UCOL BLOG

​Film-making will be more frantic than ever for UCOL Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging and video diploma students this weekend.

In a record for UCOL, four teams will take part in the V48 Hour Film Festival. New Zealand’s largest film-making contest starts at 7.00pm on Friday night and ends exactly 48 hours later on Sunday evening.

UCOL Video lecturer in the Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging (BAVI) programme Mel Edmon says, “This year the V48 Hour is huge for us. We have three second year student teams entered and one third year student team,” she says. “The second years are required to participate as part of their course work. The third years just couldn’t help themselves, and are doing it because they loved the experience so much last year.” Read More: “UCOL students prepare for fast and furious film-making”…

Eighteen year old Mike Babbington says UCOL Wairarapa’s Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance is “awesome”.

Mike is one of 19 students studying towards the music qualification that was launched earlier this year at the Masterton campus to complement the lively local music scene.

Big on live performance, the programme is designed to prepare graduates for the industry whether as a singer, songwriter or musician, or on to further studies in specialised areas such as audio engineering or band management. Read More: “UCOL music students tune up for live gigs”…

The Student Hub at UCOL Wairarapa certainly lives up to its name.

The newly re-vamped, centralized space now combines a café, learning support, disability support, health nurse and student association all together under one roof.

The area is also home to the library service, which includes computers for study purposes, wireless access for laptops and programme relevant online and textbook resources. Read More: “Bricks and mortar boards”…

​Kathryn Wightman, a successful glass artist from the United Kingdom, has accepted the permanent full time position of Glass Tutor at Whanganui UCOL – Quay School of the Arts.

Kathryn will teach at the Whanganui Glass School when she arrives next term. Whanganui UCOL Head of Creative Programmes Sally Jane deSalazar is looking forward to having Kathryn on board, and said Kathryn is a dedicated hot glass and kiln glass artist in her own right, and well qualified for the role. The three year glass diploma taught at Whanganui’s Glass School is an internationally recognised programme and is not taught anywhere else in New Zealand. Read More: “New Tutor for Glass School”…

​Whanganui UCOL’s popular Certificate in Art and Design level four programme will also be offered in Palmerston North from next month.

Whanganui UCOL Head of Creative Programmes Sally-Jane de Salazar said “there is a gap in Palmerston North for a qualification at this level, and this is an opportunity for us. Our certificate provides a natural pathway for people interested in art and design but who aren’t yet ready to enrol in a degree programme. It appeals to people who want to create and find out more about original art and design. It can also be used as a foundation programme for those who want to go on to further study on our arts and design degree programmes.

“The Certificate in Art and Design appeals to school leavers with an interest in the creative industries and practicing artists or designers who want to broaden their practice or create employment opportunities. Students learn about drawing, painting, computer graphic design, and New Zealand art history. Read More: “Arts and Design Degrees Get Potential Boost”…

Artists Paul and Fran Dibble have been awarded Honorary Fellowships by the Council of the Universal College of Learning (UCOL).

The award was announced at UCOL’s graduation ceremony in Palmerston North today (Wednesday).

UCOL’s Honorary Fellow Award is made to people outside UCOL who have made an outstanding and distinguished contribution to the institution and/or the wider community and society in general.

Paul and Fran Dibble have lived and worked in Palmerston North for more than 30 years, with Paul working full-time as a sculptor in an inner city foundry. Earlier Paul lectured at the Palmerston North College of Education and Fran lectured in biochemistry and molecular biology at UCOL. Both have exhibited widely in Palmerton North as well as nationally and internationally. Read More: “UCOL Honours for Paul and Fran Dibble”…