Yoobee School of Design Opens New Auckland Campus

Yoobee School of Design Opens New Auckland Campus to Accommodate Surging Enrolments

Press release, 9 May 2013, Yoobee School of Design, Auckland, New Zealand: Yoobee School of Design has today opened a new campus in central Auckland to capitalise on a 15% increase in student enrolments over the last three years and growing demand for its digital design programmes.

Yoobee invested over $750,000 in the design and fit out of the new campus. The high tech facility features modern technologies including a 3D graphics suite, a green screen room (for video and gaming post-production special effects) and a fully equipped sound studio as well as dedicated exhibition space to showcase student work.

“We were bursting at the seams in our old space on Symonds Road, having experienced a steady growth in enrolments over the years,” says Ruth Cooper, General Manager, Education at Yoobee. “Plus we’ve added an advanced 3D graphics programme as well as language support to attract international students.”

“Technology changes so quickly, and as one of the top providers of digital design programmes we need to provide leading-edge tools to effectively empower our students for the digital jobs of tomorrow. Our new Auckland facility provides these resources, plus it better reflects our brand and our positive outlook for the future of the school; it’s a place where young designers, artists and developers can be inspired to create.”

New staff hires at the campus include Kennedy Faimanifo, a tutor for the Diploma in Advanced 3D Graphics who brings a wealth of industry experience from Toybox Animation and Oktobor, and Michelle Jordan, a Student Employment Coordinator who connects students with industry and prepares them for employment. Yoobee’s specialty facilities will also be available for outside use, further encouraging industry collaboration.

Today’s grand opening event featured technology demonstrations and the unveiling of the printed 3D design winners from last year’s ‘What’s Your Character’ competition. Speakers for the evening included Ruth Cooper as well as:
·         Rob Di Figilia, Co Founder and Head of Production for Oktobor
·         Tom Ang, world renowned photographer, author, teacher and presenter, and
·         Former student Maru Nihoniho, Founder of game development company Metia Interactive.

The new Yoobee School of Design campus is located at Level 4, 3 City Road in central Auckland – close to city transport links, cafes and other tertiary institutions.

About Yoobee School of Design

Yoobee School of Design, formerly Natcoll Design Technology, is a leading New Zealand provider of specialist creative digital design training programmes and soon a degree programme. Established in 1997 the college was acquired by Renaissance Corporation Ltd (RNS NZSX) in 2007 to complement its focus on ‘enabling creativity’ under the Yoobee brand. In September 2012 the college was renamed to Yoobee School of Design, and continues to offer students NZQA-approved and vocationally-based diploma programmes in multimedia, computer graphic design, web development, animation and filmmaking at its campuses in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. To find out more about our programmes visit:  www.yoobee.ac.nz

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Yoobee School of Design opens Degree Pathway in partnership with Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

Press release, 9 May 2013, Yoobee School of Design, Auckland, New Zealand: Yoobee School of Design and the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand have signed an agreement that enables students to pathway from their Yoobee diplomas into a Bachelor of Applied Science degree (BAppSci) with just one further year of study.

The Degree Pathway programme stems from a unique public-private sector partnership between Yoobee and Open Polytechnic that is expected to broaden the market of domestic and international students for both institutions. It features a blended on-site/online learning model, with students studying at Auckland’s City Road campus under Yoobee tutors, while leveraging Open Polytechnic’s online learning resources.

“We recognise that employers are placing increasing value on a Bachelor degree qualification,” says Ruth Cooper, General Manager, Education at Yoobee. “The Degree Pathway provides Yoobee students an opportunity to achieve additional academic credentials without having to start over elsewhere. They can invest two years to achieve practical skills through our diplomas and later extend to a Bachelor’s degree while remaining in the familiar Yoobee campus environment.”

The two organisations have also launched an internship programme this year that sent six Yoobee graduates to build media content and apps at Open Polytechnic in Lower Hutt, where they are assisting in the development of next generation learning experiences. The interns are putting their skills in graphic design and web development to use, and simultaneously working towards their Bachelor of Applied Science degrees.

“The Yoobee graduate interns have proven to be highly capable with practical and sought-after design and technology skills,” said Dr Raymond Young, the Head of Social Sciences at Open Polytechnic. “Through the Degree Pathway, Yoobee students have access to an Open Polytechnic curriculum that will round out their academic background and develop skills in critical thinking, statistical analysis, research methods and project management.”

The Degree Pathway programme is subject to New Zealand Qualifications Authority site approval. To be eligible for admission, applicants must have completed the Diploma of Computer Graphic Design (Level 6) as well as a diploma in interactive design, digital media or web development – all with a minimum B grade. Yoobee intends to extend the Open Polytechnic Degree Pathway programme to Wellington and Christchurch campuses in the future.

About Yoobee School of Design

Yoobee School of Design, formerly Natcoll Design Technology, is a leading New Zealand provider of specialist creative digital design training programmes and soon a degree programme. Established in 1997 the college was acquired by Renaissance Corporation Ltd (RNS NZSX) in 2007 to complement its focus on ‘enabling creativity’ under the Yoobee brand. In September 2012 the college was renamed to Yoobee School of Design, and continues to offer students NZQA-approved and vocationally-based diploma programmes in multimedia, computer graphic design, web development, animation and filmmaking at its campuses in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. To find out more about our programmes visit:  www.yoobee.ac.nz

About Open Polytechnic

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s specialist provider of open and distance learning, enrolling around 35,000 part-time students each year. The majority of students are adult learners combining work and study, making the Open Polytechnic one of New Zealand’s major educators of people in the workforce.

To find out more about our qualifications visit: www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz

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Yoobee School of Design launches Online Learning

New digital design programme caters to growing international student market

Press release, 9 May 2013, Yoobee School of Design, Auckland, New Zealand: Yoobee School of Design has launched a new Online Learning programme to complement its classroom offerings and increase engagement with international markets.

Registration is now open for four short courses that will kick off in June: Photoshop, 3D Character Animation, Adobe Illustrator, XHTML & CSS. A further eight courses will come online before the end of the year.

The global popularity of online learning is significant. For instance, 90%of the UK Open University’s 263,000 students are based outside of the UK, and it is projected that over 80% of US tertiary education students will be completing some of their courses online by next year.

“Online Learning will open up Yoobee’s first-class digital design courses to the world – well beyond our campuses in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch,” says Ruth Cooper, General Manager, Education at Yoobee. “We are catering to a new generation of students who come with their own ‘digital backpack’; they already have the technology to successfully complete an online course, whether they live in Gisborne or Invercargill, Seoul or Jakarta.

“We also see opportunities for a blended online/on-campus model to broaden our appeal. For example, international students who are interested in traveling to New Zealand to study but can’t afford two years of independent living expenses will soon be able to complete the first year online in their home country and spend the second year on campus. It’s all about enabling flexibility.”

Yoobee has hired a team of three specialist educators to design and develop the online learning programme. The ‘virtual classroom’ cloud-based delivery platform is built on a combination of Moodle Joule, Kaltura and Adobe Connect and will enable high tutor-to-student ratios.

“We have designed the programme for an anytime, anywhere, any device world, but it’s not about the technology,” says Sue Deucher, Yoobee’s Manager of Online Learning. “We’re focused on ensuring the learning experience is authentic, engaging and interactive, with a mix of options so students can choose the way that they learn best – whether that’s attending live interactive sessions with a tutor or viewing the recording later. They can even collaborate through a Facebook-style social space. It’s so much more than just a video library.”

Yoobee currently has 123 international students enrolled across its three campuses. The new programme was announced today at Yoobee’s Auckland campus grand opening event.

About Yoobee School of Design

Yoobee School of Design, formerly Natcoll Design Technology, is a leading New Zealand provider of specialist creative digital design training programmes and soon a degree programme. Established in 1997 the college was acquired by Renaissance Corporation Ltd (RNS NZSX) in 2007 to complement its focus on ‘enabling creativity’ under the Yoobee brand. In September 2012 the college was renamed to Yoobee School of Design, and continues to offer students NZQA-approved and vocationally-based diploma programmes in multimedia, computer graphic design, web development, animation and filmmaking at its campuses in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. To find out more about our programmes visit:  www.yoobee.ac.nz

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