English multimedia design course uses British tie-up

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English multimedia design course uses British tie-up
By Wannapa Khaopa
The Nation 2011-03-07

Silpakorn links with Birmingham City University to give students a true international perspective

Without any words, an experimental short film created by a Silpakorn University student has highlighted how many Thais in society today appear to adhere to just superficial Buddhism - not the true core of the faith that will lead them to true happiness.

The non-traditional narrative creatively shows the commercialism evident in many temples in Thailand. Lots of Buddhists are encouraged to donate money, which is considered merit making, in different ways.

Filmmaker, Phatthi Buntuwanit, 22, said: "My film presents the decline of Buddhism when the religion is used for commercial purposes. I want to question people that make merit because they want something in return, or whether they do it because they truly respect the religion.

"We are induced to do things but we don't know if it is right. We live with the cover of the religion rather than its core," he said. Phatthi is a student at Silpakorn University International College (SUIC).

In the film, footage of eggs being produced at a farm alternates with various activities for merit making, with people seen crowded at many temples and a lot of money collected. The egg production process implies a superficial religious interaction.

It took Phatthi four months to finish his film, entitled "Dazzling Fake". It was an attempt to use skills he learnt at a multimedia design programme at SUIC, which included techniques for presenting and creative ideas.

The film impressed reporters who visited the recent Map Your Mind project at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, where the film was shown.

So, it is not surprising that 'Dazzling Fake' won the Movie Mania Award 2009 hosted by Chulalongkorn University.

Rabin Satianpitayakul, a lecturer at the programme at SUIC, said the film was original. Phatthi had used creative ideas well.

The programme focused on having students learn to create work from their creative ideas and to select the best idea as the concept for their work. After that they had to process and create their work. In the end it should be original.

"Our multimedia design is the only international double degree programme in Thailand that collaborates with Birmingham City University (BCU) in England.

"Being a partner with BCU, SUIC has adopted a 'good process' technique from it. So, our students learn the good process to prevent confusion when creating their work," he said.

As the programme focuses on originality, the project last month was promoted to counter ideas about plagiarism among secondary students who want to study in this field.

Apart from the showcase of Silpakorn students' work, 12 secondary students attended the anti-plagiarism workshop as well.

Living in Thailand - a country with a rich and unique culture, |the lecturer hoped that students would be able to create original works based on valuable aspects of Thai culture or Thai way of life. And, since they are taught in English, he hoped students would be able to work and compete internationally.

Asst Prof Sompid Kattiyapikul, director of SUIC, said the college tried to let its students experience new things or new ideas from foreign countries, which was different from what they experienced in Thailand so as to prepare them for a future of international work.

"As a partner of BCU, it is really helpful for our multimedia design students. They can learn British concepts from British lecturers and from an annual cultural trip to the UK, which is a project in which we exchange students with each other to learn Thai and British culture," she said.

"Having Thai and British concepts, students will be able to create or design work that matches the demands of employers in both countries."

Moreover, Silpakorn has tried to encourage this group of students to intern in other foreign countries so they know how to work with foreigners.

Sompid expected around 80-90 per cent of their students would join the cultural trip to learn British facets of the programme.

Currently, there are about 150 students doing the course.

Silpakorn is also looking to extend the programme. A double degree programme that offers a bachelor's degree is popular among Thai students, Sompid said. Many people and students at the university had asked it to open a master's degree in multimedia design.

So Silpakorn will discuss the possibility with its partners at Birmingham City University to see if such a course can be opened in the next academic year.