About Us
Overview of the Institute
Sector, with an emphasis on Visual Arts. Students are also encouraged to apply
their learning experiences to realise richer and better understood lives, regardless of their professional destinations.
SIAD offers six full time Programmes at Certificate and Diploma Levels:
Certificate in Fashion and Textiles (1 Year)
Certificate in Visual Arts (1 Year)
Diploma in Fashion and Textiles (3 Years)
Diploma in Fine Art (3 Years)
Diploma in Graphic Design (3 Years)
Diploma in Soft Furnishing and Upholstery for Interior Design (3 Years)
Additionally, learners following a programme at diploma level can also sit international examinations at Advanced level. This option is particularly relevant to learners who wish toaccrue the required portfolio of qualifications for tertiary/undergraduate study.
The programmes are also designed to promote innovative, original and creative thinking, and to inculcate a life-long appreciation of the arts as consumer as well as creator. The notion of access to key personal creative development underwrites the need for the part time and in service programmes which SIAD currently delivers and wishes to develop further. SIAD can, with improved facilities and resources, offer access routes to anyone wishing to engage with the creative sector within a professional context at any time in their life.
History
The Seychelles Polytechnic opened its doors to students on the 24th January 1983. The School of Art and Design as it was formerly named was based at Mt Fleuri and was one of the schools of the Seychelles Polytechnic under the Ministry of Education and Information.
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During the late 90’s, it was generally felt that the vocational schools would be better of integrated with their respective Government Ministry. Henceforth, the School was administered by the Ministry of Culture under a new name, National College of the Arts, while remaining in the same location.
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Further changes took place in 2005-2006 when the College became a programme area. The Visual Arts Programme Area became part of the Seychelles Polytechnic under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education and Youth. In 2006, the Visual Arts Programme Area moved to Anse Royale, Seychelles Polytechnic campus.
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In 2009 with the setting up of the University of Seychelles, the Visual Arts Programme Area moved to the ex-Industrial Training Centre premises (ITC) workshops areas at Anse Royale.
The Seychelles Polytechnic was phased out in March 2011 and the School of Visual Art was created as an institution with its own management.
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Today with the enactment of the Tertiary Education Act 2011, where all Post-Secondary institutions are now called professional centres, the School of Visual Arts once again was changed to Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD), where it is expected to enjoy greater autonomy in the near future now that it has a Board of Directors.