The Art Institute of California - San Francisco Announces International Articulation Agreement with Xi’an International University in China for Gaming, Animation Programs

The Art Institutes |

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO (Dec. 7, 2004) - Chinese students interested in working in the burgeoning fields of video game development and animation now have a new opportunity to further their education in the San Francisco Bay Area, home to some of the world's leading companies in gaming and animation.

The Art Institute of California - San Francisco ( http://www.aicasf.aii.edu ) today announced it has signed an international articulation agreement with Xi'an International University ( http://www.xaiu.com ) in the Shaan Xi Province of The Peoples Republic of China.

The agreement acknowledges transfer credits to students who have completed certain courses at the Chinese university and are interested in applying credits toward Bachelor of Science degree programs in Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco. The student must pursue a B.S. degree at the San Francisco school within twelve months after completion of courses at Xi'an International University.

Students studying in San Francisco may take advantage of resources in the school's Career Services Department, have the opportunity to participate in a Portfolio Show when they graduate, learn from guest speakers from local companies, apply for internships and meet new contacts in California's gaming and animation communities. The Bay Area is home to Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic, PDI/DreamWorks, Electronic Arts, LucasArts, Sega of America, SONY Computer Entertainment America, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Adobe, Macromedia and other leading technology and digital arts companies. The Game Art & Design and Media Arts & Animation programs at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco prepare students for numerous entry-level positions within game development and animation.

"We're proud to announce our school's first articulation agreement with a Chinese university," said Charles Nagele, president of The Art Institute of California - San Francisco. "We have a growing number of students from around the world who are studying in our programs. The San Francisco Bay Area is known for its varied design industries, technology, diversity and natural beauty, making it an attractive option for students looking to study in applied arts and design."

Xi'an International University is located in the ancient Chinese capital Xi'an City in the Shaan Xi Province of China. Its 15 departments offer 38 specialties and 56 programs at the associate, undergraduate and graduate levels in business, humanities, information engineering, international studies and other fields.

This new agreement is one of several international agreements recently signed by The Art Institute of California - San Francisco. Earlier this year, the school announced articulation agreements with the Kaywon School of Art & Design in South Korea and The Art Institute of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.

ABOUT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO

The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, located at 1170 Market Street in San Francisco's Civic Center, attracts a diverse mix of students from throughout the Bay Area and the world. The school offers career-focused degree programs in Advertising, Graphic Design, Media Arts & Animation, Game Art & Design, Visual & Game Programming, Interactive Media Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Marketing & Management and Interior Design. For more information, visit www.aicasf.aii.edu or call (415) 865-0198.

The Art Institute of California - San Francisco is one of The Art Institutes ( www.artinstitutes.edu ), with 31 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. The parent company of The Art Institutes, Education Management Corporation ( www.edmc.com ) is among the largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America, based on student enrollment and revenue. Student enrollment exceeded 66,000 as of fall 2004. EDMC has 67 primary campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. EDMC's education institutions offer a broad range of academic programs concentrated in the media arts, design, fashion, culinary arts, behavioral sciences, health sciences, education, information technology and business fields, culminating in the award of associate's through doctoral degrees. EDMC has provided career-oriented education for over 40 years.

CONTACT:

Dan Soine

Director of Public Relations

The Art Institute of California - San Francisco

1170 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Tel. 415-276-1030

[email protected]

www.aicasf.aii.edu