Design as a Pathway to Life-Changing Opportunities: AOD’s Award Winning International Education, Work-Study Programmes, and Global Exchanges Propel Young Talent to Early Success
View(s):From Sri Lanka to Design Capital Copenhagen, Denmark: Dulana Ethugala’s Journey Demonstrates the Impact of AOD’s International Education and Parental Support in Shaping Better Tomorrows
AOD—Sri Lanka’s celebrated design educator—is known for its educational pathways that can offer transformative opportunities, fundamentally altering the trajectory of student lives. This is evidenced in the journey of Dulana Ethugala—a past pupil of Royal College, Colombo and a star graduate of the Northumbria University UK Visual Communication Design programme at AOD in Sri Lanka. His story, supported by AOD and his parents, Chandika and Ajith Ethugala, illustrates the crucial role of creative education and parental support in developing successful professionals.
Dulana’s Life-Changing Experience Studying Design at AOD: a journey of growth and discovery facilitated by AOD’s international education networks and standards
Dulana’s transformative journey at AOD began with a work-study programme. He started in the marketing department as a creative intern and is now a creative marketing strategist. “This work-study programme flipped the script for me. Under this programme, one moment, I was a student; the next, I was juggling work and classes at AOD—learning twice as much, twice as fast beyond the classroom,” says Dulana.
Initially, Dulana had some design experience but hadn’t seen it as a career opportunity. His interests lay in media and production, having worked on projects involving TV production, video, and photography. He was studying to be a chemical engineer when he discovered the opportunity at AOD. The transition was significant, and the open brief system at AOD, which encouraged independent execution of projects, convinced him that design was a viable field to explore. “It was a culture shock. It was very different from the rigid system at school, where we didn’t have much room for exploration,” he recalls.
Dulana’s journey through AOD Foundation, AOD X, and AOD BA programmes helped him realise that everything he had learned in school and media production could be applied in the design field. “After I started the Visual Communication Design degree, I understood that it’s not graphic design, but it fundamentally changed the way I saw design. It connected to problem-solving, function, time, budget, and the affinities of the target audience,” he explains. This paradigm shift helped him question how systems work and how people’s decisions are impacted, guiding him to flesh out his future career plan. “I enjoy the process of experimentation. I fell in love with the process of design, trying image-making techniques, and bookmaking techniques.”
The KEA program in Denmark, an exchange opportunity available to AOD students, further expanded Dulana’s perspective. “Now, as an exchange student at KEA in Denmark, I’m exploring new ways of thinking, creating, and navigating the unknown,” he says. The programme involves working with real-world clients, solving practical problems, and collaborating with a diverse team, which enriches his professional readiness.
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- Dulana and his batchmates at KEA, Denmark, at their exchange programme
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- Dulana with his family at the AOD Convocation
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- Dulana Ethugala presenting his final year project with the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick at Sri Lanka Design Festival 2024
Parental support: nurturing creativity and talent combined with a globally connected educator like AOD is a recipe for success
Dulana’s mother, Chandika Ethugala, additional secretary to the Ministry of Irrigation and National project director for the GCF Green Climate Fund, provides a glimpse into guiding her son’s success since childhood. “First and foremost, as a mother, I’m only guiding and helping his own pathway; I didn’t want to direct him to my preferences. I’m a naturalist, so I always taught him the relationship between nature and humans and encouraged him to draw.” From a young age, Dulana demonstrated a knack for creativity. When the family was in Australia, four-year-old Dulana made a portrait of his brother and won a prize, marking his first experience with a canvas. His early love for art saw him colouring walls and floors, unrestricted by his parents.
Despite the challenges faced during his school years, where art was not seen as a promising subject, Chandika stood by her son’s choices. She recalls, “When he chose subjects for OLs, his teachers said don’t choose art because he’ll never get an A for art. But he told me, ‘I don’t want the A, I want art.’ And I encouraged him.” This unwavering support helped Dulana navigate his academic journey, leading him to AOD after his A-levels. Chandika reflects, “He’s always had creativity in him; even if he cooks, it’s creative. So after A-levels, when I heard about AOD, I encouraged him.”
Dulana’s father, Ajith Ethugala, with a background in natural resource management and environmental safeguard management, emphasises the significant impact AOD had on Dulana’s education. “As a parent, I’m thanking AOD for the opportunity and support. At AOD, he had the freedom and support to talk to even the top of the institution. I believe such freedom and accessibility should be there for young students, and AOD gave that. Usually, there’s not much freedom in private education, but from AOD, he had everything he needed to learn and grow into his talent.”
Parents of children with creative talent are invited to visit and discover new futures at AOD
Dulana Ethugala’s journey from a budding artist to a successful design professional, supported by his parents and nurtured by AOD, demonstrates the power of good education and family support. Parents and students interested in exploring the world of design and the opportunities it brings are encouraged to learn more about AOD. Contact AOD to discover design-related career opportunities in Sri Lanka and abroad, and to book a campus tour. Enrollments are now open.
For more information, walk into AOD at the Colombo Innovation Tower, Monday to Friday, 9 am-5 pm, or visit www.aod.lk.
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