Top media executive inspired by Teesside’s staff and students

One of Britain’s top media executives has heaped praise on the University’s ‘groundbreaking’ Multimedia Journalism degree and said she hopes to one day see a Teesside graduate as Editor of the Evening Gazette.

Sly Bailey, Chief Executive of Trinity Mirror plc, was speaking as she officially opened the University’s Cook Building.

Ms Bailey was impressed by the work of journalism students and highlighted the successful relationship between Trinity Mirror, the owning company of the Evening Gazette, and the University.

She said: ‘It is clear from looking around the Cook Building just what a fantastic learning environment has been created here. I was immediately inspired with the range of the facilities and equipment and the sheer enthusiasm of the staff and students I have seen, there is a great vibe.

‘It’s a pleasure to be in such a successful University with a massive connection to the local community and one which is competing nationally and internationally.

‘I know these courses have an outstanding reputation and that students clearly benefit from the fact that the University has built up really strong connections with industry, these are so important in today’s particularly competitive media environment.

‘I am particularly proud that the School of Arts & Media’s Multimedia Journalism course was created through close co-operation with the Evening Gazette. Many around Britain see this as a ground-breaking journalism course and this collaboration between Higher Education and industry should be an example to us all of us. In the future I will Iook forward to seeing a Teesside University graduate becoming Editor of the Evening Gazette.’

Professional training for students The Cook Building was formerly owned by the Evening Gazette. It includes a convergent newsroom, which offers professional training for students from the University’s journalism programmes and external reporters. In addition, the Cook Building also houses two large customised design studios and an IT suite for computer-aided design. Workshops for wood, metal, plaster, resin and glass are on the lower floors.

Ms Bailey toured the Cook Building with the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Henderson CBE, the Evening Gazette’s Managing Director Bob Cuffe and Professor Gerda Roper, Dean of the University’s School of Arts & Media.

Professor Graham Henderson said: ‘We are particularly pleased to welcome Sly Bailey to the University and to the School of Arts & Media. Considering the partnership between the University and the Evening Gazette who should be more appropriate to open the Cook Building than the Chief Executive of Trinity Mirror?

‘This building has a long history and many of you will remember when it was owned by the Evening Gazette and the University tries to be an ambassador and champion for Middlesbrough like the Gazette.

“This is the fourth building we have opened this academic year and a statement in our confidence. It’s been a particularly amazing journey, with 30,000 students we are now the second biggest University in the region. The media and design work of the School of Arts & Media is very important to the University as a very successful school.’

Professor Henderson also highlighted the University’s new mission of providing opportunities, driving enterprise and delivering excellence.

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