Major Collaboration Between BAU and The CEA: Joint Education Project in the Film Industry Begins

Dual-degree career opportunity in Canada for communication students

Bahçeşehir University (BAU) and the Center for Entertainment Arts (The CEA), one of the world's most distinguished film schools, have signed an agreement for a joint education project. Within the scope of the collaboration, Turkish students are being offered a dual degree opportunity.

Bahçeşehir University and the Center for Entertainment Arts, which is recognized within the Canadian higher education system and awards diplomas of the highest quality, signed a collaboration agreement for joint education in Advanced 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, Advanced Visual Effects, Advanced Game Development and Visual Arts. The launch, held at the university's Faculty of Law, was attended by BAU Global Chair Enver Yücel, Ambassador of Canada H.E. Jamal Khokhar, BAU Vice President Prof. Dr. Tunç Bozbura, The CEA & MMA Co-Founder and CEO Diwakar Gandhi, and The CEA & MMA Co-Founder Peter Walsh.

Under the collaboration, BAU students will be able to continue their education at The CEA in 3 different programs after graduation. Upon completing their education, they will be eligible for a work permit of up to 3 years. The agreement also envisages the establishment of an Advanced Media Lab. Students who are not enrolled in the education program will be able to attend certificate programs at the Media Lab.

"There Are Many Stories to Be Told in These Lands"

Expressing his satisfaction with the collaboration, BAU Global Chair Enver Yücel said: "When we were founded, our goal was to be an international university. For 25 years, we have been collaborating with universities around the world. We have also collaborated with strong universities in Canada, and we still maintain these bilateral relations. This collaboration will shed light on the future and serve as an intermediary in terms of teaching. Cinema cannot be seen merely as a means of entertainment. At some point, cinema is the art of conveying the history of humankind to the future very well. There are very important stories in these lands. Our geography has been the cradle of the three Abrahamic religions and continues to be so. Istanbul, which served as the capital of three empires, is a city that is the cradle of civilizations. There are so many stories here. We cannot keep these stories locked away; we need to open them up to the whole world. We must also carry what exists in the world into our future. We now see digital communication and cinema as part of education. The stories, novels and poems written in these lands should be known. Indeed, we have a young and exciting population. So there is a lot of work we can do together here."

Dual Degree Opportunity for Turkish Students

Describing the education program, BAU Vice President Prof. Dr. Tunç Bozbura said: "Our university is an international university. In this sense, we want to further develop our international collaborations. To this end, we have signed an agreement with one of Canada's largest companies. Under this agreement, students of the BAU Faculty of Communication with a certain portfolio will be able to study in Canada for one year. At the end of their education, they will receive that institution's diploma and have the opportunity to work there for one year. This collaboration will be very effective in developing our students' ability to use their imagination and create innovation."

Job and Internship Opportunities for Young People

Noting that the collaboration, which offers both education and work opportunities in Canada, will be highly effective in students' career planning, Bozbura said: "Technology and communication need to be combined. For example, with this agreement, progress will be made in many different fields, especially 3D animation and digital communication. Our students will receive training in these areas from highly advanced companies in the USA and Canada.

They will do internships at these companies and share their experiences. In this respect, we see our collaboration not so much as an education program but as a system that prepares them for life and helps with their career plans. We believe this collaboration will increase the influence of our young population in the world and help them in their careers."

Scholarship Programs Being Arranged for Students

Stating that the joint education project is a very valuable opportunity for Turkish students to enter the film industry, The CEA & MMA Co-Founder Peter Walsh said: "We also carry out very valuable work in anime and visual communication. After completing their education here, our students will continue their education when they go to Canada. Therefore, they have different options, such as working both in Türkiye and in Canada. In addition, we manage various scholarship programs for students here to come to Canada."