BIMM University

BIMM University is a private university specialising in music, film, performing arts and creative technology.

It is organised into four academic schools: BIMM Music Institute, Institute for Contemporary Theatre, Screen and Film School, and Performers College. Courses are delivered at eight city-based campuses located across the UK, Ireland, and Germany.

It was founded in 2001 as the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, changing its name to the British and Irish Modern Music Institute in 2011 upon the opening of its Dublin campus, before shortening to BIMM Institute in 2018.

It was granted university status in 2022, and the name changed to the present one.

History
BIMM was founded in 2001 by Damian Keyes, Kevin Nixon, Bruce Dickinson and Sarah Clayman who subsequently sold the institute to Sovereign Capital in March 2010.

In 1983, Drumtech was founded by Francis Seriau, later becoming Tech Music School. In 2010, BIMM acquired Tech Music School London and in 2014 Tech Music School changed its name to BIMM London.

BIMM was purchased by Intermediate Capital Group in 2020.

Due to changes in student demand, BIMM Hamburg closed at the end of the 2023 academic year.

Timeline

 * 1983 – Drumtech is founded (now BIMM London)
 * 2001 – Brighton Institute of Modern Music is founded
 * 2008 – BIMM Bristol opens
 * 2010 – BIMM acquires Tech Music School (formally Drumtech)
 * 2011 – BIMM Dublin opens (name is also changed to the British and Irish Modern Music Institute)
 * 2013 – BIMM Institute Manchester opens
 * 2016 – BIMM Institute Berlin opens
 * 2017 – BIMM Institute Birmingham opens and the Brighton Institute for Contemporary Theatre Training (BRICTT) is founded
 * 2018 – BIMM Institute acquires Brighton Film School
 * 2019 – BIMM is granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers in the UK by an Order from the Privy Council. BIMM Institute Hamburg opens, BRICTT becomes the Institute for Contemporary Theatre (ICTheatre) and Brighton Film School is renamed Screen and Film School. BIMM also acquires Performers College
 * 2020 – BIMM acquires Northern Ballet School and opens ICTheatre Manchester
 * 2021 – Screen and Film School Manchester, Screen and Film School Birmingham, and Performers College Birmingham open
 * 2022 – BIMM is awarded university title and changes its name to BIMM University
 * 2024 – BIMM University acquires Met Film School

Organisation and academic life
BIMM University is the second largest provider of creative industries higher education in the UK, with around 8,300 students. It offers courses in a wide range of music, film, performing arts and creative technology subjects.

Courses are offered at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The university is organised into four academic schools: BIMM Music Institute, Institute for Contemporary Theatre, Screen and Film School, and Performers College. Courses are delivered at eight city-based campuses located across the UK, Ireland, and Germany.

Course and accreditations
BIMM Institute was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers in the UK by an Order from the Privy Council on 14 March 2019, having demonstrated that it met the criteria to become a recognised body for awarding degrees in the UK. As such, BIMM Institute has overall responsibility for the academic standards and the quality of the qualifications they offer, and are able to award their own undergraduate and master's degrees. BIMM degrees were previously accredited by the University of Sussex. BIMM Dublin courses are validated by Technological University Dublin.

BIMM was granted full university status by the Department for Education in 2022.

Notable Teachers
Kirk Brandon of punk rock band Theatre of Hate was a tutor at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music in 2012.

Music alumni

 * ADONXS
 * Ash Soan
 * Black Honey
 * Chip
 * Dani Wilde
 * Ed Drewett
 * Ella Mai
 * Fickle Friends
 * Fontaines DC
 * George Ezra
 * Iolanda Costa
 * Izzy Bizu
 * James Bay
 * Jason Cooper
 * Kate Walsh
 * The Kooks
 * Luke Black
 * Luke Machin
 * Luke Sital-Singh
 * Marina Diamandis
 * Mimi Webb
 * Monika Linkytė
 * The Murder Capital
 * Pale Waves
 * Ryan O'Shaughnessy
 * Scott Benton
 * Sophie Lloyd
 * Tom Odell
 * The Xcerts