Aardman Academy enters exclusive agreement with NZ’s University of Canterbury
Skwigly
In a move with potential to redefine the animation landscape in New Zealand, the University of Canterbury have signed a five-year exclusive agreement with the Aardman Academy, enabling the University to become the only educational institution in the country to specialise in Aardman stop- motion animation.
Image via Aardman
The expertise available through Aardman, the Academy Award® winning animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Morph, is particularly exciting for animation students under the University’s popular Bachelor of Digital Screen with Honours, as it creates the rare opportunity to receive training both in their chosen specialty, and directly from industry leaders.
It’s incredibly exciting to welcome the University of Canterbury as an educational partner with the Aardman Academy. Canterbury is our first and only educational partner in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, so our relationship and activities in the coming years are even more special. We can’t wait to get going with world-leading animation insight, support and learning from our Aardman staff and Aardman Academy team.
-Mark Simon Hewis, Head of the Aardman Academy
Created at a time when the studio desperately needed more animators to produce Chicken Run, which went on to become the highest-grossing stop-motion film of all time, the Aardman Academy has trained hundreds of world-class animators, directors, model makers and more, globally.
As a university committed to accessible, flexible and future focused education, we’re delighted to be working with the Aardman Academy, who bring to our students over 40 years of experience and innovation.
-Professor Cheryl de la Rey, University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor
The collaborative agreement came to fruition through Kōawa, a University of Canterbury initiative that aspires to co-create the future of the global screen and creative technology industries through collaboration, innovation and education.
Having identified the increasing convergence of these sectors, the University understands that their continued growth and development hinge on the education and development of future talent for critical industry roles.
Kōawa will enable the University to provide Bachelor of Digital Screen (Hons) students with regular access and exposure to partners like Aardman, supporting them to graduate with the skills these global industries require.
For more info on the Aardman Academy visit academy.aardman.com