Kent News - New university opens its doors in Canterbury

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Friday, September 3 2010, 6:22

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New university opens its doors in Canterbury

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Main office of the new American University in Canterbury

Canterbury is set to welcome a prestigious new educational campus on Saturday as The American University formally opens its doors.

The faculty in a former newspaper office in St George’s Places has actually been in action since the start of this term.

But its official opening will be marked by a ribbon cutting performed by the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmet Ali Talat, his representative in London and the Turkish Ambassador to the UK.

The university – founded in 1985 with the motto “Live Through Learning" - has its main campus in Girne, Cyprus, and another in Singapore.
It also jointly runs centres in India, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan and South Dakota and Virginia in the USA.

Dr Shel Hulac is Director of International Operations for the university.

“It is partly chance that we are here in Canterbury,” he said.

“The university chancellor, Serhat Akpinar, has a daughter who did a law degree at the University of Kent and he and his wife visited her on many occasions.

“So he got to know the place and became involved with the business community which lead to the purchase of the premises.

“Back in Cyprus we all thought we would be going to London and mouths were left somewhat agape when he told us we’d be going to Canterbury. But we are glad we did.”

Dr Hulac said it was the existing strength and efficiency of the UK’s communication’s networks which led to the choice of Britain as a centre.

The university will specialise in studies of all aspects of business and has an open door policy meaning anyone can apply to become accepted as a student, with no restrictions on nationality or religious grounds.

“We are called the American University because we model our educational techniques on those of the USA and respect the openness of opportunity offered under that system,” said Dr Hulac.

“We have only had a handful of American students and a few lecturers.

“We do operate schemes where students from Cyprus come over and study for a period elsewhere and they have no difficulty adapting.

"Turkish Cypriots are Muslims but it is a very secular place.

“What we do is give all of our students across the world the chance to learn together.

“A virtual lecture given in South Dakota can be heard by classes in all our centres.

“This is the sort of thing the UK’s technology makes possible. It is common practise in business and we are applying it to education.”

To find out more go to www.gau.edu.tr

POSTED: 01/12/2009 08:00:00

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