Tempus ALIGN - Ukraina site visits - Taras Shevchenko National University webpage!

Here's a link (from Olga Yamkova) on Taras Shevchenko National University's website (all in Ukrainian), discussing our recent Tempus ALIGN site visit...

http://univ.kiev.ua/news/7855
http://vnz.org.ua/novyny/podiyi/9318-u-kyyivskomu-natsionalnomu-universyteti-imeni-tarasa-shevchenka-tryvae-realizatsija-proektu-tempus-align

panel arrives at the university (image from Vladimir Zaslavskiy)

panel at Museum Village outside Kyiv - Olga, DQ, Hyland, Iryna, Vladimir, Stefania

(image from Vladimir Zaslavskiy)

panel at Museum Village outside Kyiv -  Hyland, Iryna, Stefania, DQ, Vladimir

(image from Vladimir Zaslavskiy)

Tara Moves Onwards and Upwards!

Thursday the 19th of November 2015 saw Dr. Tara Ryan moving on from IADT (after 4 years) to become Registrar at Hibernia College. Whilst delighted for Tara in her new job, we're naturally sad to be losing such a valuable human being in IADT. We relied on Tara as an energetic and inventive, student-centred resource. My partnership with Tara began when we started working together (from October 2013) on the Tempus ALIGN project - Tara singlehandedly steered the project's Work Package 1 through with enormous effort and rigour. We all learned from her.

Tara is not gone far away and my two promises to her were that I'd visit her in her new Hibernia office as soon as she was settled in AND that I was determined to work with her again very soon! The best of luck to you Madame!

Thanks to David Doyle for the photographs of the going away party!

Miss Ryan in full flight - picture by David Doyle

Tara, Andrew, looking mischievous with a knife, Laura and Annie - picture by David Doyle

 Barry Dig and Tara - picture by David Doyle

Return from Croatia!

The revalidation visits and meetings in Academy of Applied Arts University of Rijeka and in University of Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts are done, and I reluctantly return from Croatia!

Group shot - Branko, Dea, Marina, Egle, Davor, Janja, Goran and DQ in Rijeka (image by Egle)

Enormous thanks to our revalidation panel - Janja Sacic, Bozica Dea Matasic, Egle Ganda Bogdaniene, Branko Matulic and Vjeko Kis. It was a pleasure and an honour to work with you all. You have given me many new and valuable insights, lessons, perspectives and hopes for the future!

Huge appreciation too to AZVO's Davor Juric and Marina Grubisic, who kept us on time and on track and whose determined organisation of our training, visits, meetings, travel and accommodation allowed us every opportunity to focus on our tasks in hand! Thanks also to Goran for his expert translations!

There is much work to do in education in Croatia, but I have every confidence that the nation will take strength from its hugely important place in the history of art to guide the students of the future (from Croatia and from all over our globe) to become great artists and even greater human beings! Our work has truly been 'emotional labour', a very moving and inspirational experience. I learned many things and I promise that I will return to learn much more!

Thanks to all!

Kvarner Bay, Rijeka

Ceramics, Rijeka

Davor and Janje, Rijeka

Dea and Branko, Ceramics, Rijeka

Dea, Janje, Egle and Marina, Rijeka

Dean and Davor, Rijeka

Dean and Library, Rijeka

Egle and Erasmus ceramic student, Rijeka

Goran, Rijeka

Mosaics, Rijeka

Mosaics, Rijeka

Trip back to Zagreb from Rijeka

Art Academy Zagreb - Maca

Another Art Academy Zagreb Maca

Branko, Dean, Natalia, Vjeko, Davor, Marina and Goran, Art Academy Zagreb

Egle, Vjeko and Marina, Art Academy Zagreb

Dean's office, Art Academy Zagreb 

Branko, Egle, Dea and Professor, Art Academy Zagreb

Big plaster horse, DQ in Art Academy Zagreb

Librarians, Tania, Marina and Dea, Library, Art Academy Zagreb

Library, Art Academy Zagreb

Branko in Library, Art Academy Zagreb

first year space, Art Academy Zagreb

Vjeko, DQ, Dea and Life Drawing students, Art Academy Zagreb (image by Egle)

Life Drawing, Art Academy Zagreb

Life Drawing, Art Academy Zagreb

Sculpture, Art Academy Zagreb

A mysterious student and her dark works, Art Academy Zagreb

Mysterious student, DQ and Goran, Art Academy Zagreb (image by Egle)

Animation and New Media student, Art Academy Zagreb

Animation and New Media students, Art Academy Zagreb

Vjeko, Egle and Goran, Art Academy Zagreb

View through atelier window, Art Academy Zagreb

Statue of Jan Jelacica, Trg Bana Jelacica, Zagreb

Frankfurt Airport - blue screen of death (computer issues in Fraport delay Friday's flights)

https://www.azvo.hr/en/

http://www.bozica.matasic.com/

On my very brief lightning tour of Zagreb centre, I nearly got to visit the 'Museum of Broken Relationships' - looks fascinating! Next time!

https://brokenships.com/en/visit

Croatia - Training and Rijeka

After intensive ASHE (Agency for Science and Higher Education) panel training in Zagreb, we minibus to Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. Great panel discussions. First site visit tomorrow. Views below from the hotel room...

expert panel training, ASHE HQ Zagreb, experts from across Europa

view from Hotel Jadran

the town looks like it was designed by Hayao Miyazaki

My Research MA Symposium! Success!

Thanks to ALL the participants in yesterday's morning symposium for my research MA! Special thanks to John Parry MA RCA for delivering a probing and provocative keynote speech - your hard work was really appreciated John! 'animism' and 'confidence' were two central themes for me!

The discussion afterwards (on 'A Manifesto for Animated Filmmakers in the 21st Century') was extremely valuable and lucrative, clarifying and 'framing' many of my research findings and discoveries and posing questions and threads for future exploration. Some really considered, heart-felt contributions to the debate! We started the manifesto ideas with Laura's proposal of 'failure' and ended with Michael Algar's telling and decisive 'so what?' observation about 'disruptive change'.

DQ, Donald, John Parry and Elaine

Thanks again to Elaine Sisson, Donald Taylor Black, John Parry, Andrew Power, Marion Palmer, Mark Riordan, Brendan Rooney, Derek Laffan, Katy Goodhue, Michael Algar, Steve Woods, Laura Venables. Also DL832 Animation 3rd years Fiona, Eleanor, Ruth, Caoimhe, Fionn, Laura, Laura Jask, Morwenna, Kayleigh, Komila, Glen, Sean and Sophie. If I've forgotten anyone (or if I don't know your name) apologies and thanks!

Also thanks to Aidan Hickey, Edith Pieperhoff, Eimhin Macnamara, Michael Connerty, and Tara Ryan who couldn't make it on the day. And remembering the late Jimmy Murakami who did the first interview for my research - we miss him!

Next, finishing the dissertation and delivering the 30 minute rough-cut of the reflective documentary before the summer - thanks for all the kind comments and suggestions about the documentary slugs I screened yesterday.

I can see light at the end of the tunnel! Thanks to my learning network!

http://www.incite-online.net/jonasmekas.html

Maynooth and Dog Day Media!

Thanks to Barry Mc Cabe for his annual invite to Maynooth to present to his Digital Media undergrads and postgrads. This year I discussed 'How to make money from Youtube video etc...', though I also referred to my personal animation journey and to the current state of the Irish animation industry. A great group and some great questions! Thanks to all.

part of my Prezi canvas for Maynooth...

Then back to IADT for a presentation to our DL832 Animation 3rd years by Will Bean and Eoin Devlin (two IADT animation graduates from 4 and 5 years ago) on their Dog Day Media company. Some great, simple, down to earth business learning from the lads and some excellent project material shown. Well done Will and Eoin! We will see you both again soon!

http://www.dogdaymedia.com/

IADT Plagiarism Policy - staff briefing

Yesterday, as part of my Teaching and Learning Committee responsibilities, I assisted Dr. Marion Palmer in a staff briefing on IADT's revised Plagiarism Policy in the STAR. A (tellingly) small group, but excellent questions and a lively, engaged debate commences the Committee's cross-Institute briefings.

We need to get all heads (lecturers and students) around the fact that reliable and appropriate sourcing, referencing and attribution of all types of media is not just an academic exercise, but is a key research skill and a crucial part of the development of professional practice.

Uncontrolled mash-up, reuse and blasé or willful ignorance of copyright and IP issues can be the paths to amateurism, IP theft and ultimately bad business. The debate will continue over the next few months!

http://www.iadt.ie/en/InformationAbout/TeachingandLearning/PlagiarismPolicy/