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Print12:25 pm, January 13, 2009
University of Salford signs lease agreement for Media City building
By Simon Binns
The University of Salford has signed an agreement for lease with Peel Media for a new higher education centre at the heart of the Media City UK development on Salford Quays.
The university is the second tenant to sign up for Media City UK, following the BBC, which will move staff from London and Manchester offices in 2011. The university’s building will be next to the BBC.
The new hub will comprise 100,000 sq ft over four floors and will be linked to the university’s four faculties on the main campus at Peel Park.
It will focus on employer-led and postgraduate learning and research collaboration, and will act as a gateway to the university’s full range of services for its industry and community partners. The University of Salford is also a higher education partner with the BBC.
The university’s centre at Media City UK will include a broadcast zone, digital media zone, virtual laboratory, digital performance space and creative spaces for use in academic teaching, project-based learning and user-centred design and innovation.
John Holland, a former head of interactive TV and digital text services at the BBC, has been appointed by the university to lead its new initiatives relating to Media City UK.
Professor Michael Harloe, vice-chancellor at the University of Salford, said: “Our vision is to create, at the heart of Media City UK, ground-breaking ways of engagement for the benefit of our students, our staff and our community and industry partners. We are confident this will become a catalyst for future change within the higher education sector.
“Our Media City UK hub will be dedicated to providing world-class learning and research for the 21st century — offering flexible and responsive programmes and producing highly practical industry-relevant research and innovation.
“The centre will make a significant contribution to the development of Media City UK and to Salford’s international reputation as a university city which has responsive, cutting-edge educational provision and skills development.”
Andrew Simpson, managing director of Peel Holdings and acting managing director of Peel Media, said: “Media City UK is shaping an environment for creative talent to network and prosper, and fusing industry excellence, such as the BBC, with academic talent from Salford University.”
BBC director general, Mark Thompson, said: “I am delighted the University of Salford has announced they are joining us at Media City UK with their new centre alongside the BBC.
“We are committed to forging a new generation of partnerships in the north and across the country’s creative industries. We look forward to working closely with the university to explore ways to boost opportunities and skills and develop new relationships that will benefit the whole industry.
“The university’s presence alongside key parts of the BBC means Media City UK will be one of the places where the future of the media industry will be shaped.”
Comments? sbinns@crain.com
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