Lisa Mann
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, Arts University Bournemouth
Jonathan Carr
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Arts University Bournemouth
Graduates from creative universities are not just masters of their craft. They also have the transferable and entrepreneurial skills needed to thrive in a fast-changing world.
What is the value of a creative degree today?
Lisa Mann: Creative graduates have a different way of thinking, so they approach problems differently. They’re innovative, entrepreneurial and unafraid of failure because they have developed creative resilience.
During their degree, students will hone their craft. They’ll also be equipped with broad transferable skills that many businesses in the creative industries — and beyond — need and want. For instance, they’ll learn reflective skills, such as taking feedback, and be able to apply those to other scenarios in their life and work.
We spend a lot of time reassuring parents that it’s okay to allow young people to pursue creative passions.
Jonathan Carr: Parents often ask us about employment opportunities in the creative industries. We can point to hard figures showing how huge the creative industries are in this country and globally — and the massive opportunities they offer. Also, businesses outside the creative industries need creative people too!
What’s the future for the creative industries in the age of AI?
LM: Human-centred design, craft skills, creative thinking and problem-solving — which are inherent in the way we teach students — will become more important than ever. Human feeling, behaviour and the experiences humans create through film, animation and fashion can never be replaced by technology. That puts us on the front foot as a creative institution and the pipeline for the creative industries.
JC: AI will become part of the workflow that allows creative people to craft. Take film editing. AI can take on some lengthy routine tasks that allow editors to spend more time being creative.
What is the AUB Strategy 2030+ — and what is its aim?
LM: It’s designed to zoom in on the key priorities that will take the institution forward to 2030 and beyond. There are three pillars to it: Creative Excellence, Future Skills and Research and Enterprise. Creative Excellence is about focusing on the quality of teaching we deliver and ensuring that it always pushes at the boundaries of creativity.
JC: The second pillar, Future Skills, isn’t just about buying new kit or opening shiny new buildings, although we have excellent, sector-leading facilities here. Technologies and skills are changing all the time — so we need to make sure that students can change with them.
One way we help them to be adaptable is by being close to the industry. We have industry patrons with in-the-moment, real-world experience who are connected entirely to a course and set the project briefs.
Human feeling, behaviour and the experiences humans create through film,
animation and fashion can never be replaced by technology
We’re also having conversations with businesses about co-creating courses, and we’re starting our own creative agency, taking on work from businesses that our students will be able to do — and be paid for. It’s about making industry connections more tangible.
LM: The research and enterprise pillar is where a focus on entrepreneurialism comes in. Creative graduates can leave university with real skill in their craft, but they don’t understand how businesses operate or know how to fill in a tax return.
We want to make sure that all our students have a business mindset by embedding entrepreneurialism in a formal way into our curriculum. At the core of the strategy is opportunity for all.We want to reach underrepresented potential learners and young people with NEET status (Not in Employment, Education or Training) and help them acquire the skills, education and confidence they need to find employment.
How important is it for everyone in the creative space to be agile?
JC: We’re asking our students to adapt to face up to new challenges — and that’s what we’re doing too. Everyone needs to be agile to respond to the needs of industry, now and in the future.
