University names student awards after Ozzy Osbourne and Brian Travers

Birmingham City University is to recognise students who excel on BA Media and Communications (Music Industries) course by introducing new awards named after two of the city’s pioneering music stars.

The former lead singer of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, and Brian Travers, of UB40 were approached by the university’s School of Media to have prizes named after them.

From 2010, the final year student who gains the best overall mark will receive the ‘Brian Travers Achievement Award’, meanwhile the ‘Ozzy Osbourne Development Award’ will recognise the student who has made the most progress during the three year degree course.

Staff at the university’s school of media decided to name the awards after Ozzy and Brian because they wanted to celebrate Birmingham’s musical heritage. Ozzy was brought up in the Aston area of the city, and went to school in nearby Perry Barr, where the university’s school of media is based. After hearing the university wanted to name an award after him Ozzy said: “I was honoured to be asked. It’s great to support Birmingham and the future of the music industry.”

Brian Travers has close links with the university’s school of media and its research centre - The Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research. He said: “I’m constantly reminded that the music industry is in a state of decline, I agree, that’s true of the old model, but every time I come into contact with the staff and students at Birmingham City University, I leave taking away far more than I bought to the table. The 'new' music business is alive and well and sounds better than it ever did. I’m incredibly proud to be associated with the Birmingham City University and I'm looking forward to not only working with the creatives of tomorrow but learning from them.”

The BA Media and Communications (Music Industries) is designed for people who want to develop a career in the music industry, which may be as a promoter or manager, founding and running a record label, or producing music videos and websites.