The Aalto Media Factory is a spearhead project of the new Aalto University, a platform for collaboration in the broad area of ‘media’ within Aalto. It is also intended as an instrument for facilitating collaboration with media-related industry and other stakeholders in the field. The factory’s operations started officially in early 2009 and have been subject to review and development as the new Aalto University launches into its first year of existence, starting 1st January 2010.
The Media Factory’s office is based in the School of Art and Design (TaiK) at Arabianranta in Helsinki, but its operations are spread throughout the three Aalto campuses. The factory’s director, since November 2009, is Prof. Philip Dean, who is also head of the Department of Media at TaiK. The factory currently has three full-time employees.
The factory’s programme of operations for 2010 is made up of five main elements:
Research
Research collaboration activities include the support of projects born from the first year of operations as well as efforts to extend the media research networks in Aalto and to foster debate and joint development of new project proposals. The Media Factory has been able to provide seed funding for proposal development. A media researchers’ forum has also been created as well as a network of media-related research labs.
Education
The second line of operations is development of media-related education between departments of the three schools. Short courses and minor subject modules are being developed as well as more informal education based on a variety of topical themes. These are realized as workshops or ‘club activities’ and it is intended that innovators from Aalto and industry are involved in the development and running of these efforts.
Aalto Media Factory services
The third line of operations being developed is Aalto Media Factory media services. A small production team can be mobilized to provide video streaming and other new media services for the broadcast and documentation of media-related events including seminars, workshops, conferences, guest lectures, presentations and happenings etc. In these efforts the factory works in close collaboration with the Media Centre LUME at TaiK. (more…)
