£5m screen school to be launched in Wolverhampton

Courses including computer games design, film and television production, animation, multimedia journalism, and media will be taught in the new Wolverhampton Screen School.

Existing space within the university’s Alan Turing Building at the Wolverhampton city campus will be transformed to create state-of-the-art teaching facilities and equipment.

The new school will co-locate students from different disciplines in one space to create a ‘production house’ environment to enable them to work on joint projects and develop a new and diverse talent pipeline for the creative industries.

It will also provide working spaces and professional development opportunities for those working in the digital arts and media industries, creating a network linking together academics, students and professionals with a range of skills.

Work is due to be completed in time for the next academic year in September.

Growth

Design students in the School of Art have been involved in the project, providing their input into the concept designs and branding.

The West Midlands has been identified as an area of potential growth for the creative industries, and in March the BBC announced plans to move jobs and programmes outside of London to places including Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geoff Layer, said: “This is an exciting new development for the university and the Black Country region which aims to boost skills and employability in this sector. By investing £5 million in new technology and facilities we are ensuring our students and staff have access to the best teaching and learning opportunities available in a fast-moving field.

“Our aim is to develop and open up a new and diverse talent pipeline required by the screen industry and to engage with creative students in the region so they can make informed choices and provide new career trajectories through screen skills.

“The focus will be on providing a professional, industry-linked environment which will enable students to work with peers from different disciplines, as they would in the real world. The University will work closely with industry to ensure curriculum development is in line with what this dynamic sector needs. By entering an emerging sector in our region, it will enable new voices to enter those industries and build and nurture diversity in the workforce.”