Our Story | Media Design School

Social Impact Report 2021

In March 2020, the world changed. And we responded. Higher education needed a shake-up, and the pandemic accelerated our action. Collectively, we created impact. We led with care and connection. We adapted. We kept our students learning, and our teachers teaching.

Our Social Impact Report 2021 is a report card, a testimony, and a call to action. It's our story of resilience, creativity, and triumph in the face of global disruption.

Now is the time for the change-makers, the disruptors, and the agitators.

Now is the time to truly connect the world for good.

About the Artwork

It articulates the journey of Tāne, the Lord of the Forest’s great quest to obtain three kete (baskets) of knowledge and the fierce battles that ensued with his brother Whiro, Lord of Darkness.

According to Māori tradition, knowledge came before humanity. The three kete of knowledge are often known as te kete-tuauri, te kete-tuatea and te kete-aronui. These baskets respectively held the knowledge of ritual, memory and prayer; of evil that was harmful to mankind; and knowledge that could help mankind.

This story has become a potent symbol at the heart of our new Media Design School campus.

This piece, featured on the cover of our Social Impact Report, was created by Te Iwihoko Te Rangihirawea (Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Pikiahu-Waewae), an alumnus of Media Design School, and can be seen by all who visit our new Madden Street campus as a centrepiece digital installation.

Iwi's Artwork Blue Tiki — Artwork by Te Iwihoko Te Rangihirawea (Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Pikiahu-Waewae)

Our History

23 years young, Media Design School already has a history of global success.

Education Futurists

In 1998, Media Design School was established by Liz Valintine, in response to a global demand for skilled graduates in digital design and creative tech. The original programme offering was a collection of diplomas, with MDS becoming the first tertiary institution in the Southern Hemisphere to offer a dedicated programme of study for 3D animation.

Gaming Pioneers

MDS continued to blaze a trail in the creative tech education space as the first school in NZ to provide a specialised games course for aspirational game developers.

MDS Goes Global

In 2011 Media Design School joined the Laureate International Universities Network.

The First Degrees

2012 marked an evolution from MDS's offering of short and diploma-level courses, with the introduction of the school's first Bachelor Degrees. Formal accreditation was received from NZQA in late 2011, with the first students embarking on their Bachelor of Art and Design in February the following year.

Design to Tech

Twenty years since its foundation, MDS is internationally regarded as a leader in design education, most notably in the growing fields of 3D Animation, Design and Game Development. 2019 saw a shift further into the Creative Tech space, with the launch of NZ's first Bachelor Degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing.

Girls in Games

In 2013, Girls in Games is established, an initiative to engage and empower young women, encouraging pursuit of STEM subjects and the video game industry as potential career paths.

Playstation First Partnership

MDS partners with Sony in 2014, becoming the first and only institution in New Zealand to offer Playstation development as part of a degree programme. To this day, MDS is the country's only school where students have the opportunity to develop games for the PlayStation platform.

First Commercial releases

In 2018 Student project Sky Noon is released on Steam, and Alumni project Reverie is released on PlayStation Vita.

Matt Gretton, Gustav Seymore, Mike Page and Jordan Browne

First Onsite Interviews Conducted

In 2018, onsite interviews with local studios are initiated, including PikPok and Grinding Gear Games, to give students a stronger pathway into established and recognized studios. This has since expanded to include A44, Outerdawn and BuildMedia.

Early Animation Adopters

In 2000, our Diploma of 3D Computer Animation is accredited by NZQA as a one year programme, with the Diploma of Motion Graphics and Visual Effects is accredited by NZQA as a one year programme following in 2004.

Industry Aligned

In 2009, MDS adopts a VFX studio approach to third year capstone production and produces our first film, Slightly Fishy, in just 3 weeks. The film is screened at festivals in Paris, London, Melbourne and Auckland.

Improve on the Old

In 2011 Diploma of 3D Animation and Diploma of Visual Effects are combined and accredited by NZQA as 3-Year Bachelor of Art and Design (3D and Visual Effects) programme.

Over the Moon Teaser Poster with laurels

Internationally Recognized

Film Over the Moon is produced and is the first of many to be shown at Comic-Con in San Diego, while winning awards at numerous international film festivals.

World-Class Education

Media Design School is ranked amongst the top three schools in the world providing VFX/Animation qualifications by the Autodesk sponsored CG Student Awards (now called The Rookies).

Recognised in Animation

MDS is invited to present at the SIGGRAPH Asia, Educational Symposium in Kobe, Japan, to discuss MDS educational practices resulting in the amazing student work present in 'Escargore' film.

Consistent Achievements on World Stage

MDS ranked #5 in the Top 25 Animation School and Colleges in the World and #1 Top 10 Animation Schools and Colleges in Australia & New Zealand by Animation Career Review 2019.