Arkın Creative Arts and Design University (ARUCAD) Vice Rector Assoc. Dr Asım Vehbi said “Higher education field should be prepared for all scenarios,” when making suggestions and recommendations regarding COVID-19 and higher education.
Speaking at the panel on higher education, ARUCAD Vice Rector Assoc. Dr. Asım Vehbi stated that ARUCAD, one of the youngest and newest universities in the island, overcame the process more easily in the COVID-19 pandemic compared to crowded universities. Stating that the technology has the latest possibilities due to the new establishment of the university, Vehbi underlined that ARUCAD is a “full digital campus”.
Stating that this technological campus was brought to life with great investments, Vehbi said, “We thought of online education as a support education. ARUCAD is equipped with the technological infrastructure required by the age. Academician and administrative staff of ARUCAD consists of a young and dynamic staff who can use this technology. In this sense, ARUCAD was technologically ready for this crisis.” Adding that academicians can easily adapt to the process and organise their curricula according to the opportunities provided by this technological infrastructure, Vehbi said, “We have quickly taken the position of digital campus”.
Indicating that ARUCAD is an art university, Vehbi added that the courses are mostly applied and that the courses that could not be done in this period will be completed rapidly in the summer and will be a quick transition to the new academic year.
Stating that the legal arrangements were made very quickly in the transition to online education, Vehbi said, “We provided computer support for our students who did not have the opportunity. We helped them to purchase internet packages quickly and continuously. We sent food packages to the needy students staying at the dormitories with the support of the Board of Trustees, the Ministry and the Municipality. Thank you to the Ministry, Girne Municipality and our Board of Trustees. We also provided psychological support to our students. We have passed this process with 100% student and academic satisfaction. ”
