AOD’s Merit Based Funded Design Education Program for Visual Communication Design

AOD, Sri Lanka’s pioneering design educator in collaboration with CIT LABs, the design and innovation hub of Colombo Innovation Tower launches an opportunity for emerging design talent to follow the industry renowned prestigious British Degree in Graphic Design Visual Communication from Northumbria University, UK. The fully funded program is a means of opening doors to talented young designers with the potential to immensely contribute to the industry but unable to kick start their journey for various reasons plus to fulfill the shortfall aod has in creating the number of graduates in this specific area that is high demand design area. This unique program delivers to the industry dearth in this area and the talented ‘merit’ based graduate who cannot otherwise attend aod due to financial limitations.

The Merit Based Funded Program and its unique benefits

The core of the fully funded program is to identify local creative, design and innovative talents, grooming them to drive the industry forward to position Sri Lanka as a leading hub for creative industries. At the same time, AOD through its program is assisting to meet and fulfill the demand for strong and powerful visual communicators in the market.

Selected candidates will follow Graphic Design Visual Communication at AOD, offered by the Northumbria University, UK. This specially designed program will be for a duration of 5 years and the program will be conducted free for the selected candidates.

Through this unique program, the selected candidates also gain the chance to sign up to be employed as an intern at CIT Labs enabling them to gain real industry exposure from the first year of their undergraduate study. The internship will be on the basis of 5 hours a week during year one and 10 hours during year two and 20 hours a week during year three which will be the final year of academic study. Thereafter, they continue to have a secure job for 2 years by continuing at CIT Labs for a full time engagement with an allowance, which will be considered their 4th and 5th years in this special program.

Upon achievement of the degree from AOD: BA Graphic Design Visual Communication, students will have 5 years of work experience in total, making them highly employable locally and internationally in the design industry. With AOD’s track record, its graduates have always had high demand in the market with higher salary scales and the experience will only further strengthen the graduates' demand in the market.

This merit based program from AOD provides the opportunity for emerging designers to graduate from AOD, the trusted creative authority in the country offering a prestigious, globally recognized British qualification that also merges local heritage, craft and design and thus producing a uniquely placed designer for the industry. It is a three way win – a free design degree, industry exposure and employment.

Entry qualifications and eligibility

This opportunity will be awarded to candidates after careful review through a special selection process. Therefore fulfilling the entry requirements alone does not guarantee a position to the intake. The minimum entry requirements are G.C.E. O/L with Credit Passes for Mathematics and English or G.C.E. A/L 3 passes or above for main subjects in any stream.

After the call for applications, selected applicants will be invited to participate in written tests followed by interviews conducted by a special panel. With the successful completion of these, the chosen candidates will be invited to participate in an induction program at AOD campus, in preparation for the study program that is to follow.

CIT Labs will be involved in the selection process to ensure the selected candidate will fulfill the requirements of the Lab in terms of working on industry projects. The funded program agreement will be for a committed period of 5 years between the selected candidate, AOD, CIT Labs and the financial institute. This contract will specify the details of the engagement including the monthly allowance the candidate will earn through working at CIT labs.

The AOD is now accepting applications. To find out if you qualify for the program, Special Cohort Commencement date :1st March 2021, to request for preliminary information, or to apply visit https://www.aod.lk/pages/funded-program

and apply online under the funded program. You can also get in touch with AOD directly through M: 0775 847772 or 0775 727772 E: luciana@aod.lk