UON Creative cities context for creative industries and digital humanities
The University of Newcastle, Australia (UON) stands as a global leader distinguished by a commitment to equity and excellence, and to creating a better future for its regions through a focus on innovation and impact. The UON NeW Futures Strategic Plan (2016 – 2025) recognises that the nature of the workforce will undergo rapid transformation, particularly in Australia, as we move from an economy dependent on commodities to one reliant on new technologies, discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Faculty context at UON
The Faculty of Education and Arts (FEDUA) is investing significantly in its arts and humanities and creative disciplines, recently forming the School of Creative Industries (SOCI). There is an atmosphere of change and progress in the Faculty, and re-visioning many teaching and research programs to address future workforce and societal demands.
School of Creative Industries (SOCI)
The School brings together the University’s suite of creative programs and staff to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration, identify opportunities for innovation, and deliver programs that are aligned with student demand and contemporary labour force trends.
The School’s mission is to collaborate with our partners across the spectrum of creative professions to drive innovation that contributes to the cultural and economic transformation of UON’s regions. SOCI’s degrees prepare graduates to expand their creative talents and develop hands-on skills that are relevant and in- demand across the spectrum of creative and non-creative industries. Programs are offered in Creative Industries, Visual Communication Design, Communication, Music, Natural History Illustration, as well as majors in Visual Art and Creative and Performing Arts.
New professorial appointments in SOCI
The new appointments will join the new School at an exciting time in its development, contributing to the shaping of an emerging research agenda firmly rooted in transdisciplinary working providing the opportunity to tackle a range of cross cutting themes. There is already a wide range of industry, charitable and academic partners gathered from a regional and international base (including the Slingshot Accelerator Program, CSIRO’s ON program Sydney School of Entrepreneurship to name but a few). There is further ambition to extend the reach and the scope to develop and explore disruptive technologies – digital tools for civic engagement; future cities – smart and sustainable; emerging business models in the creative economy – P2P, blockchain, sharing, timebanking, start-ups – funding models, VC, bootstrapping and sweat equity. And this activity will be within four overarching themes: Society, Systems, Technology, and Economy.
New creative cities precinct
From July 2017, the School will transition into new accommodations, eventually comprising the world-class NeW Space building with cutting-edge facilities and technologies, a refurbished University House, the Conservatorium, the Three76 Innovation Hub, and Northumberland House. This new creative precinct will also greatly benefit from the planned $17.8-million Hunter Innovation Hub – a significant collaborative project between the NSW Government, Newcastle City Council, the University, Newcastle Now and Hunter DiGiT – all nestled amongst the Newcastle Art Gallery, Museum, Civic Theatre and thriving business community.
Recently selected by National Geographic as one of seven smart cities of the world, come see why Smart Happens Here and make your mark on a vision to develop an interdisciplinary creative precinct alongside the University’s landmark NeW Space campus to engender a technology-rich site that can deliver student experiences in new and exciting ways and facilitate engagement with the community and industry. All within a relaxed city where you’re always within cooee of an amazing surf beach: visit Newcastle and See/Sea Change.
