UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 30 SEPTEMBER 2016
Students at Birmingham City University are set to benefit as the institution launches a new partnership with a national music industry organisation this week (Saturday 1 October).
Birmingham City University is now one of only 11 educational institutions to be part of the Music Academic Partnership (MAP), run by UK Music.
MAP’s focus is on preparing individuals who want to build careers out of their passion for music and offers unique training, placements and networking opportunities, as well as providing a platform for world-class collaborative research projects to address pertinent industry issues.
Previously, MAP has seen students film and record a broadcast quality package for BBC Introducing, enable musicians to perform at industry-facing showcases and its Production Days programme invites top professionals working across all factions of music to share their experience with learners.
MAP’s work is designed to maximise the employability of the students enrolled in partner institutions and future-proof the music industry by ensuring new entrants have the right mix of experience and skills most needed.
Birmingham City University has a diverse offering of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that are focused on music; from performance and composition, music industries and global music media management to music technology and audio engineering.
In particular, Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham School of Media and the University’s School of Computing and Digital Technology are instrumental in training the next generation of musicians, composers, producers, engineers and managers. In fact, Birmingham City University is the UK’s biggest producer of creative professionals outside the South East.
All of this is complemented by a number of research centres across the University, that offer PhD and postdoctoral research opportunities, as well as producing world-leading research across a range of music-related subject areas.
Matt Grimes, Senior Lecturer in Music Industries and Radio said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with UK Music as part of the Music Academic Partnership. As a University, we strive to ensure that our students are best prepared for their future careers and, through MAP, we’ll be able to give them that extra lift on to the jobs ladder.
“Also, we are encouraging anyone who is involved in music-making alongside their studies to get involved too and make the most out of this fantastic partnership.”
UK Music is the umbrella body representing the collective interests of the UK’s commercial music industry, from songwriters and composers to artists and musicians, studio producers, music managers, music publishers, major and independent record labels, music licensing companies and the live music sector.
Jo Dipple, Chief Executive, UK Music, said:
“I’m so excited that Birmingham City University is joining MAP. Many of tomorrow’s executives, entrepreneurs and artists will be learning at Birmingham City University and will come from Birmingham.
“The intention of MAP is to give students access to insider industry knowledge – data, research and intelligence – to help prepare them for whatever the next phase might be when they leave Birmingham City University. Knowledge is unquestionably power. In our fast moving music market, you need to be ahead of the game.
“Joining MAP is the right thing for Birmingham City University to do, for the future of its students and the future of our industry”.