1. Dear Higher Education Academy:
I am writing this referencein support of Mr Stephen Desmond, who has
applied for a fellowship through the HEA.
My nameis Roger Mills. I have produced and directed over 120
documentary filmsfor the major terrestrial broadcasters and won many
awards, inter alia four BAFTAsin my own name, includingthe Desmond
Davis Award for Services to Television.
I was the AcademicExternal Examiner for the MA in Video Production &
Film Studies at The University of West London (then TVU) from 2006 –
2010. Itwas there that I met Mr. Desmond, who wasCourseLeader for the
MA duringthat period
Mr. Desmond’scareer is a formidableone. He has over 25 yearsexperience
teaching in Higher Education around the world, including5 yearsin the MA
in MediaStudies at The New School University in New York, and 5 years
teaching on the MFA in Design & Technology at the ParsonsSchool of
Design in Manhattan.
Duringmy yearsas Mr. Desmond’sExternalExaminer in the UK I was
impressed by his ability to:- design successfulcurricula: managethe MA
programmeitself: implementexcellent quality mechanisms and record
keeping: design effective and appropriatetechnical facilities: recruit,
support, teach and mentor studentsfrom all over the world..
Dueto Mr Desmond’ssustained energy in supportingeach studentto attain
his or her potential, many internationalawardsfor filmmaking werewon
e.g. Best Directorial Debut from The New York IndependentFilm & Video
Festival; Best Cinematography-InternationalSection from The New York
IndependentFilm & Video Festival; The MA studentfilm ‘Temple of the
Tigers’ commissioned by The Discovery Channel, which became its
broadcast ‘hit of the year’.
Students also shone academically under Mr Desmond’stutelage. PG
fellowships were won at Yale University in the US, while somestudents
advanced to completePhDs by film practice at institutions such as Queens
University Belfast.

2. Mr. Desmond shared a close and collegial bond with his teaching colleagues
Witold Starecki and Luciano Zubbillaga. It seemed to me that the three
worked mosteffectively as a team in deliveringthe best possible
experience for the MA studentsunder their care. Mr. Desmond was clearly
well respected by his students, who appreciated his unstintingefforts on
their behalf..
Duringmy time as External Examiner, The MA courserun by Mr. Desmond
was taken through a formal5 year periodic review practice, which was,
evaluated by a team of internaland external advisors, adjudicatorsand
quality auditprofessionals. The results were most satisfactory. Mr.
Desmond’sability to create a blended curriculum whichinterwovetheory
and practice was singled outfor commendation, together with his capacity
to stimulate learning around the mastery of technologies in ways which
directed studentstowardswider theoretical and ethical concepts, critical
awareness, sustained research and intellectual rigour.
I have no hesitation in recommendingMr. Stephen Desmond for a HEA
fellowship.
.
Yoursfaithfully,
Roger Mills M.A. (Oxon)
Email Address: Roger Mills<roger.mills3@btinternet.com>