'PERFORMING ARTS UNIVERSITY' SEEKS EXCELLENCE

By Rohana Mustaffa

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- The National Academy of Arts, Culture and
Heritage which is also known as Aswara, is the country's only public institution
of higher learning with university status that offers formal training in
performing arts.

Aswara comes under the auspices of the Information Communication and Culture
Ministry. Formerly known as the National Arts Academy, the institution offers
three-year degree or diploma programmes and has six faculties - Theatre, Dance,
Fine Arts, Film & Video, Music and Writing

Its population of students now stands at 1,806.

Aswara Rector Dr Mohamed Najib Ahmad Dawa said the institution plans
to set up the Animation Centre which in turn would be a centre of excellence.

"We will turn the Animation Centre into a centre of excellence. With the
infusion of state-of-the-art technology, Aswara will ensure that this technology
to give the maximum benefit to the students.

"Therefore we will introduce a compulsory course for all students in the
creative and animation industry," he said.

BOUTIQUE UNIVERSITY

The agenda is to transform Aswara into a 'boutique' university. This is the
'niche' that Aswara is looking for since its inception in 2006, one year after
the Cabinet had given the nod to turn the National Arts Academy (ASK) into
university status.

Dr Mohamed Najib voiced this aspiration at his maiden meeting with Aswara's
academic staff after his appointment as Rector last January.

This transformation is based on Aswara's capability of creating a difference
in offering quality programmes.

The Rector said this also encourages the creation of the niche required by
the industry in line with the paradigm shift that is occuring locally and
abroad.

He also mentioned the three elements that move in tandem with this shift,
which are innovation, leadership and entrepreneurism.

DISCIPLINE

Dr Mohamed Najib said he has always focused on the discipline of Aswara's
academic staff and students.

Despite being allowed freedom in their creations, the students should have
discipline in framing out the projects besides looking for their own resources
to come out with quality productions.

Hence, they should be able to come out with working papers, presentation of
the idea and concept apart from being tidy and orderly physically and
academically.

With the presence of these 'tools', the students performing arts
presentation would be systematic, professional as well as appreciated and
respected by the audience.

Take the PeTA festival as an example. Even though its primary objective is
the students' Final Year Assessment, it also focuses on bringing the products
direct to the 'market' by making the festival public.

Visitors to the festival were given manuals on each of the projects apart
from the respective student's biodata and other particulars. They were also
provided with brochures that contain detailed information on the festival's
programmes and booths apart from the full information on Aswara.

According to Dr Mohamed Najib, so far Aswara's graduates have no problems
in getting jobs as musicians, dance choreagraphers, theatre directors, script
writes and even as actors/actresses.

SUCCESS

Meawnhile a final year student of the Diploma in Writing Programme, Suhaila
Nordin, had shown to this writer her effort that was on display at the festival.

She showed the writer her script entitled 'Nota & Not'. But what drew the
attention was her booth that offered T-shirts, paintings, postcards, key-chains
apart from sketches and printouts of 'Nota & Not' paraphernalia.

Suhaila plans to submit her script to Finas or sell it to anybody who wishes
to acquire it. The script is not her maiden effort as the two previous efforts
had been turned into telemovies by Radio Television Malaysia.

That is no surprise as Aswara's students have been known to chalk impressive
recognitions since the first year of the university's birth. The creations had
won the award for the Best Story (Video/Film), Best Director (Video/Film)
and Best Video Documentary (Culture and Heritage) at the Malaysian Students Film
and Video Festival in 2007.

Aswara had also bagged international honours with second place in Best Film
School Award category at the 13th Lyon Asia Film Festival/Short Films Battle
Royale 2007.

Its short feature 'Ice Cream' was the finalist at the Young Cinema Art 2007
in Poland and 'Khilaf' made the final shortlist at the Jordan International
Short Film 2007.

Prior to the establishment of the animation centre, Aswara's existing
facilities include a recording studio with digital multitrack recording system,
an experimental theatre, orchestra hall, dance studio, drifting studio, gamelan
and cak lempung studio as well as a music studio and computer laboratory.

SPECIALITY

A unique feature of Aswara is that each of its students is required to sign
up for a traditional performing arts such as bangsawan, makyung and wayang
kulit, in line with the institution's slogan of "Moving Ahead With Traditions."

Minister of Information Communication and Culture Dr Rais Yatim, during his
visit to Aswara last February, had urged the institution to make animation as a
new field of challenge.

He had also said:"We should not neglect our artistes, our cultural activists
and those related to become excellent writers, transforming our dances, our
music in a way that others are amazed that a small institution like this could
advance towards excellence".

Aswara will be be producing its first batch of degree holders end of this
year.
-- BERNAMA