Sonic College

What Sonic College does

Sonic College is a Danish higher-education program offering a state-accredited Professionsbachelor (Professional Bachelor's degree) in Sound Design, operated under University College South Denmark (UC SYD) and located at UC SYD Campus Kolding (Universitetsparken 2, Kolding). Founded in 2010 and relocated to a purpose-built campus in 2022, the program delivers a 3.5-year curriculum covering DAW workflow (Pro Tools and Ableton Live), recording studio technique, mixing/mastering/synthesis, game audio, 3D/Dolby Atmos spatial audio, interaction design, podcast production, sound for film and TV, foley, and composition. Teaching is delivered by a faculty of active industry professionals and researchers, with mandatory internships in the 5th–6th semesters and international exchange options via Erasmus+. The institution's defining asset is the Sound-Embracing Atrium, a 187–188 loudspeaker Meyer Sound installation spanning all six floors of the campus building, funded in part by a 4 million DKK A.P. Møller Foundation donation and used for teaching, research, and sound-art installations.

The business model is primarily publicly funded: Danish and EU students pay no tuition, with revenue flowing through UC SYD's state education budget (SU-eligible). A secondary, paid revenue stream is the Official Dolby Atmos Certification Course (capped at 15 participants per cohort), offered through UC SYD's module catalogue under Sonic College's status as a Dolby Creator Lab Certified Learning Institute. The program also monetizes its profile through industry partnerships (Meyer Sound, VEGA, Roskilde Festival, Godset, Alfa Audio) and competitive research grants, including the EU Interreg Hope & Despair project (≈14.5 million DKK). Ancillary activities — Sonic Days annual international conference, the New Concert Formats Network, Blended Intensive Programmes, and Sonic Showcase student events — function as marketing and ecosystem-building rather than direct revenue streams.

The student and stakeholder base includes prospective Danish/EU/international students seeking sound design careers across film, TV, music production, games, podcasts, branding, and live events; live-music professionals reached via the New Concert Formats Network; international partner institutions under Erasmus+ BIPs; and external audio practitioners enrolling in the Dolby Atmos certification course. Operations are anchored by approximately 37 staff (full-time faculty and administrative personnel, supplemented by guest lecturers) and a faculty pipeline that includes multiple Ph.D.-credentialed researchers and AES Convention presenters.

Name

Sonic College

Legal name

Sonic College

Website

https://soniccollege.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sonic College is a Danish state-accredited higher-education program under UC SYD, offering a 3.5-year Professionsbachelor in Sound Design at its Kolding campus. It serves prospective Danish, EU, and international students pursuing careers in film, TV, game, music, podcast, and immersive audio production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education – Sound Design

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Production, Recording & Audio Engineering (EDAMANAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Music Theory, Ear Training & Musicianship (EDAMANAF)

Keywords

• Sound design education
• Professional bachelor degree
• Immersive audio training
• Dolby Atmos certification
• Audio engineering program

Headquarters

HQ city

Kolding

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Higher Education (Professionsbachelor): Sonic College is a publicly funded higher education program under UC SYD (University College South Denmark). The Professionsbachelor i Lyddesign is a state-accredited 3.5-year program. Danish and EU students pay no tuition; the program is funded through the Danish state education system (SU-eligible for eligible students).
2. Dolby Atmos Certification Course: Sonic College offers a paid professional certification course in Dolby Atmos for external audio professionals. Enrollment is limited to 15 participants per cohort. The course is offered through UC SYD's module catalogue (ucsyd.dk/moduler).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sonic College delivers a state-accredited 3.5-year Professionsbachelor (Professional Bachelor's) degree in Sound Design under UC SYD (University College South Denmark). The program trains students in recording, mixing, mastering, synthesis, DAWs (Pro Tools, Ableton Live), spatial and immersive audio (Dolby Atmos), game audio, foley, sound for film/TV, podcasting, and music composition. It also offers an Official Dolby Atmos Certification Course for external audio professionals and operates the Sound-Embracing Atrium — a 187–188-loudspeaker immersive installation — for research and teaching.

Product overview

Sonic College is a higher education program at UC SYD (University College South Denmark) offering a Professionsbachelor (Professional Bachelor's degree) in Sound Design, located in Kolding. The program is structured across six semesters and encompasses a portfolio of core curriculum modules, elective courses, specialized tracks, and professional certification offerings. The core curriculum spans foundational technical and creative subjects (DAWs, Recording Studio Technique, Media Production, Mixing/Mastering/Synthesis, Music History/Theory, Sound in Marketing, Dynamic Sound Design, Aural Storytelling & Management, The Sound Designer's Professional Life, and Composition). Elective specializations in the fourth semester allow students to focus on Game Audio, 3D Audio, Advanced Studio Production, Advanced Media Production, Interaction Design, or collaboration with The Animation Workshop. Beyond its core degree program, Sonic College operates several standalone products and programs: the Official Dolby Atmos Certification Course (offered through its status as a Dolby Creator Lab Certified Learning Institute); The Sound-Embracing Atrium (Det Lydomfavnende Atrium), a 187–188-loudspeaker immersive audio installation across six floors of Campus Kolding, used for teaching, research, and sound art; Sonic Days, an annual international conference on sound and audio technology; the New Concert Formats Network, a professional knowledge-sharing network for the live music ecosystem; and Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP) developed under Erasmus+ for international collaborative learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New Concert Formats Network: A professional knowledge network initiated by Sonic College that brings together professionals from across the live music ecosystem to explore how concerts and live sound experiences are evolving.
• Sonic Days

Products and services

• Official Dolby Atmos Certification Course An official Dolby Creator Lab Certified Learning Institute program providing industry-recognized Dolby Atmos certification for audio professionals, producers, sound designers, and content creators. Taught by Thomas Perez-Pape with hands-on access to three Dolby Atmos-certified editing suites and a certified mixing cinema. Enrollment limited to 15 participants per cohort.
• The Sound-Embracing Atrium (Det Lydomfavnende Atrium) A large-scale immersive audio installation spanning all six floors of the Campus Kolding building, featuring 187–188 individually addressable Meyer Sound loudspeakers installed by Stouenborg with Spacemap Go spatial audio software. Used for sound art, immersive audio research, and teaching, with support from A.P. Møller Fonden (4 million DKK).
• Sonic Days An annual international conference and event dedicated to sound, audio technology, and creative audio practices held at Sonic College in Kolding, Denmark. Features lectures, workshops, demonstrations, immersive performances, and networking across music production, film and TV audio, game audio, podcasting, and sound art.
• New Concert Formats Network A professional knowledge network initiated by Sonic College bringing together artists, venues, festivals, managers, producers, and technology developers to share knowledge, discuss emerging practices, and explore new ways of creating meaningful live sound experiences. Partners include VEGA, Godset, Roskilde Festival, Meyer Sound, and Alfa Audio. Meets once or twice per year.
• Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP) Short, intensive collaborative learning experiences developed within the Erasmus+ framework, combining online preparation with a project week in Kolding. Three focus tracks: Immersive Music Production, Game Audio, and Sound for Film & TV. Designed for international students and partner institutions.
• Professionsbachelor i Lyddesign (Professional Bachelor's in Sound Design) A state-accredited 3.5-year higher education program (Professional Bachelor's degree) in Sound Design under UC SYD. Structured across six semesters and combining core curriculum modules (DAWs, Recording Studio Technique, Media Production, Mixing/Mastering/Synthesis, Music History/Theory, Sound in Marketing, Dynamic Sound Design, Aural Storytelling & Management, Composition, and The Sound Designer's Professional Life) with fourth-semester electives (Game Audio, 3D Audio, Advanced Studio Production, Advanced Media Production, Interaction Design, or TAW collaboration), mandatory internships in the 5th–6th semesters, and international exchange options. Danish and EU students pay no tuition; the program is SU-eligible.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni placed at top-tier studios and game companies including Massive Entertainment (Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora), Geometric Interactive (Cocoon — multiple awards), Ghost Frequency Games (Spilprisen 2026 Best Student Game winner)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VEGA (Copenhagen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVEGA is one of Denmark's leading live music venues and a founding partner of the New Concert Formats Network. In 2023, VEGA introduced an immersive sound installation in Ideal Bar — one of the first club-scale venues to offer Dolby Atmos (9.1.6) as a regular concert format. VEGA serves as a live laboratory for new concert formats, collaborating with Sonic College on research and knowledge exchange.
• Roskilde FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoskilde Festival is one of Europe's largest music festivals and a founding partner of the New Concert Formats Network. With over 100,000 annual participants, the festival serves as a large-scale testbed for new concert concepts. Research conducted on the Heilung concert at Roskilde Festival 2024 was presented by Sonic College's Birgitte Folmann at AES Europe 2026.
• Meyer SoundcoreTechnology or IntegrationMeyer Sound is a U.S.-based professional audio manufacturer (Berkeley, California) and founding partner of the New Concert Formats Network. They supplied the 187 active loudspeakers, DSP processors, and Spacemap Go software for the Sound-Embracing Atrium at UC SYD Campus Kolding. Meyer Sound's Spacemap spatial mixing platform is central to the atrium's operations.
• Godset (Kolding)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGodset is a regional music venue in Kolding (capacity ~700 standing/350 seated) and founding partner of the New Concert Formats Network. Established in 2001, the venue is evaluating installation of a permanent immersive speaker system. Godset collaborated with Sonic College on the Sonic Showcase x KOLD Festival 2026 event.
• Design School KoldingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign School Kolding is the lead partner in the EU Interreg-funded Hope & Despair project, a Danish-German collaboration connecting seven WWII museums and memorial sites. Sonic College contributes expertise in immersive storytelling and sound design for museums, with Jonas Kirkegaard and Birgitte Folmann serving as coordinators and researchers. The project received approximately 14.5 million DKK in Interreg funding.
• UC SYD (University College South Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSonic College is a specialized program under UC SYD, operating within the UC SYD Campus Kolding facility. UC SYD is the institutional parent, providing administrative infrastructure, campuses (Esbjerg, Haderslev, Aabenraa, Kolding), and governance. The Campus Kolding building was co-funded by the A.P. Møller Foundation (4 million DKK for the atrium installation).
• The Animation Workshop (TAW / VIA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Animation Workshop in Viborg collaborates with Sonic College on the TAW elective module (4th semester). Sonic College students produce complete soundtracks for TAW graduation films and games, acquiring knowledge of animated film production, foley recording, and surround sound mixing.
• StouenborgcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStouenborg (Tåstrup, Denmark) is the AV integrator that designed and installed the Sound-Embracing Atrium loudspeaker system. The company specializes in custom AV, sound, and lighting installations for theatres, live shows, museums, and installations. They have won multiple awards for their installation work, most recently for the Novo Nordisk Foundation's Life Campus building. Responsible for rack design, assembly, cabling, and ongoing technical support.
• Museum KoldingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum Kolding is a partner in the EU Interreg Hope & Despair project, working with Sonic College on immersive storytelling approaches for WWII museum experiences.
• Frøslevlejrens MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrøslevlejrens Museum is a partner in the EU Interreg Hope & Despair project, collaborating with Sonic College on sound-based museum communication.
• International Partner Institutions (BIP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSonic College develops Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) with international partner institutions, with three initial tracks: Immersive Music Production, Game Audio, and Sound for Film & TV. These short intensive programs combine online preparation with an in-person project week in Kolding during Sonic Days (week 47). Institutions can participate in development and send students for credits/ECTS.
• The Animation Workshop (VIA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSonic College collaborates with The Animation Workshop in Viborg for the TAW elective course, where sound design students produce soundtracks for graduation films and games, learning animated film fundamentals, foley recording, and surround mixing.
• Peak SafetyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPeak Safety specializes in equipment installation in height-challenged environments. They assisted with the installation of loudspeakers in the Sound-Embracing Atrium, working at heights up to 25 meters above floor level to mount equipment in the triangular skylight section and upper floors of the six-floor atrium.
• Kollision (Light Installation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKollision created the exterior light installation on UC SYD Campus Kolding, controlled by weather data. This weather data is shared with the Sound-Embracing Atrium's lydkunstværk (sound artwork) by The Overheard, creating a coordinated interplay between light and sound art responding to the same environmental inputs.
• Cubo ArkitekterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCubo Arkitekter (Aarhus) won the architectural competition for UC SYD Campus Kolding in 2018. They designed the triangular building with the six-floor atrium and integrated the loudspeaker installation into the building's architecture, collaborating with Sonic College, Stouenborg, and Meyer Sound on the design.
• The Overheard (Marie Højlund & Morten Riis)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe sound art duo The Overheard (Marie Højlund and Morten Riis) created the inaugural lydkunstværk '(Dette er ikke) et træ' for the Sound-Embracing Atrium, commissioned for the Campus Kolding inauguration. The piece uses voice recordings and organic sounds, diffused across all loudspeakers, and responds to weather data from outside the building.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Full Sail University: US-based private institution offering degrees in audio production, film, and game design with industry-aligned curriculum and alumni at major entertainment companies. Direct comparable to Sonic College's sound design / recording / game audio curriculum and project-based pedagogy.
• Point Blank Music School: London-origin music production and sound engineering school with online and in-person delivery. Comparable to Sonic College in its emphasis on DAW-based production (Ableton, Logic, Pro Tools), electronic music, and modular course delivery for working learners.
• BIMM University: UK-based music and performing arts institution with programs in music production, sound engineering, and game audio. Closely comparable to Sonic College's industry-aligned, project-based sound design degree structure and employer pipeline focus.
• SAE Institute: Global audio education provider with campuses worldwide teaching audio engineering, film sound, and game audio. Comparable to Sonic College in curriculum scope (recording, mixing, post-production) and in targeting students seeking careers in sound design across media industries.
• Abbey Road Institute: Music production and audio engineering school affiliated with Abbey Road Studios. Directly comparable to Sonic College in its focus on professional music production, immersive audio, and certification-style training for working practitioners.
• Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts: UK performing arts higher-education institution with programs in sound technology and music production. Comparable to Sonic College in combining creative + technical training, industry-connected faculty, and a focus on preparing students for media/entertainment careers.
• dBs Music: UK-based (now part of BIMM) audio and music production school with strong focus on electronic music production, sound design, and game audio. Comparable to Sonic College in niche specializations and in serving students seeking creative-technical careers in sound.

Regional players

• Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium: Danish conservatory focused on rhythmic and contemporary music including music production and sound technology. Regional comparable for Sonic College in the Danish higher-education music ecosystem, though more focused on performance/composition than sound design.
• Den Danske Filmskole: Denmark's national film school offering a Sound Design line within its program. Direct regional comparable for Sonic College's film/TV sound curriculum; differs in being a pure film school (not broader sound design), and in Danish-language delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Berklee College of Music: Largest global music and performing arts college with extensive audio engineering, music production, and film scoring programs (including Berklee Online). Broader incumbent offering overlapping capabilities, but at vastly greater scale and without Sonic College's specialist focus on sound design and immersive audio facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCX_yOIYUPGlzSMxILlNFyTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/soniccollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/sonic-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/sonic_college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sonic College