VIMN Launches 2018 Nickelodeon Academic Program in China

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has unveiled a new multiyear Nickelodeon Program in kids’ animation development with the Communication University of China (CUC).

The first international academic program is meant to help develop Chinese creative talent and attract passionate young people to work in the animation field after graduation. Students will participate in course models conducted by international VIMN and Nick execs who will be sharing their expertise and knowledge in research, storytelling and character development, animation skills and commercialization.

The month-long academic program, which kicks off today, is an expansion of the Nickelodeon Program, which began as a summer workshop in 2017. It is receiving support from Wellcome Forefront (Beijing) Culture Media Corp.

Duan Peng, the vice principal of CUC, commented: “The Nickelodeon Program is the most extensive international academic program conducted at our university. The quality of the curriculum is exceptional, with well-thought-out real-world subjects like commercialization, brand management and marketing. We are grateful to have such an in-depth collaboration with both Viacom and Wellcome Forefront this year.

“Through this program, we hope to see our students develop a solid foundation to become strong storytellers and produce outstanding original content and IPs when they join the animation industry—both at a local and global stage.”

James Chen, the CEO of Wellcome Forefront, noted: “This was an easy decision to support the Nickelodeon Program with the Communications University of China, especially given Nickelodeon’s wide recognition in China and of its iconic characters. We are delighted Viacom is committed to help further develop the Chinese kids’ animation industry through talent education and skills development, while tapping [into] the best of Viacom and Nickelodeon’s expertise, practices and resources from around the world. This is a rare and exciting opportunity for our local students to learn from the international experts.”

Gerald Raines, the senior VP of location-based experiences for VIMN, added: “We see greater potential than ever to develop iconic animated characters for Nickelodeon who don’t just entertain on-screen but also generate significant new licensing opportunities off-screen. It’s important for anyone seeking to work in animation to understand how the sector works commercially and what’s involved in building a global franchise. We see a lot of animation talent and potential in China and are committed to an ongoing collaboration with the Chinese authorities and institutions like the Communication University of China to help develop the local sector.”