Bucks New University prides itself on strengthening links between education and industry, and the hookup with the brands is a striking example. Midas Siena and Verona consoles, plus Klark Teknik equipment including Square ONE Dynamics and Graphics units are being used for live sound modules in the university's BA (Hons) Audio & Music Production and Music & Live Event Management courses. The university has a 500-capacity venue for which students book bands, promote concerts and provide sound and lighting expertise. The Midas and KT equipment allows them to experience a real-world setup, with dedicated front of house and monitor consoles.
"We'd seen a growth in live music on our Music Management courses which reflected global growth, and we wanted to reflect this change on the production side," explains the university's head of applied production and new media, Frazer Mackenzie. "We're experts at providing academic qualifications, but it's industry itself that knows what it needs from the next generation, whether it's sound engineers, or for positions in R&D and technical sales. Students often think purely in terms of becoming a sound engineer. I would hope we can start turning out graduates that companies like Midas would view as someone who could work for them."
The university has embarked with MKT on a series of master classes which are increasingly focussing on digital technology. "We use a video of one of the Midas master classes as a promotional tool for our courses; it's on YouTube and demonstrates Midas' involvement in higher education," says Mackenzie.
MKT and Bucks New University are planning workshops for 18 and 25 January 2011 for second year students, focussing on both analogue and digital technology and using a Midas PRO6 to make a digital/analogue comparison. There are also plans to involve staff including Midas director of console development Alex Cooper and other R&D engineers in the teaching programme.
"We want to look at topics such as the philosophy of audio and how you listen, and that ties in with Midas, who are getting more and more involved in the syllabus," says Mackenzie. "Our courses also aim to reflect issues like networking and dsp processing which are ever-evolving."
"Lots of other courses I've come across have an academic, theoretical approach, and I felt there was a severe lack of practical background in education," says Midas Klark Teknik's technical sales manager Jason Kelly. "Graduates were getting out into the real world and hitting a brick wall. We are confident that with some industry input, certain students leaving Bucks New University will be a good fit for companies such as Midas Klark Teknik as well as for the wider live production industry."
(Jim Evans)
