BIMA & FutureLearn join forces to invest £50k to British digital developers
BIMA, the British Interactive Media Association and the voice of UK digital, is partnering with FutureLearn, the leading social learning platform, to invest £50k into the BIMA community using the FutureLearn Industry Engagement Fund.
FutureLearn was looking to work directly with industry practitioners to develop online courses with a very practical focus on the skills and knowledge needed in the digital sector. As the UK’s largest digital and tech community, BIMA was the natural place to look.
The new partnership will see at least £10,000 offered to five successful BIMA applicants who will each develop a new online digital skills course that will be made available to FutureLearn’s global audience of learners. With royalty payments from FutureLearn’s fee-paying customer base, the financial opportunity for the successful applicants could be greater still.
“We are looking for people or teams that are an authority or subject matter expert,” explained Ryan Rushton, Senior Project Manager at FutureLearn. “We have picked out some broad categories (immersive, AI, digital marketing, digital storytelling, content design and data) but we are also interested in what BIMA members think will meet demand and will provide real value to learners.” Ryan Rushton, Senior Project Manager
“The BIMA community is rich in expertise and innovation,” said BIMA co-president Natalie Gross. “At a time when many in industry have faced existential challenges, this opportunity has proved extremely popular and I know the results will demonstrate the level of expertise and creativity that exists in UK digital.” Nat Gross, Co-president BIMA and VP, Brand and Marketing, EPAM
The project also fits neatly with BIMA’s ongoing work to bring new talent into the industry, as Natalie explained: “We desperately need more young people to discover and join the industry. So the opportunity to create courses that will enable them to do that was simply too good to resist.”
