This week saw the start of Digital City Festival (DCF) a two-week event that asks the question what makes a leading digital city. Launching in 2020, the DCF has quickly become a landmark event in the North, based in Greater Manchester and run by the industry news website and events company Prolific North.
The annual event is attended by thousands of professionals having a packed schedule of keynotes, panel discussion, masterclasses and cultural events. Professor Andy Miah and Beth Hewitt, from The University of Salford, are on the DCF Board, playing a pivotal role in how the event looks this year and shaping the University’s involvement.
The University of Salford has an impressive pool of academics with digital expertise and is a space in which it is actively involved in bridging the skills gap and working in collaboration with industry to upskill current and the future workforce for careers in this growing sector.
Prof Miah, Chair in Science Communication & Future Media said: “Digital City Festival is a fantastic opportunity for our students and colleagues to build their network, showcase their expertise and celebrate Manchester’s contribution to our digital future. The great thing about Greater Manchester is the community, people are ambitious, keen to collaborate and squarely focused on a value driven approach to innovation. I’m really proud to be a part of this programme which is breathing new life into the UK’s tech sector.”
The event launched on April 12th with Professor Andy Miah hosting the opening session talking about what he knows best, digital innovation. Knowledge on digital comes from the top at the University with Vice Chancellor Professor Helen Marshall being part of a panel session discussing the Salford Innovation Triangle. Talking of Salford’s future, Professor Marshall said the aim is to make “Salford the Silicon Valley of the UK.”
Beth Hewitt, Creative Director of University of Salford’s Media City Campus, said: “This year’s Digital City Festival based at Media City, provides a fantastic platform and opportunity for us to talk about our industry engagement, enterprise and collaborations, all of which are placed at the core of our teaching, learning and research. Being a key stakeholder in Media City and The Salford Innovation Triangle places the University centre-frame in the digital and tech developments of the region. This is an exciting initiative and I have no doubt that basing Digital City Festival in Media City will enable it to go from strength to strength over the coming years.”
More is yet to come with two more sessions that include contributions from the University’s colleagues coming up. All sessions are being delivered online and are free to attend; all you need to do is register your interest.
Wednesday April 21, 14:00 to 14:45, Keynote session hosted by MediaCityUK – The UK home of Immersive entertainment. Featuring Dr Maria Stukoff and Beth Hewitt
Thursday April 22, 11:00 to 11:45, Future Media Consumption: The Digital Dilemma – Understanding the value of a digital audience. Featuring Allen Fairchild
For all press office enquiries please email communications@salford.ac.uk.
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