Creative Industries Global Network Erasmus Project

Project Title

Creative Industries Global Network

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Open and distance learning; Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries

Project Summary

The applicants identified a requirement for modernisation of ”Cross-Media Design and Production” modules following a three-year Intensive Project, ICDC (http://www.designcamp.eu), in their shared areas of practice and theory. The team proposed a new project to be developed based on the findings of the ICDC project, and an understanding of the abilities of the organizations to work collaboratively.

The objectives of the three-year Creative Industries Global Network (CIGN) project included developing a lasting and sustainable international network between key Higher Education Institutions, (HEI’s) employer organisations, (SME’s) and Sector Skills Alliance Partners, (SSAP’s) to identify future skills gaps in ‘Cross Media Design and Production’; developing innovative modular content, training activities and workshops and providing opportunities for dissemination of this research using existing and developing media technology platforms.

Linköping University, (LiU) Sweden was the lead partner. Other partners included Stuttgart Media University, (HdM) Germany, Artevelde University College Ghent (AhS), Belgium, and The University of the West of Scotland, (UWS), Scotland. A fifth, associate partner, Ryerson University (RU) Canada, was also involved in the project.

Project activities included identification and consolidation of common areas of practice between partner institutions, and the development of staff training workshops in Stuttgart and Ghent. Management meetings occurred between partners and key industrial/sector skills alliance partners in order to provide training opportunities congruent with individual requirements including:

• Identifying opportunities for sharing and using new pedagogical methodologies for international cooperation
• Reviewing opportunities for participatory approaches to learning and teaching, including the implementation of distance and blended learning techniques.
• Integration of new technologies applied to cross-media design and production.

At the end of the first year, participants identified and developed modules across the partner institutions. These spanned fields including International Cross-Media Design and Production, Collaborative Projects, and Media literacy amongst others.

During the second year, partners investigated opportunities for both local and inter-institutional dissemination of findings These included engagement with international Sector Skills Alliance Partner’s, (SSAP’s) and awarding bodies. A second staff-training workshop was held in Ghent exploring benchmarking and best practices in learning, teaching and assessment. Partners continued to disseminate findings at international educational design conferences and events. Opportunities were created to disseminate pilot modules to the international student body via a series of short courses at partner institutions. Modular titles (ECTS credit bearing) were offered to students and involved periods of staff exchange and when possible, on-line and on-site student engagement (Erasmus + exchange). This encouraged inter-institutional mobility, new modes of international delivery and the exchange of best and innovative practices in the areas of language, culture, collaboration, creative/professional practice and employability.

Throughout years two and three, CIGN partners disseminated project research findings at international educational design conferences and events.

In year three of the project, activities centered around revision/dissemination of project findings and allowed for preparation of conclusive reports. Initially, these were distributed to all parties who were involved in the project, and through web and social media platforms to future global collaborative partners.

The results of the project and resultant activities included the following:

• intensified awareness of intercultural and international opportunities within relevant subject areas
• Increased recognition of entrepreneurial and employability opportunities
• Understanding of cultural differences when approaching practice-based solutions
• Investigation of collaborative practice in an international context
• Comprehension of international course credit points, validatory bodies and quality assurance systems

Important long-term impacts of the project were anticipated to include revised curricula at partner institutions.
Safeguarding current research in identified areas of cross-media design and production, and dissemination to an increased audience of interested partners/practitioners.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 211105 Eur

Project Coordinator

LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITET & Country: SE

Project Partners

• ARTEVELDEHOGESCHOOL
• HOCHSCHULE DER MEDIEN
• UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND