Arkin University Of Creative Arts And Design: A Unique Platform for the Creative International Learners

Turan Aksoy

Rector

If a rewarding and successful international career in the Creative Industries is your goal and you already love to create, imagine and execute your ideas in a productive way then consider studying at a new unique university in the enviable Mediterranean location of Cyrpus. The Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) came into existence in 2017 and is completely focussed on educating and nurturing creative learners and prepare them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to successfully follow a wide variety of creative careers.

Completely and exclusively dedicated to the fields of Art, Design, and Communication, ARUCAD welcomes students from different parts of the world, who have an strong desire to apply their creative minds, artistic and design skills. Located in North Cyprus, in the heart of the idyllic coastal town of Kyrenia, the University ensures its students an educational environment that is gloriously quiet and peaceful with a full range of sports, leisure and recreational activities close by.

ARUCAD has invested in the latest avant-garde facilities and infrastructure at its campus that include spacious classrooms with the finest equipment, Mac Labs, an Innovation Hub, Film and Photography Studios and, unique to the regions, state-of-the-art Glass and Ceramics workshops, transportation is provided to and from campus to the nearby luxurious student accommodation facilities.

Being ardently determined to fill the absence of world-class art and design education in Cyprus and the Mediterranean region, ARUCAD has set it’s goal to become one of the most innovative, creative and reputable Universities in the region, whereby its students continuously improve their creative productivity through interdisciplinary and cross-cultural programmes based on traditional, contemporary and emerging art and design teaching and learning and technologies, whilst adhering to the inseparable link of theory and practice," says Prof Antony Eddison, Director of Global Engagement & Partnerships, ARUCAD. Considering the Universities' unique way of imparting knowledge and warmness towards overseas students has resulted in the enrolment of a number of international students since the ARUCAD's establishment.

Turan Aksoy pinpoints, "We follow a unique learning approach viz. studio-based ‘learning whilst producing, producing whilst learning'- an education model that aims to connect experience, critical thinking, and practice in order to generate a new generation of highly creative and professional reflective practitioners. We always challenge our students to think unconventionally." The University currently has three faculties- Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Design and Faculty of Communication, where a range of Bachelors courses are conducted. The specializations that are offered, includes Plastic Arts, Photography and Video, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture, New Media and Visual Communication Design.

Cultivating Excellence

One of the many reasons why Indian students fly to a foreign land for obtaining a course is unequivocally the Universities' teaching and research quality. Raising the standard high in terms of having world-class faculty members, ARUCAD has left no stone unturned in including a team of academic staff that comprises National and International leading artists and academicians who are well-known in many artistic platforms.

"We want our students to be trained by the experts in their fields, whether they are highly acclaimed academics, or expert creative practitioners and technicians. In addition to highly qualified academic staff, we have a wide range of technical support staff and visiting international lecturers who are also practitioners," proudly says Turan Aksoy. The University assures the students that they will be rewarded with many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities at ARUCAD and get the chance to meet world famous professors and be a part of an international artistic network.

In an attempt to enable students to learn concepts practically, the University conducts regular workshops and events which perfectly allow the students to evolve as knowledgeable and skilful graduates. Further, the University has taken the incredible initiative to let students work in Cyprus and help them with the living expenses by integrating internships and work placements into the study programmes. "Each international student steps into a foreign country with lots of dreams and uncertainties and we clearly understand this.

Hence, we in addition to rendering continuous assistance from student support staff also offer excellent pastoral care during their study at ARUCAD," adds Prof Antony. Facilitating the international students in financial constraints as well, the University extends a generous range of scholarships and bursaries based on the performance at interview, the portfolio of creative work and previous academic achievements of the prospective international students.

ARUCAD also has an integrated School of English whereby students can improve their competency in English alongside their creative studies.

Turan Aksoy shares, "Although ARUCAD started only two years back, it has achieved a lot. From the establishment of first official FabLab in Cyprus to the commencement of the first state of the art glass and ceramic facilities in Cyprus and international exhibitions at our two art galleries to partnerships for dual award degrees with great British universities, ARUCAD is growing by leaps and bounds." Marching smoothly and confidently towards the realization of its goal, ARUCAD is resolute to render the Indian and other international students to take away with them incredible research, academic and campus experience which will open the door of matchless opportunities.

Prof Antony Eddison

Prof Antony has over two decades of teaching, management & leadership experience in Higher Education in the UK and internationally. He is Advisor and External Examiner at several universities for innovative PG programmes and as a practitioner, he has worked in Architecture, Design and related Creative Industries. Currently, he is serving as the Director of Global Engagement & Partnerships at one of the most innovative universities in the Mediterranean region and Director of Arkin Global situated in the heart of Istanbul.

Turan Aksoy, Rector
Turan Aksoy is Rector of Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design and a practicing artist. His professional practice follows a multidisciplinary approach using a wide variety of media which he believes to be essential to conceptualize his creativity and thoughts and produce his artistic works. The foci of Turan Aksoy’s work from the 2000's concern neoliberal politics that shape virtually every area of our daily lives, Neoliberalism’s reduction of the distance between individual and communal life as well as the ability to objectively view this effect. In line with this, Aksoy has exhibited at a number of solo exhibitions, including; “The Waiting Unit” (2007 Roxy Event Centre), “The Glowing Thing” (2010), “Dust and Rush” (2011) and “A Portrait; Restless” (2013 Pi Art Works), “A Governable Paradise” (2015 Milli Reasürans Gallery), “Hayali” (2017 Art Rooms Gallery).