Futurelab visits DCU
Monday 19 February 2007

Lord Puttnam of Queensgate (Chairman, Futurelab)

Lord Puttnam of Queensgate (Chairman, Futurelab) and Annika Small (CEO, Futurelab) visited DCU on 16 February 2007. Futurelab is a UK-based not-for-profit organization that works with industry, policy and practice to:

• incubate new ideas, taking them from the lab to the classroom
• offer hard evidence and practical advice to support the design and use of innovative learning tools
• communicate the latest thinking and practice in educational ICT
• provide the space for experimentation and the exchange of ideas between the creative, technology and education sectors

A cross-faculty team from DCU is exploring the establishment of a Futurelab Ireland on campus. This initiative, if successful, will seek to replicate the Futurelab model in Ireland and work with other partners in civic society, industry, and education (including other academic partners) to help transform education through innovation.

*Lord Puttnam of Queensgate*
After ten years in the advertising industry, David Puttnam spent 30 years as an independent film producer (his many award-winning films include The Mission, The Killing Fields, Local Hero and Chariots of Fire). He was Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Pictures from 1986 to 1988 - the only non-American ever to run a Hollywood Studio. David retired from film production in 1998 and now focuses on his work in education. He was the founder (in 1998) and is Chair of Trustees of the National Teaching Awards. In addition to having served as the first Chair of the General Teaching Council (2000-2002), he has also served on a variety of other public bodies. He was founding Chair of NESTA, and for ten years chaired the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. He was also Vice President and Chair of Trustees at BAFTA from 1994 to 2004 and was awarded a BAFTA Fellowship in 2006. In February 2006 he was appointed Deputy Chairman of Channel Four. In July 2002, David was appointed President of UNICEF UK, and has played a key role in promoting UNICEF's advocacy, awareness and fundraising objectives, in 2003 launching their End Child Exploitation campaign. In the UK he has been instrumental in helping to forge new fundraising partnerships within the film, music and property industries, and has spoken at numerous events. David was awarded a CBE in 1982, received a Knighthood in 1995 and was appointed to the House of Lords in 1997. He is currently Chancellor of the Open University.

Annika Small
As Chief Executive of Futurelab, Annika is responsible for developing the strategic direction, establishing partnerships and exploring new opportunities for Futurelab. Over the last ten years, she has focused on developing compelling interactive learning resources for those excluded from traditional education. Annika has set up and built successful organisations across four continents, working in close collaboration with media, technology and educational experts. Prior to this, she worked at the BBC and The Discovery Channel.

*Associations: *Secretary of State's Content Advisory Board; E-Learning National Strategy Group; Becta's Technology Committee; South West Screen