INNOVATION & SPECIALIZATION

AKTO’s BA (Hons) Animation programme is the only undergraduate programme in Greece that gives students the option to choose a specialization at the end of the first year. The chosen specialization will also be reflected on their degree. The available specializations are:

• Animation: 2D Film Production

• Animation: 3D Film Production

• Animation: Game Design

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

With more than 30 years in operation, AKTO’s programme has produced graduates who have been recognized at leading animation festivals in Greece and internationally. Recently, creations by AKTO graduates won 1st prize for a Disney+ TV Series, confirming the high standard of the education provided.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AKTO constantly supports its graduates through the Career Office and its extensive network of partners. Its graduates have established themselves in the job market, with a strong presence in creative agencies, television networks, and production companies.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Participation in visits to museums, exhibitions, and companies offers direct exposure to current trends and the real conditions of the industry. In addition, students have the opportunity to take part in educational trips, broadening their experiences and professional prospects.

HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARD

BA (Hons) Animation combines professional training with academic research, preparing graduates not only for the job market, but also for postgraduate studies in Greece and abroad. The structure of the programme cultivates critical thinking, professional responsibility, and a research-driven approach, enabling access to leading universities. Through dedicated research projects, experimentation and innovation are strengthened, while independent learning methods and creative exploration are developed, aiming at continuous growth and the production of new knowledge.

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS & COMPETITIONS

During their studies, students have the opportunity for direct contact with the job market by taking part in projects in collaboration with major organizations such as Samsung, Michelin, Greenpeace, The Smile of the Child, Doctors of the World, METAdrasi, the British Embassy, radio stations, and other bodies. At the same time, recognition in Animation competitions in Greece and abroad is a consistent point of recognition, strengthening students’ professional profile and presence in the creative field.

ACADEMIC TEAM

The programme is staffed by an outstanding academic team, combining deep knowledge with extensive professional experience in the field of Animation. The teaching staff come from different generations and specializations, creating a dynamic, multifaceted educational environment. The coexistence of experienced professionals and younger creators offers students a unique balance between freshness, creative energy, and the wisdom of experience.

By joining the programme you are taught the basic principles of designing in three-dimensional space, drawing methods, different techniques, and the basic principles of artistic composition. Principles of direction, an introduction to the expressive means of audiovisual production with an emphasis on the possibilities of the camera, managing television time, elements of screenwriting, composition, and basic elements of the image are further fields you will get to know in depth.

At the same time, through specialized design applications such as 3D Studio Max and Photoshop, you will master subjects such as the basic principles of digital design, image processing, digital modeling, and the basic techniques of Animation. You will gain complete, in-depth specialization across the whole range of 3D Animation, Post-production, and Multimedia applications. You will be taught advanced-level motion techniques, video editing, and montage. You will learn how a multimedia application is created from the first stages through to the final product. You will be introduced to the theory of sound and music, and you will learn in depth about sound analysis and processing software.

Character animation, visual effects, video clips, trailers, DVD authoring, and digital editing are a series of applications you will master through the use of specialized design software, such as 3D Studio Max, After Effects, and Premiere, which AKTO includes in its curriculum. Through individual projects, throughout the programme, you will be able, by the end of your studies, to present animated films, advertising spots, and multimedia applications of high aesthetic and professional standard.

Due to the particular technical nature of the specialization and the high demands in know-how, AKTO provides you with free access to computer studios and digital editing suites, while specialized staff provide technical support and valuable advice to students in the field.

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr so we can send you the Detailed Study Guide.

Here you can view the Programme Specification And Curriculum Map For Animation & Interactive Media.

This programme was developed and is delivered and assessed by AKTO, awarded by and quality assured by Middlesex University London.

YEAR 01

In the first year you will take 6 modules (3 per semester), which introduce you theoretically and creatively to the magical world of moving image.

Class schedules are mainly in the morning and early afternoon, in order to smoothly support the transition into the new academic reality, giving members of the student community the necessary “space” for systematic practice, guidance, and intensive presence in the studios. At the same time, this schedule also makes it easier for those who have recently completed secondary education to be smoothly integrated into the daily study programme.

At the end of the year, you will choose one of the three available second-year specializations: 2D Film Production, 3D Film Production, or Game Design.
Throughout your studies, we provide advisory guidance so that you are fully informed about the content of each specialization and the professional prospects they offer, helping you make the best choice based on your interests and professional ambitions.

SEMESTER 01 | MODULES

• Introduction to Animation

• Concepts of Animation

• Principles & Processes of Animation

SEMESTER 02 | MODULES

• Documented Practice in Animation

• Thinking & Approach in Animation

• Methods & Exploration in Animation

YEAR 02

The second-year modules are designed to deepen the knowledge you gained in the first year, providing specialization based on the direction you choose. During the third and fourth semesters, you will take one compulsory core module, complemented by the specialized modules of your chosen direction.

Maintaining morning and early-afternoon schedules ensures a steady study pace and intensive depth in both studio and theoretical subjects, thereby supporting skills development and personal progress at this critical stage of study.

The teaching modules per direction are listed below:

ANIMATION:

2D FILM PRODUCTION

SEMESTER 03

• Advanced Practices in Animation

• 2D Film Production: Introduction & Development

SEMESTER 04

• Strategic Practices in Animation

• 2D Film Production: Advanced Development

ANIMATION: 3D FILM PRODUCTION

SEMESTER 03

• Advanced Practices in Animation

• 3D Film Production: Introduction & Development

SEMESTER 04

• Strategic Practices in Animation

• 3D Film Production: Advanced Development

ANIMATION: GAME DESIGN

SEMESTER 03

• Advanced Practices in Animation

• Game Design: Introduction & Development

SEMESTER 04

• Strategic Practices in Animation

• Game Design: Advanced Development

YEAR 03

In the third year, you will take one specialization module in the fifth semester, while also carrying out your Research Project on a topic of your choice. In the sixth semester, you will move on to your Final Major Project, where you will create your own design work based on the same topic.

During the development of your research project you will receive consistent guidance and supervision both from your instructors and from your fellow students, aiming to achieve a high level of results and develop a steady work rhythm throughout the semester.

Classes take place both in the morning/early afternoon and in the late afternoon/evening, allowing for substantial research and practical work, while also making it easier for members of the student community to be professionally active. During the third year, having already developed important skills and built a strong portfolio, many students stand out and become active in the job market, through freelance or part-time collaborations, both in Greece and abroad., thereby strengthening their profile as professionals in the field of 2D/3D Animation or Game Design.

The teaching modules per direction are listed below:

ANIMATION: 2D FILM PRODUCTION

SEMESTER 05

• Research Project

• 2D Film Production: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06

• Final Major Project

ANIMATION: 3D FILM PRODUCTION

SEMESTER 05

• Research Project

• 3D Film Production: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06

• Final Major Project

ANIMATION: GAME DESIGN

SEMESTER 05

• Research Project

• Game Design: Professional Development

SEMESTER 06

• Final Major Project

As you may know, AKTO is the largest educational group for Fine and Applied Arts in Greece.

This success is due to the high standard of education it provides, the specialization and experience of its staff — who come from the broader field of visual and applied arts — and the sense of responsibility we feel toward the young people who entrust their future to AKTO. Most importantly, AKTO is the only educational institution in Greece that offers a degree in the art of Animation.

We know how decisive the right choice of studies is when planning your professional future. We understand how important this decision was, both for you and for your family, as well as the concerns you may have had when you decided to become part of the AKTO community. Our commitment is to guide you toward success, using educational processes based on ongoing research and the most contemporary pedagogical methods.

At AKTO, we provide an organized academic framework, in line with the educational practices of Middlesex University London, which places emphasis on the gradual development of skills. Our programmes fully meet the demands of the Animation field, preparing you to develop an effective way of creative thinking.

We follow the successes of our graduates with pride, as they are the greatest confirmation of our educational mission. It is deeply satisfying to see our students grow professionally and excel in their field. Through AKTO, you will discover the joy of creation. You will meet people who share your passion and form friendships that will stay with you for life.

Dr. Anastasia Dimitra
Programme Leader BA (Hons) Animation

At AKTO, distinguished Greek animators, digital designers, and art theorists teach, recognized for both their academic and artistic work. Specialized professors and PhD holders, together with research staff, pass on innovative and in-depth knowledge to students, responsive to the changing needs of society, technology, and the market. AKTO’s academic team helps students express themselves through a free and bold spirit of inquiry and research, aiming for social benefit both domestically and internationally.

Meet the members of AKTO’s Animation Academic Team

For the Full-Time undergraduate study programmes, the academic year has one (1) intake period, starting in October. For the Open College undergraduate study programmes, the academic year has two (2) intake periods. The first period is in October, followed by the second period the following February.

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information about intake periods.

Read below for information about tuition for AKTO’s undergraduate programmes:

• BA (Hons) | Full-Time
• BA (Hons) | Open College

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for further clarification about tuition and payment methods.

Candidates for the undergraduate study programmes must hold a Greek Lyceum Leaving Certificate or an equivalent secondary education qualification from abroad, such as an IB Diploma, A levels, or GCSE. Citizens of countries that are not members of the European Union or the Schengen Agreement must obtain a student visa or residence permit before enrolling. For candidates whose native language is not Greek, the language proficiency requirement is level B2.​

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information about the enrollment requirements.

At AKTO, we accept applications for transfers and admission via qualifying exams in every enrollment period. The process includes an interview and a presentation of a portfolio from the candidate’s previous academic path. Interested applicants can be admitted to an advanced semester or year of study and complete their studies through AKTO’s programmes.

Read detailed information about the transfer process to AKTO

AKTO subsidizes students with scholarships, tuition discounts, or even full subsidies, depending on the enrollment period, available places, and social criteria.

Read detailed information about:

• Tuition Subsidies & Social Responsibility
• Scholarships

Contact us at admissions@aktocollege.gr for more information.

AKTO, recognizing the pedagogical challenges and contemporary demands of education, offers its students a range of benefits to help them, both with their studies and with their social life. These benefits include:

• ISIC Student Card (International Student Identity Card)
  • Offers countless benefits and discounts to cardholders
• Counselling Centre
  • Specialized psychologists and counsellors
• VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) access
  • Microsoft Office 365
• Weekly Design Software workshops
• Technical Support
• Fonts from Fonts.GR
• E-Registrar’s Office

Read in detail about all the benefits AKTO offers

• Studies at AKTO are supported by modern, high-aesthetic building facilities, forming a contemporary environment ideal for learning and creation, across two state-of-the-art Campuses, the Athens Campus and the Thessaloniki Campus.

  At AKTO’s two Campuses, we give students access to state-of-the-art, specialized equipment in the fields of art and design, through:

  • Libraries
  • Computer Labs
  • Photography Studios
  • Fashion Labs
  • Fine Art Labs
  • Model-Making & Product Prototyping Labs
  • 3D Printing
  • Green Box Studio
  • Amphitheatre
  • AKTO Gallery

The art of animation is constantly evolving, with applications that keep increasing. Art adapts to changing times. Emerging new trends, materials, and technological developments are shaping new ways we approach content design and visual communication. Working in the arts is more exciting than ever, giving creators unlimited possibilities for expression. Drawing on both old and new references, and inspired by tradition and its aesthetics, endless possibilities are created within the already expanded field of animation, covering many areas of professional activity. The field of Animation offers an enormous pool of opportunities for professional activity. New trends in visual communication, as well as in technology, create additional storytelling roles that call for motion graphics and 3D design across numerous branches of the market. The future of Animation looks brighter than ever, as it creates new possibilities across the whole spectrum of the industry, replacing older, static forms of display and communication.

Graduates of the Animation study programme today can be active across a wide, appealing range of services offered, such as:

• Design and Animation of Worlds, Spaces, and Characters (Virtual World & Virtual Reality)
• Screenwriting
• Directing
• Motion Graphics Design
• Creating Special Effects (SFX)
• Education
• Creating TV idents, programme titles, effects, video clips, cartoons, advertising spots and productions, corporate presentations, virtual tours, and interactive applications.
• Working in game design & development, 3D Modelling, 3D Stereoscopic design, digital editing, special effects, Sound Design, 3D Painting & Sculpting, and DVD authoring

AKTO’s Careers Office helps graduates connect with the job market and a wide range of professional activity across various fields. AKTO Alumni is the largest 360˚ Art & Design community in Greece.

AKTO’s university Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, awarded in collaboration with Middlesex University London, are recognized as professionally equivalent, in accordance with Presidential Decree 38/2010, as amended by Law 4093/2012, 4111/2013, 4205/2013, and 4635/2019. Middlesex University London is recognized by DOATAP as an institution equivalent to Greek Higher Education Institutions, while our graduates’ degrees have been recognized by A.T.E.E.N. Holders of these degrees are able to take part in ASEP competitions, in accordance with Article 13 of Law 4148/2013.

Read more about the Recognition and Accreditation of AKTO’s University Degrees