(798)INDUSTRY PROJECTS, DESIGN FOR THE COMMUNITY AND A WILCREATIVE INCUBATOR ALL SYNERGIZE TOGETHER TO FORM ASTRONG DEGREE PROGRAM WITH STUNNING CREATIVEOUTCOMES

摘要

Within the structure of Griffith University, located in Australia's Gold Coast, theQueensland College of Art (QCA) has implemented several ongoing and successful WorkIntegrated Learning (WIL) programs.Our primary focus is to develop University/Industry Partnerships that benefit the students,the University and the Industry partners in ways that traditional student/employerrelationships would not.Our student focus is designed to prepare our Graphic Design, Digital Design, Fine Art,ePhotojournalism and 3D Design students for a "real world" environment, whilst stillfostering excellence in their professional practice.The five majors are collectively known as the Bachelor of Digital Media and one of thedegree's University/Industry programs is an Industry Project subject. Students arementored through a semester of work experience in local and international environments,with approximately 25% students gaining full- or part-time employment at the end of thatperiod each year.The film and television industry is one industry in particular where ongoing relationshipshave been developed and student's benefit from having world class experience andtechnology at their fingertips.Another opportunity for University/Industry Partnerships is fostered through ourCommunity Design program. Major public art and "real world" projects are developed inpartnership with community leaders and industry bodies and students are then able towork in large, project-managed groups to develop exciting proposals, many of which getindustry funding and are taken to market.Two recent projects to come out of the Community Design program are "The Wild Animusproject" and "Sierra Grand"."The Wild Animus Project" involved sound and visual artists from San Franciscocollaborating with our students to produce three public installation spaces to encourageinteraction with ancient art and modern technology.The "Sierra Grand" project combined public art and technology and utilized a widecombination of our students skill sets, unique to our degree program, such as fine art, 3Dvisualization, graphic design and fabrication.A third program undertaken recently by the Gold Coast QCA was the development of acreative incubator within the University. "Liveworm Gold Coast" was established in 2007as a professional WIL studio and creative incubator. The studio houses between 6-10students at any one time and a variety of "real world" projects are undertaken with asupport staff and creative director on-hand to facilitate the process.Liveworm Gold Coast also serves as a creative incubator for the honors level studentswho develop a proposal over the course of their honors year, and are mentored tocompletion. Often these projects are developed to the point where they can be taken tomarket as design innovations, such as the "Flux Mug" by recent graduate Richard Neville,which is now for sale in the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane. The honors year itself alsosupports University/Industry Partnerships between individual students and the widerdesign community. Honors student Jenna Read established a partnership with Czechdesigner Filip Blazek during a recent QCA research trip to the Czech Republic, and she isnow being mentored through a process of bringing Filip's world-class collection of VelvetRevolution posters to Australia in the New Year.One of Liveworm Gold Coast's most recent projects is the "Kombumerri" project. Lastyear, Griffith University signed a treaty with the local indigenous community-theKombumerri people. This treaty is the first of its kind in Australia and Liveworm GoldCoast was commissioned to make a sculptural piece to recognize and celebrate thistreaty. The project, due for completion in early 2010, has developed creative partnershipsbetween Kombumerri elders, the students and the University over the last year, as wellas industry partners, such as glass studios, lighting experts, shop fitters and sign writers.The resulting installation is a stunning outcome that merges history, s