Cyprus
Not just a clubbers paradise

Over the last five years Cyprus has become synonymous with ‘Ayia Napa’ and the garage 2-step music explosion and these associations have made the island a trendy ‘clubbers paradise’. A number of films and documentaries have been made about this phenomenon, in particular Channel 4’s ‘Ayia Napa Fantasy Island’, and a plethora of CD’s have been released using the name ‘Ayia Napa’.

On first encountering these products it is often assumed that this is all there is to the island. In other words, that the life-style and leisure in one particular town represents a microcosm of Cyprus itself. This mode of thinking is in effect a distortion and a half-baked truism. The island has more to offer than ‘docu-drama’ series about ‘partying round the clock’. There are many facets relating to the complexities and uniqueness of modern day Cyprus. For instance, great strides have been made in the area of mass communications. Reuters has a base here. There are 5 national, 4 local and 2 cable TV stations (a surprising figure when one considers the population is less than 1m). Approximately 35 radio stations operate on the island, in a variety of languages and with a diversity of music. There are 12 newspapers, 3 of which are in the English language.

This explosion of the local mass media has led to a growth in Communications programs being hosted by local educational institutions. Here it is interesting to note that most of these courses are not available at the state University of Cyprus – which teaches in Greek and presently limits itself to the more traditional areas of study. The private sector has been more innovative and several institutions offer programs in this area. The only recognized 4-year degree program is taught at Intercollege.

The latter is the leader in tertiary education in Cyprus. Within its Communications department students are given access to professional production and recording facilities. The studios of the TV and Radio Unit utilize the latest equipment in terms of both hardware and software. The Radio section includes studios where students produce their work in a professional recording environment. The TV section includes a full size live studio, a fully equipped control room and editing facilities. Students can also take practical courses located in the media setting of a television or radio station or newspaper publication site. Overall the Program aims to broaden the cultural horizon of its students by offering courses in communications, public relations, advertising, marketing and journalism, as well as enabling students to apply their knowledge in practice particularly in the areas of radio and television. The TV & Radio Unit has also taken part in several professional co-productions. Recent productions include adverts for the anti-smoking awareness campaign, several adverts on the Red Cross, a documentary about deaf people in Cyprus (supported by the United Nations) plus training videos for the professionals involved with telephone and interviewing techniques. Further information on some of these productions is currently available at the following web site http://www.tvrunit.com.

Tertiary level Cypriot institutions are gaining in popularity in other areas too. In Art and Design, Stas Paraschos, at the Art School in Lemba near Paphos is attracting students from the UK and other European countries in the specialist area of avant garde /naïve art. There are also a number of Foundation programs in Art and Design that prepare students for entry into UK universities. Other institutions offer full-scale degree programs. At Intercollege, for instance, the Design program and its individual faculty collaborate with colleagues in the Communications program on various projects such as the highly successful ‘Creative Week’. Here students and faculty work together on a number of events and products, such as exhibitions, workshops and multimedia displays. One such collaboration is a fusion between music producer Harri Kakouli and multi-media lecturer Paschalis Paschali. ‘Mother Cyprus’ is available and can be downloaded for viewing on the TV & Radio Unit web site at < http://http://www.tvrunit.com.> and was commercially released by AXION Music (Greece) on the compilation ‘Haji Mike meets Dirty Harri Vol 1’ .

In general, studies in Design at Intercollege provide a wide range of principles on Graphic and Interior Design and the specialized skills required for a career in these fields. The Design Department organizes a number of exhibitions throughout the year as well as several guest lectures. These include both internal and external shows, slide presentations as well as video and multi-media presentations. Students are also active in voluntary community work and they organize a variety of competitions. The Program also embraces specific achievements and prospects. Currently there is a proposal in place for establishing an International Arts Center, on the college premises, with residency opportunities for artists. Furthermore, there are a number of professional achievements by the Design students. These include an awareness advertising campaign and logo production for the prevention of domestic violence in the family, posters on Equal Opportunities and Disabled people’s rights.

Many ex-students are now employed in design and advertising companies. Many of these establishments such as BBDO, Ogilvy and Mathers and Publicis are linked to multi-national corporations. There are also many ‘new’ corporations that are located at the ‘cutting-edge’ of multimedia design and technology. As a result, Intercollege has introduced an innovative multimedia course that relates to the needs and developments in this field of design. Generally, the Arts scene in Cyprus is continually changing and opportunities for working in this field are positive and flourishing.

In conclusion, Cyprus offers unique advantages with high educational standards in an environment that is both relaxing and seeped in cultural tradition. By choosing Cyprus as a place for study people can get the best of both worlds.