University of the Arts London (UAL) has announced details of its new Creative Computing Institute – which has now begun recruiting its first students to its academic programmes, beginning September 2019.
The introduction of the Institute is a recognition of UAL’s view of computational practices as a key pillar of creative agency in the 21st century and an exciting development as part of our Academic Strategy, led by Simon Ofield-Kerr, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic).
The Creative Computing Institute will support interdisciplinary teaching and knowledge exchange where creativity and computational technologies meet. Working in domains such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, the Institute views Creative Computing as key to the UK’s creative and digital economies.
The Institute has a clear social mission, ensuring principles of digital inclusion, diverse approaches to technology and inclusive entrepreneurship are at the forefront of its work.
Research will focus on the following key areas:
· Creativity, Machine Learning and AI
· Human Computer Interaction
· Big Data, Social Platforms and Digital Citizenship
A number of further announcements about the Institute’s public programming, collaborations, and appointments will emerge in the coming months.
The Institute will be led by Ben Stopher, Dean of the UAL Creative Computing Institute. Ben said: “The Institute is an exciting development which will support interdisciplinary teaching, research and knowledge exchange as it intersects with creativity and computational technologies. The Institute will support some of the most innovative, emerging practices in the UK’s creative economy.”
UAL’s Creative Computing Institute will offer BSc, MSc and MRes in Creative Computing as well as summer short courses. There will also be a cross-UAL Creative Computing Diploma open to UAL second-year students, which can be taken as an additional year of study within UAL. In addition to this, there will be a public programme, including 3 annual CCI fellowships and online short courses with the Institute of Coding.
UAL is a partner in the newly established Institute of Coding. The Institute of Coding was announced by the Prime Minister in January this year to give the UK an edge in the global digital economy.