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De Montfort University's (DMU) excellence in performance practice has been given
national recognition and an award of £4.5 million from the Higher Education
Funding Council of England (HEFCE).
DMU was awarded the maximum funding for its
Centre for Excellence in Performance Practice, which will enable the university
to invest in staff, buildings and equipment to enhance the learning experience
for our students at all levels.
The Centre will be a beacon for advancing national and international thinking
about the study of performance based subjects and provision of the highest quality
learning at the core of its activities. State of the art facilities including
an impressive new building to be opened in Autumn 2006 will be funded by the
award to help develop pioneering models of teaching for students of dance, drama,
music technology and allied subjects at its Leicester and Bedford campuses in
the Humanities and Education and Contemporary Studies Faculties.
The new building will include a state-of-the-art Sound Image Studio and a Dance,
Drama and Movement Studio. The space created will have a number of innovative
features not available elsewhere in the UK incorporating the capacity to link
with worldwide sound and telematic research groups. This will allow DMU to be
not just leading best practice in the UK, but to be working on the development
of cutting edge teaching and learning internationally.
Funding for the creation of the Centre of Excellence in Performance Practice
has come from HEFCE in order to promote excellence in teaching and learning.
Awards to 54 universities spanning all subjects and aspects of teaching and
learning were announced on the 26th January by HEFCE.
The University already has eminent academics in this field, with two National
Teacher Fellows in the performance subjects, and five National Teacher Fellows
across the University, the second highest number at any university in the country.
The Centre for Excellence will host a regional performing arts think tank to
promote debate with schools and colleges and employer networks. Regional events
will be held with organisations including the East Midlands Development Agency,
regional Arts Councils, schools and creative industries.
Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Judy Simons said: "We are delighted that
De Montfort University's distinguished reputation in performance practice teaching
and student support has been recognised with this prestigious Centre for Excellence
Award."
"De Montfort University is acknowledged for its leadership in the field
of innovative and eminent performance arts, and this Centre, alongside the £6.8m
we have already invested in specialist facilities at Bedford and Leicester to
prioritise these subjects, underlines our international standing."
Rob Brannen has been appointed as the Director of the Centre of Excellence
in Performance Practice with effect from 1 April 2005. The appointment follows
the announcement made on 26 January that the University had been awarded £4.5
million by HEFCE under its Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning initiative.
Rob is currently Head of Department of Performing Arts and English at Bedford
in the Faculty of Education and Contemporary Studies. He is a distinguished
theatre practitioner and teacher and the author of a series of educational play
texts. He is also a University Teacher Fellow and holds a National Teacher Fellowship.
Rob's key objective will be to build on the distinguished reputation that the
University has in performance practice across Dance, Drama and Music, positioning
DMU as the centre for the advancement of national and international best practice
in the study of performance based subjects.
