The Faculty of Communication at Arkın University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) convened with key industry stakeholders to explore collaboration opportunities, assess the sectoral competencies of interns and graduates, and gather valuable insights and suggestions. Organized to strengthen university-industry collaboration, the meeting brought together prominent representatives from the media and communication sectors.
Participants included Fehmi Gürdallı, Director of the Turkish News Agency Cyprus (TAK); Meryem Özkurt, Director of Bayrak Radio Television Corporation (BRTK); Aysu Basri Akter, President of the Media Ethics Board; Ahmet Karagözlü, Education Secretary of the Cyprus Turkish Journalists Association (KTGB); Cemil Hafız, Fundraising and Public Relations Manager at SOS Children's Village Association; Eda Baştuğ and Verda Erk, Directors of Cherry Red Advertising Agency; Cem Vurgun, Director of Medialife Advertising Agency; and Çise Mevlit, Editor-in-Chief at Medialife.
Representing ARUCAD, the meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Nezahat Doğan, Vice Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Communication; Asst. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Dalkılıç, Vice Rector; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuran Öze, Vice Dean; Asst. Prof. Dr. Hakan Karahasan, Head of Visual Communication Design; Asst. Prof. Dr. Çağdaş Öze, Head of New Media and Communication; Asst. Prof. Dr. Yunus Luckinger, Head of Digital Game Design; Gizem Kaya, Coordinator of ARUCAD Corporate Communications Office; and Simge Yorgancıoğlu, Coordinator of the Career and Alumni Office.
During the meeting, ARUCAD Rector Prof. Dr. Asım Vehbi also made a visit to listen to stakeholders’ perspectives and evaluate their suggestions. The discussion, which lasted approximately two hours, focused on strengthening cooperation between the university and the industry, as well as identifying key areas for graduate development.
The primary agenda of the meeting was the performance of communication faculty interns in the sector and steps to further enhance their competencies. Industry representatives provided feedback on graduates’ current skills and highlighted areas for improvement. Key topics emphasized included digital media literacy, creative thinking, and adherence to ethical standards.
Following the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuran Öze, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Communication, underlined the significance of industry feedback in enhancing educational processes. She stated:
"Meetings like these play a crucial role in aligning our students with industry expectations through direct feedback from professionals. We continuously update our curriculum in response to the evolving dynamics and needs of the sector. Our goal is to ensure that our graduates become sought-after and successful professionals in the job market."
Additionally, the discussion covered increasing hands-on projects, fostering closer collaboration with the industry, and tracking graduates’ career development to provide students with more practical experience. Industry representatives emphasized that strengthening university-industry cooperation would benefit both students and the sector.
After the meeting, participants visited The Arkin Rodin Collection Gallery.
