AUB Named First UK Centre of Excellence for Toon Boom Animation

Toon Boom Animation has announced that Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) has been officially recognized as their first UK Centre of Excellence. Toon Boom Centres of Excellence (COE) are accredited post-secondary schools, colleges and universities that are powerful incubators for preparing graduates for the animation marketplace.

“AUB provides a strong foundation in the creative and technical skills needed to succeed in the digital content and animation marketplace,” said Marie-Eve Chartrand, Director of Customer Success. “They give students direct access to animation experts and industry-leading animation software within a real-world, production-based environment.”

AUB has been teaching animation since the early 1970s, with the current Animation provision in place since 1994. The BA (Hons) Animation Production curriculum is based on the fundamental skills for animation, rooted in drawing and the key principles, leading students to deeply engage with their chosen specialization. Industry participation along with collaboration and teamwork are central to their animation program.

Alongside the hugely successful BA (Hons) Animation Production degree, there is a growing postgraduate community (MA Animation Production as well as PhD students) and a brand new BA (Hons) Visual Effects Design and Production degree is starting in September 2015.

AUB enjoys strong links with the creative industries – visiting tutors, workshops, critiques with industry leaders and placements in studios underpin all courses. Several BA Animation Production alumni worked on Gravity from the Framestore outpost on campus, and many continue to finish their studies and work with the VFX specialist. Animation students from AUB have also secured work with Aardman Animations, Nexus Productions, Lupus Films and other UK studios.

“Being recognized as a Toon Boom Centre of Excellence demonstrates that the AUB approach to teaching animation directly engages students with an industry model of working – one of the many key strengths of our course,” said Peter Symons, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Animation Production.

The Toon Boom Centre of Excellence program recognizes key academic institutions that are contributing, at an exceptional level, to the teaching of the latest industry techniques and technology in storyboarding and animation. Through the joint efforts of Toon Boom and COE educational institutions, the goal is to increase the value of students’ educational experience while also building a career bridge to the animation industry.

Toon Boom is now available on monthly subscription from £40/month and students can purchase on the Toon Boom website.