The Eastern Mediterranean Universty, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Interior Architecture has achieved a significant success not only for the country and the Republic of Turkey but also for interior architecture education in the entire region. EMU Interior Architecture Department's Turkish and English undergraduate programs have been accredited for 6 years by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), a U.S.-based organization. In the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), EMU's Interior Architecture Department is the first to receive this prestigious international CIDA accreditation, which only four universities in four countries outside the United States and Canada have been eligible for until now.
One Must Pass Preliminary Stages to Apply
Interior Architecture departments have to undergo a series of challenging steps to obtain this prestigious CIDA accreditation, which has been monitoring and accrediting university Interior Architecture programs for more than 35 years. CIDA conducts preliminary work before accepting applications for accreditation and starting the audit process. This preliminary work assesses whether the quality of education provided meets the standards required for accreditation. Information is collected from departments, including curriculum, student outcomes, announcements, archives, and their operational procedures. If the CIDA Accreditation Board approves this assessment, the application is accepted, and the audit process begins. Afterward, CIDA inspectors make site visits to verify whether the educational program adheres to CIDA standards and review the evidence provided.
In this scope, CIDA inspectors conducted a site visit at the EMU Interior Architecture Department between 31 March and 11 April, 2023, where they evaluated several principles based on CIDA standards. EMU Interior Architecture Department's Turkish and English undergraduate programs successfully passed the site visits. CIDA inspectors reported their findings to CIDA, and in October, the CIDA Accreditation Board decided to award EMU Interior Architecture Department's Turkish and English undergraduate programs with CIDA accreditation for six years.
EMU Interior Architecture Department's Educational Quality Has Been Certified Once Again
Since 2014, the EMU Interior Architecture Department has had the quality of its Turkish and English programs certified to European standards by the German-based Agency for Quality Assurance (AQAS). Now, the department has earned CIDA accreditation. As a result, the EMU Interior Architecture Department has once again been certified to provide high-quality education to students according to European and U.S. standards. In response to this achievement, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Afet Coşkun, the Head of the EMU Interior Architecture Department, expressed gratitude to the full-time faculty members, part-time lecturers, students, alumni, and other stakeholders. She emphasized that this success is a collective achievement and is a source of pride for everyone. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Coşkun also mentioned that EMU Interior Architecture Department's graduates, who are now all around the world, continue to make them proud with their professional achievements. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Coşkun sakd “Now, our graduates will have significantly improved job opportunities all around the world, especially in Europe, the United States, and Canada, thanks to the AQAS and CIDA certificates they will receive alongside their diplomas. The increasing international recognition of the quality of our education is a source of immense pride for us."
