He told industry guests at the opening ceremony last night (Thursday 17 June 2010) how he had been impressed with the students working with his teams at the BBC. Hundreds of students are exhibiting until June 23 at the University’s Deane Road campus, across all creative disciplines – from Animation and Illustration to Media, Writing and Production.

  Mr Ahmed, who trained in graphic design and photography, is now Head of Religion and Ethics for the BBC. He told guests the students had achieved ‘no mean feat’ in developing creative ideas for bringing religious programming to Radio 1 and pitching those ideas to Head of Religion Radio, Christine Morgan.

The University of Bolton and the BBC have been working together to open up pathways into employment in the media industry for students and to develop new talent within the region.

The University signed a partnership agreement with the BBC in 2008, ahead of the Corporation’s move to Salford next year.

The partnership between The University of Bolton and the BBC helps to identify new talent, focus on learning and development, build relationships within communities and develop clear pathways into the BBC and the wider industry.

The BBC works with the University of Bolton on projects which now include:

BBC Radio Drama Media Placements for Bolton students

planned writing workshops for students with BBC producers and writers who  come to the University as guest speakers

BBC Writersroom networking events

supporting the BBC’s religion and ethics section with the University helping the BBC reach a broader cross-section of the community.

The BBC and the University of Bolton are also working together to develop student placement opportunities within sound recording and music production.

And together the two institutions are developing an outreach programme for local colleges which aims to highlight the range of media careers to young people who do not traditionally consider the media as a profession, such as those from ethnic minority groups.

University of Bolton students won the BBC Writersroom Future Talent award for new writers 2009 and been placed runner up in the contest this year.

Said Creative Industries Liaison at the University, Jane Stuart: ‘It is great for Bolton to have someone like Aaqil with the BBC, and such a champion of bringing opportunities to the North of England with the BBC’s move from London to Salford.’

The new centre at MediaCityUK in Salford will be home to around 2,400 BBC staff from 2011. Five key London-based departments, including two TV channels and two radio stations, will be making their new homes in Salford: BBC Children’s (including CBBC and CBeebies); BBC Formal Learning; BBC Future Media and Technology; BBC Radio Five Live (including Five Live Sports Extra) and BBC Sport