a lot of questions about personal frustrations with particular subjects. Studying at Confetti really has changed my life, I have met the most amazing people, worked with some amazing talent and been to some amazing places. You see, you can teach an old dog new tricks … 4 5 Network News Colleges share Principal and Chief Executive Marion Plant OBE who has been Principal and Chief Executive of North Warwickshire & Hinckley College for the last eight years, has been appointed Joint Principal and Chief Executive of North Warwickshire & Hinckley College and South Leicestershire College. The two colleges plan to collaborate through a newly formed Federation. Tim Render, Chair of Governors at North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, said: “Further Education is by nature collaborative. Our interest is always in finding ways to give students the very best experience that we can. Our Joint Principal will help to share good ideas and best practice.” Marion Plant said: “I am privileged to have been appointed to this new and exciting role. I look forward to the new challenge. It’s clear that both colleges have a great deal to learn from each other. Our new Federation will benefit students and communities enormously.” Marion Plant took up the new role on Monday 4 February 2013.