UK - Sennheiser UK has reinforced its commitment to the sound industry's future by launching a partnership with Buckinghamshire New University, bringing many new opportunities for the audio professionals of tomorrow.
Launched on 29 January, in the audio studios in the High Wycombe-based University's Gateway building, the arrangement includes the university's main recording studio being renamed The Sennheiser Sound Lab. The manufacturer will provide a range of equipment for use in the studio, including state-of-the-art digital microphones, giving students access to the very latest audio technology.
Sennheiser UK has worked closely with the university on an informal basis for the past eight years, providing education days, master classes, workshops and advice to dissertation students, but the new venture takes the interaction between the two much deeper.
A key element is the sponsorship of an annual scholarship for a second-year student studying BA (Hons) Audio and Music Production. Starting from September 2013, the scholarship is worth £3,000 and will include Sennheiser and Neumann equipment to aid the selected student's studies, giving a tremendous boost to their prospects for a career in the audio industry.
In addition, Sennheiser is providing two six-month student internships. After a rigorous selection process, third year BA (Hons) Music Management students Jamie Leeming and Gemma Robinson have already taken up roles at Sennheiser UK's headquarters in High Wycombe, working as marketing executive and consumer channel executive respectively.
"The interviews are a challenge, but this opportunity allows us to get into the industry before we have even finished university, which is something I think every student strives for," says Jamie. Gemma agrees, adding, "It is really hard to get into the industry and doing the internship through university is really helpful. Sennheiser is such a good company to be associated with and we are learning so much from experienced staff, networking, and hands on experience."
For the students not lucky enough to be awarded these coveted positions, Sennheiser UK will provide an 'industry insider' days in either the live or broadcast market for the second-year BA (Hons) Audio and Music Production student with the best academic performance in the previous year. The company will also be working with current students, staff and alumni to develop a wide range of online media assets.
"We were keen to formalise our relationship with Buckinghamshire New University in a partnership dedicated to investing in the future," says Sennheiser UK marketing projects manager Phil Cummings. "It's very much a two-way process. We can share our knowledge, expertise and latest technology with students, but we also gain a great deal from their enthusiasm, willingness to learn and new ideas.
"We are very proud to be an official partner of the university, which will be of significant benefit to both parties. We are looking forward to developing the partnership further, providing an exciting future for all concerned."
"Sennheiser is one of the largest microphone, headphone and in-ear monitoring manufacturers in the world, so this is a hugely exciting development," says Frazer Mackenzie, the University's head of the School of Applied Production & New Media. "We've worked with the company for a number of years and this new agreement will bring a wide range of benefits to both the University and our students."
Speaking at the launch, Sennheiser UK general manager Phil Massey said, "A relationship with an establishment like Bucks New University gives us the opportunity to develop our future. It's a very small industry and developing young people is essential to not losing the skills our industry specialises in. It's a great opportunity for us to help students develop and hopefully take the Sennheiser brand name forward into the future. This is more like a marriage then a partnership to be honest."
"Students have increasingly heightened expectations, so universities need to be at the cutting-edge. Having access to equipment of the standard provided by Sennheiser, as well as the expertise of the company's staff, is fundamental to what we can offer and helps to put our students ahead of the game when they graduate," adds Professor Ruth Farwell, vice chancellor of Bucks New University. "This partnership is very good for the university and we hope that Sennheiser will likewise benefit. We would like to thank them for their support and are very excited about the possibilities that the new, formalised relationship offers."
