AOD Graphic Students Design Spa Ceylon’s Brand New Packaging Range 

“…Impressed with the creativity and quality of work presented by AOD students” – Shiwantha Dias, Managing Director of Spa Ceylon

Graphic designers are the creative and strategic professionals who cater to some of the most critical needs of today’s industries from brand identities, corporate promotions to packaging design. Creating such young professionals for Sri Lanka is AOD International Design Campus that trains its students with hands-on industry required skills and the world renowned academic curriculum of Northumbria University UK. As part of this practical, industry relevant exercises that go hand-in-hand with world-class design theoretical training, AOD’s graphic students recently succeeded in designing the new range of packaging for Sri Lanka’s leading luxury Ayurvedic brand Spa Ceylon. Students’ work was selected by Spa Ceylon for production under their new packaging range. Spa Ceylon’s managing director Shiwantha Dias selected the pieces himself at a presentation held at AOD campus and was impressed with the standards of creativity and quality presented by AOD students.

“We were quite impressed with the creativity and quality of work presented by the students. In fact, the same briefs were previously given to other design agencies where the senior creative teams could not come up with suitable creative themes keeping within the strict parameters of the Spa Ceylon brand. But the students did a great job!” – Shiwantha Dias, Managing Director of Spa Ceylon

AOD’s graphic design programme is considered a leader in the local visual communication education.  Going beyond the typical diploma course or the average degree that trains students on software knowledge which is considered secondary and even redundant today, AOD design campus trains its young undergrads to work on real, live projects with the industries. The outcomes have been remarkable with leading brands like Spa Ceylon now selecting student work to become part of their business. Spa Ceylon Managing Director Shiwantha Dias stated that it is a great thing to have students challenged with live commercial projects as it enables them to learn how to work within real, existing brand parameters. He further commented on the outcome of this student-industry collaboration; “We were quite impressed with the creativity & quality of work presented by the students. In fact, the same briefs were previously given to other design agencies where the senior creative teams could not come up with suitable creative themes keeping within the strict parameters of the Spa Ceylon brand. But the students did a great job!” Two selected designs by the young designers Zayana Ahmed and Samiya Thulin are now part of Spa Ceylon’s luxury packaging range.

This unique industry-centric education paired with the world-class academic curriculum of AOD’s partner university- Northumbria UK, provides the students with an outstanding, all-rounder education in graphic communication design. AOD’s programme head in graphic design, Canadian designer Alain Parizeau stated that AOD invests a great deal in delivering top-notch education to its students; “the education model in AOD is one that fuses industry know-how with a contemporary academic curriculum. It ensures our students are equipped with the full spectrum of hands-on skills, theoretical know-how and professional etiquette to graduate as a qualified graphic designer. Over the last few years, we have been working with the industry closer than ever before, and this successful project with Spa Ceylon is one of many; I’m very happy with the outcomes and the experience it has given our students. This kind of experience paired with their mandatory industry internships in second year, is part of what has established AOD graduates among the top candidates for graphic design careers out there today.”

AOD in fact, boasts a 100% employment rate with all its graduates leading successful careers in major brands and organizations like Google, Dilmah, PWC, Brandix i3 as well as top-notch advertising agencies like Leo-Burnett, Pheonix-Ogilvy, Grant McCann etc. while others lead practices of their own or careers abroad.

AOD has been establishing design as a serious education discipline and a dynamic profession in Sri Lanka for the last decade and is recognised as a centre of design excellence in the South Asian region. AOD’s powerful partnership with Northumbria University in the UK- billed as one of Europe’s top design academia, gives students a solid, globally-recognised foundation delivered by AOD’s 100 % international faculty.  AOD is currently enrolling for its 2015/16 intake for the Northumbria UK degrees in Graphic Design, Motion Graphics and Animation Design, as well as Interior Design, 3d Product and Furniture Design, Fashion, Fashion Marketing Design.

If you wish to discuss an education or a career in design,  call AOD International Design Campus on 077 5980141, 011 5867772, email [email protected] or walk in between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday to AOD, 29, Lauries Road, Colombo 4 or log on www.aod.lk to apply online.