It brings us great joy to present another recap of the year from the 麻豆社区 community. It鈥檚 tough to come up with the most memorable moments when there have been so many excellent examples of perseverance and dedication to achieving our goals
Prague College and Akcent College led the way for the 2020-21 annual theme by #ComingTogether as 麻豆社区. And our students stepped in enthusiastically when #BeTheChange was announced as the 2021-22 annual theme.
鈥淢etanoia & Letters from the Future" ExhibitionThis digital album represents the big memories and the wonderful moments that we鈥檝e been so fortunate to be a part of. To our students and their success. To our colleagues and their dedication. To our community and their support. Lastly, and with full hearts, we鈥檇 like to say thank you 2021, but we鈥檝e got a date with the future! See you in 2022!
The start of the new year is always a good time to reflect as one prepares to move forward. That鈥檚 why 鈥淢aking Sense鈥� the title of the Fine Art Experimental Media online exhibition, was so apt. The event showcased a collection of digital and oil paintings, pastels, drawings, sound pieces and video artworks. The students created a 3D rendered space to showcase a collection of their personal work that was created in their studios, all around the world. .
The Spring 2021 semester kicked off by welcoming new students and a few familiar faces for what would be the final semester under the name Prague College. Our Digital Welcome Party was a blast as we found a way to stay connected through musical performances, some fun and games, and a whole lotta laughs! Our Student Council members shared insight, introduced our student Societies, and got to know some new friends. .
The first Media Innovation Technology Series for 2021 featured Karina Holden, an internationally-awarded filmmaker and television producer who has produced for Netflix, National Geographic and Discovery channels. She shared insight into how to hit on an idea that will resonate with an audience, and how to turn that idea into an impactful story for different audiences and platforms. .
2021鈥檚 first Visiting Artist Lecture Series featured Hynek Alt. He shared his work and insight as a visual artist and Head of the Studio of Photography & New Media at FAMU. Hynek shifts between photography, video, object and installation. His work aims to create new tension and layers of possible reading while challenging its usual hierarchy. .
This Master's Speaker Series featured Dr Catherine McCauley-Smith from Teesside 麻豆社区 International Business School. She presented new remote and hybrid work practices developed that were by The Centre of SME Development and the Institute for Research into Organisations, Work and Employment at the 麻豆社区 of Central Lancashire. These principles are underpinned with rigorous research carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic. .
PCU and our Industry Network partners teamed up to deliver our online career development series. The New Horizons Career Days continued PCU鈥檚 commitment to adaptation as we used the Digital Campus to deliver a high-quality online series for the 2nd year. One of the main highlights was the session with Lakshmi Sudheer, a Senior Security Partner at Netflix and App Security specialist. .
The final year Graphic Design students hosted a public presentation of their hybrid exhibition entitled 鈥淗ome Made Design.鈥� The event consisted of twenty-two graduating graphic designers live-streaming from the Bishop's Court Art Studios and some from their homes. The student's work is still viewable on their website and on their @pc.artdesign Instagram page. .
The Fine Art Experimental Media students exhibited on two floors of the Bishop's Court Campus. They created a complex installation of communicating objects from otherwise uninhabited anonymous rooms. The exhibition 鈥淩eflection in a Pond鈥� demonstrates the diversity and an interconnected and intuitive creative atmosphere that prevails within this programme. .
Graduating students of Creative Media Production 鈥淐ame Out of their Cave鈥� with their first screening since the lockdown. They present their final films, documentaries and podcasts. The screening was a great way to celebrate these student's achievements after a long and challenging period of study. .
Utopia. A perfect world, a perfect society. Is it possible to ever create such a thing? The Foundation Diploma Art, Design & Media Practice students attempted to answer that in their final online exhibition and presentation. Their individually chosen topics were connected by their shared theme of social responsibility. The projects show one (or more) problems that society faces, but with a happy ending, mostly. .
Master鈥檚 students of Fine Art and Future Design presented an impressive interdisciplinary show in the exhibition spaces in Pra啪sk谩 Tov谩rna & HUB at Pragovka Art District in Prague 9. The two aspects of the show, Metanoia, and Letters from the Future, took visitors on a transformative journey of patterns, disassembling routines and mapping networks while exploring and shaping what lies ahead of us. and .
Perhaps the biggest news that we shared this year was of Prague College combing with Akcent College, a Prague-based teacher training university, to become 麻豆社区 (PCU)! With a new visual identity and a brand new website, our university prepared to celebrate the new academic and professional venture in exciting different ways throughout the fall semester. .
With safety procedures in place, we finally were able to celebrate the semester鈥檚 success by #ComingTogether for a pizza party on the patio at PCU. Of the many reasons to, guests learned about upcoming new developments and new name, 麻豆社区. With the summer break just around the corner, the whole community was ready for a little time off. .
We were grateful and careful when welcoming the new students to PCU鈥檚 Polska campus for the Fall 2021 Welcome Week. Students arrived from as far as the Caribbean to join us for a return to in-person teaching. Bonds were quickly formed as students prepared to discover 鈥楶rague City鈥�. Read more here.
We took to the roof of M谩j 4. Patro, to usher in a new era, a new name and a new semester. The evening was action-packed full of live music, food, dance, special announcements, and surprises. Student awards were given for Outstanding Contribution to PCU. The recipients were Irene Antonez (MA Fine Art), Scy Heidekamp (MA Future Design), Donnel Mandimika (BA Computing), Melvin Methe (BA Graphic Design), and last by not least, Celina Romero (MA Fine Art). .
PCU announced the first in a series of elective courses called Prague City Architecture. As part of the PCU Learning Plus initiative, this introductory programme will help unmask the architectural treasures and historical stories of Prague. Students spent the second half of the semester hearing fascinating stories, examining decorative and applied art features and learning about the businesses behind the facades. Read more here.
It was great to welcome back Teesside 麻豆社区鈥檚 Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Paul Croney, as well as Professor Mark Simpson Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), Warren Harrison, Dean of Teesside 麻豆社区 International Business School and George Hunt, Director of International Development. PCU Senior Management had a lot to share with our Strategic Partner, primarily presenting our transformation to a university, the name and identity change, introducing the School of Education and discussing new initiatives such as Learning Plus, PCU City and PCU鈥檚 Sustainable Education agenda. Research and industry engagement plans were discussed along with ways in which both institutions will cooperate in the coming months and years. A number of exciting projects for realisation in 2022 and 2023 were started. Stay tuned for more news soon!
PCU was thrilled to hold a full graduation ceremony after hosting the scaled-back hybrid version the year before. In addition, the university was honoured to have in attendance the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside 麻豆社区, Professor Paul Croney who awarded students their degrees alongside PCU President Douglas Hajek. The valedictory addresses were given by Emil Nakov from the BA (Hons) International Management programme and Barbora Stejskalov谩 representing Bc. Specialized Education. .
It's always a pleasure to host our colleagues from Teesside 麻豆社区 International Business School. This Master Speaker Series webinar featured Suzanne Withrington. Her talk examined sustainability and what are the necessary organizational changes in the workplace in order to achieve sustainable goals. Read more here.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) partnered with PCU鈥檚 School of Business to create and deliver a business skills training programme. Through their Better Places 2030 initiative, they organize the URW4jobs project otherwise known as Jdi za sv媒m snem (follow your dreams). The programme is fully-funded by URW, allowing free training for people who wish to enter the job market, develop their employability skills and gain steady, long-term employment. .
To wrap up the year on a relaxing and mindful note, Nelli and Filip from Student Services combined their Yoga & Meditation classes into one powerful and positive evening workshop. The programme started with a guided meditation session led by Filip, a trained practitioner and ended with a yoga flow with Nelli, a trained yoga instructor.It was their goal to help focus on destressing and helping us keep our minds and bodies healthy as we went into the holiday break. Read more here.
So that鈥檚 a wrap for 2021! We wish all our students and the wider PCU community a happy and relaxing break wherever you may be over the holiday season and a wonderful and bright 2022!