Westminster has joined the Aardman Academy’s Partnership Programme which will allow students on the Animation BA Honours course to learn from professionals from the multi-award-winning animation studio during their studies.
As a Partner of the Aardman Academy Partnership Programme, Westminster students will receive exclusive training and support, all created and delivered by Aardman talent, including a visit to the studio’s Bristol HQ where they will have a three-hour masterclass, three two-hour online masterclasses, and detailed portfolio feedback.
Westminster students will have a much closer working relationship with Aardman, who are responsible for creating some of the world's best-loved stop motion animated films, such as Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep. They also create 3D and 2D animation as well as television adverts, music videos, campaign videos, games and virtual reality (VR) experiences.
Speaking about how the partnership will benefit students, Stephen Ryley, Course Leader for the Animation BA Honours course, said: “We are delighted that the animation department at the University of Westminster has achieved partnership status with the Aardman Academy. “Stop frame animation has always been a key ingredient of our animation degree, and this new relationship will offer our students much greater insights into professional practice. We are all extremely excited to see how our course will now develop, with the generous support of the Aardman Academy.”
Mark Simon Hewis, Head of the Aardman Academy, said: “We’ve been working incredibly hard to find a solution where we can support both students and universities alike while striving to get as close to an open-door policy as possible without diluting an industry-leading level of teaching and training. Our new partnership scheme allows us to plug directly into degree courses, and collaborate with academics and heads of schools from across the world to offer an insight into the industry that so many current students are looking for from their chosen courses. I'm so pleased we're now able to start connecting with universities and academics and welcoming them into the wonderful community we've created at the Aardman Academy."
Find out more about Film and Television courses at the University of Westminster.
