Bucks New University wins the ‘Oscar’ of education marketing
Buckinghamshire New University has won a top
award for its innovative webTV site, Bucks Television (bucks.tv).
The University took the gold award in the digital media category at
the Heist Awards for Education Marketing.
The winners of the 19th Annual
Heist Awards were announced at a gala dinner on 7 May 2009, hosted
by BBC journalist and presenter, Jeremy Vine, at The Royal Courts
of Justice in London. The Awards, described by Jeremy Vine as the
“Oscars of education”, celebrate excellence in education marketing,
and are held in high esteem across the sector.
Bucks New University’s entry was judged on
various criteria, including the aims and objectives of the project,
how it was implemented and project managed, and an evaluation of
the outcomes and success of Bucks Television. Launched in July
2008, the site was the first of its kind at a UK university.
Bucks Television was the inspiration of the
University’s Web Marketing Manager and PhD student Cate Tollemache.
It was designed by Bucks New University students, Mike Hewett,
Yohannes Blumel and Daniel Waziri, and built by online media
specialists the Twofour Group.
Cate Tollemache commented: “It’s fantastic
that the innovation of Bucks Television has been recognised at the
Heist Awards and I would like to thank everyone involved. As the
first webTV site of its kind at a UK university, it is
revolutionary in its field and justly deserves this award.“
Phil Haggar, Director, Twofour added: “We’re
delighted that Cate and the team have seen their vision and
determination rewarded with the gold award. bucks.tv is a great
example of how our webTV platform, MEDIAFREEDOM™, can be completely
customised to create something unique.
“We believe that Bucks New University now has
a compelling and accessible webTV site that, from the viewing
figures, is clearly a brilliant – and an award winning -
communications tool! With over 800,000 views to just one of
bucks.tv's videos, this is the sort of figure that a traditional
broadcaster or mainstream media website would love!”
Editor’s notes:
Bucks Television enables
users to access a schedule of changing video content 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, and video on demand.
As a visitor to the site you are immediately
entertained with high quality videos, streaming in Flash video.
With the opportunity to ‘Shout About It’ (tell a friend); Download
it (to an iPod or mobile phone) as well as linking to it or
embedding it into a blog, the site has the full ‘Web2.0’
functionality. There’s even an opportunity for registered viewers
to comment on the videos and create user profiles.
Bucks Television provides a window into the University and the
world of its students, and acts as a communications tool featuring
a news and events channel, as well as channels for music, film, and
animation, together with a live webcam feed from the building site
of Bucks’s High Wycombe Campus. It aims to publicly recognise
students’ work, to promote the students and their work to future
employers, and to stimulate creativity between students through the
sharing of their creations, as well as helping to recruit new
students.
Bucks Television is accessible for everyone to join in - the
University community - students, prospective students both here and
abroad, staff, friends and families - and also the extended
regional community, including potential employers, partners and
other external organisations.
How does Bucks Television work?
Step 1: Register at bucks.tv and create your own personal
profile on the Bucks Television site.
Step 2: Submit your video footage in DV tape, DVD/CD, AVI
or MOV (Uncompressed Quicktime) format.
Step 3: Any questions? Simply
email content@bucks.tv
Step 4: Watch and enjoy!
Buckinghamshire New
University is the only state-funded higher education
institution in Buckinghamshire. It has enjoyed a long and
successful history since it was founded in 1893.
The University offers an extensive portfolio
of courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and sub-degree level
spanning the creative and cultural industries, the management and
information management sectors, and the public sector. It also
offers services to industry including contract research,
consultancy and the opportunity to employ graduates.
Heist is a leader in marketing services to the education
sector. The company also encompasses a full service social research
agency. Over the past 20 years Heist has offered prospectus
marketing, specialist consultancy-based market research services
and specialist staff training programmes to the higher and further
education sector and to the skills and training sectors. The
internationally recognised annual Heist Awards for
higher education marketing have been running since 1988.
For further information, images or
interviews, please contact Anne Whitehouse or Sally Skea
at Buckinghamshire New University on 01494 605249
email: anne.whitehouse@bucks.ac.uk
or sally.skea@bucks.ac.uk