Birmingham City University (BCU) has announced a £500,000 investment to upgrade its facilities.
Aiming to capitalise on the West Midlands’ expanding creative industry sector, the investment will enable “significant upgrades” to its photography, film and media kits, in addition to the refurbishment of two of the five studios in BCU’s Parkside building.
The University has achieved top 10 ranking in the UK for film and photography courses for the last three years consecutively, and aims to build on its reputation for excellence with this funding.
New equipment delivered by the investment will include:
- 16 video and film cameras
- 37 mirrorless photography cameras
- 28 lighting fixtures
- 31 tripods
- 68 lenses
“It’s an exciting time to be studying film, photography, media and journalism at BCU,” said Dr Matthew Day, head of department of English and Media.“The investment in new equipment and studio sets will bring new creative opportunities for our students and give them more opportunities to grow and develop their ideas.
“These enhanced resources complement the strength of our teaching quality, workshops, the breadth of our industry speakers, and our sector-leading partnerships. We are committed to ensuring our students graduate with the skills, expertise and professional experience needed to succeed in the creative industries.”
Chun Yin Chan, a BA Digital Film Production student, said: “BCU has given me the space and tools to experience the professional industry first-hand. This investment means I will be able to use high-end technology to tell my own stories and will also get me ready for future employment opportunities.”
Students will have access to the new equipment throughout the next few weeks, said BCU, with the redesigned studio sets ready in June.
