UTAR students Victor Chen and Varten Tharumalingam bagged awards at the BMW Shorties 2022.
THERE is a surge in the creative industries and many are gunning for a chance to make it as their career – from graphic design to game development.
According to UTAR Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI) dean David Tneh Cheng Eng, there has been an increase in the number of students taking on these courses at UTAR with the numbers growing progressively in total student population from about 900 in 2017 to around 1200 in 2023.
Tneh also noted that the creative industries have evolved in the last decade with content creation and digitalisation to the fore.
“Content creation from music, entertainment, performing arts, together with aspects of marketing and advertising (trends) have evolved and moved towards various digital platforms.
“Meanwhile, being key opinion leaders could be considered a viable career choice. Industries have gone through tremendous changes in the last five years, with more platforms and targeted approaches deployed to win consumers. Such are the trends of the attention economy,” he said.
‘There are no shortcuts in the creative industry. You must work hard – and develop multiple skill sets,’ said Tneh.
Gearing up towards creative pursuits
Tneh opined that the faculty founded in 2008 saw a tremendous opportunity for young people to build their careers around the creative industries
“When we talk about creative cities, we also talk about creative industries such as music, architecture, film, visual art, advertising, design, video games and fashion among others.
“UTAR has adapted to the demands of the creative industries, specifically the creative economy, and is cognizant of the digital and (innovative aspects) needed in industries,” he said.
He added that students who are inquisitive and interested in technology and creativity, can consider applying to FCI. For more information on the courses offered, visit here
“There are no shortcuts in the creative industry, you must work hard – to always practise developing your creativity and to experiment with ideas.
“You also need to sharpen your digital skills and learn as much creative experimentation and project management as possible,” he said, adding that at FCI students learn how to strike a middle ground, leverage on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and to know the ethical boundaries when it comes to AI.
Breaking the mould with education
Tneh shared that parents have changed their mindset towards the creative industries because of the renewed interest in the field as well as with the Malaysian government's initiative in 2022 – the National Creative Industry Policy Quick Wins (Dasar Industri Kreatif Negara).
“Creatives now have government support to develop the creative industries, it’s a potential income generator to the country’s gross domestic product.
“We try to approach the creative industries by making it (relatable) for people to understand the creative industries,” he said.
Tneh added that they have industry experts coming in as guest lectures to speak on topics such as industry trends, challenges and portfolio development. Students are also taught to develop multiple skills including cultural intelligence.
“Our academic approach is well aligned with the industry’s expectations. We try to make ourselves relevant on top of the standard industrial attachment. For instance, every three months or so, (we organise) visits to establishments in the creative industries.
“Portfolio creation is part of the practice for certain programmes like digital animation, game development, game design, as well as graphic design. Industry professionals also comment on our students’ work – students get feedback from the industry regarding their portfolio,” he said.
He added that with student attachment, studio visits, live projects, students winning competitions as well as alumni returning to the faculty to share their experiences – new students are more likely to give the creative industries a go.
UTAR FCI students are making waves on the local and international scene. For instance, Graphic Design and Multimedia students won one gold and two silver awards (Magazine and Newspaper Design category) at the INDIGO International Design Awards - Netherlands, 2022. Read here for more.
Closer to home, Graphic Design and Multimedia students won first place in the HONOR Global Talent Award 2022. For more information, visit here .
Media and Creative Studies students along with fellow UTAR students won awards at the BMW Shorties 2022. Read here to know more.
For as low as RM309, you can enrol for a UTAR foundation or undergraduate studies and enjoy 100% application fee waiver. For more information on UTAR’s Open Day, visit https://study.utar.edu.my/openday.php or call and WhatsApp 016-2233 557. For more information on the creative industries, visit here . Alternatively, follow them on Facebook , Twitter and YouTube for updates.
