Enhancing animation studies in creative technology education through an entrepreneurship approach : the UMK experience

The 21st Century can be described as the Digital Era or Digital Age. The emergence of this Digital Era is strongly connected to the momentum of the digital revolution that came about with globalization. In terms of creative wave movements, animation studies is 4th wave: it is multimedia in the field of creative technology. According to Swansea Metropolitan University “The creative industries must move from the margins to the mainstream of economic and policy thinking, as we look to create the jobs of the future”. Moreover, at 6% per annum, the creative industries grew at twice the rate of the rest of the economy between 1997 and 2005. The nature of business has changed significantly.
In order to develop a new paradigm of the Creative Economy, the government of Malaysia has started a range of initiatives and provided numerous incentives for animation studies. These efforts are intended to generate a long lasting animation potential in Malaysia, resulting in a strong creative industry that will develop the Creative Economy. One of the strategies to generate the Creative Economy in Malaysia is through the establishment of courses in higher education institutions. Therefore, under the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, the government has approved the establishment of courses in animation studies in higher education institutions throughout the country. One of those higher institutions is Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK). Established in 2006 as the 19th public university in Malaysia, UMK offers a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Technology under the Department of Creative Technology and Design, Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage. UMK also offers postgraduate studies in Master of Arts (Multimedia) or MA and a Ph.D. The uniqueness of animation studies offered at UMK is the combination of practical animation production skills and theoretical knowledge in emerging technologies with heritage elements, using an entrepreneurship approach. With this approach UMK graduates will have a strong foundation of knowledge in both entrepreneurship and animation studies. This will be combined with practical training that will enable them to apply animation theory to meet market needs. As entrepreneurial students, UMK graduates will be able to create new markets in the animation industry.
This paper will discuss the experience of the Department of Creative Technology and Design, Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan in enhancing animation studies in creative technology education, through an entrepreneurship approach, to contribute to the Creative Industry and Creative Economy development in Malaysia.