Scottish Music Industry Association give their first accreditation

The University of the Highlands and Islands is the first university in Scotland to receive course accreditation from the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA).

The two programmes BA (hons) in Music Business and BA (hons) in Popular Music are delivered at Perth College UHI and have been running for seven years.

The SMIA exists to represent and develop the Scottish music industry. As part of Creative Scotland’s Regular Funding Network, the organisation is tasked with delivering a pioneering innovation-led development programme to help nurture business talent and build infrastructure in Scotland’s music industry.

David Watt, Sector Manager for Music and Music Business at Perth College UHI said: “We are excited to partner with the SMIA and look forward to working with them to help develop curricula with opportunities to benefit our students and the wider creative industries both nationally and internationally.

“Each year, students have the opportunity to attend an array of worldwide industry events. Previous students have attended the SXSW Music Festival in the USA, Eurosonic in the Netherlands, BIME in Spain, Reeperbahn Festival held in Germany and the Tallinn Music Week in Estonia.”

Recent graduate Katie Coe explains how her experience of studying music business at the university played a part in securing her first role shortly after graduation.

Katie said: “Our tutors had great connections which led to many opportunities for networking with key industry figures and work placements, including with my now employer - DIY Music Magazine.

“The practical elements of the course built up my confidence in several elements of the creative industry alongside my portfolio, particularly in promotions, making me a more appealing candidate to employers. Plus, many of the key tasks needed to complete the degree such as presentation, business plans and budgeting challenges have quickly become part of my professional life.

“It is down to the excellent teaching standards of the tutors that my abilities were honed enough to quickly adapt. I’m very glad I took the course. I wouldn’t be where I am without it.”

Robert Kilpatrick, General Manager, SMIA said: “We are delighted to have worked with Perth College UHI to accredit their BA (hons) Music Business and BA (hons) Popular Music courses. As the organisation tasked with representing and developing Scotland’s music industry, working with over 2500 members, this partnership will ensure that these courses continue to be of a high quality and are mapped to current industry needs.

“It will ensure that the students are best equipped with the knowledge, skills and experience required to have a sustainable and successful career in music; realising potential, encouraging ambition and developing talent to see Scotland’s ever-growing music industry continue to thrive.”

International BA Music Business graduate, Kaia Garrity from California added:

“I had a wonderful experience at Perth College UHI. I found that there were plenty of opportunities to join and create extracurricular activities. There is great support for international students like myself and multiple resources for students to get the help they need to succeed.

“I especially enjoyed my course. The lecturers have created a great programme that covers a wide variety of music business fields and important concepts. Their constant request for feedback, to further develop each module, and continuous support made for a perfect environment to learn. I truly feel they have prepared us as much as possible for our future careers in the music and creative industries.”