Arena Animation launches advisory board to shape courses

Arena Animation has launched an Academic Advisory Board in Mumbai, bringing seven industry professionals into its academic structure.

The initiative was formalised through a memorandum of understanding with figures from animation, visual effects, design, and creative leadership, as well as internal stakeholders from the education provider.

The move adds a formal industry-consultation layer to Arena Animation's courses in animation, gaming, visual effects, digital media, AR, and VR. Arena Animation is a training brand of Aptech.

The board is expected to meet periodically to advise on curriculum frameworks, student mentoring, and the use of current tools and workflows in teaching. It is also intended to give students more direct contact with professionals working across India's AVGC-XR and creative sectors.

The board includes Jayakumar, founder of KYNZO Media Group; P. C. Sanath, co-founder of Firefly Creative Studio; Naveen Paul, founder and creative head of NYVFXWAALA; Prateek Sethi, founder and creative director of Trip Creative Services; Pradipto Sengupta, head of CFX at DreamWorks Animation; Jayanti Mahapatra, creative-tech people leader; and Rituparna Sarkar, founder and creative director of Visual Sarkarsm and co-founder of Animators Guild India.

The group's composition points to a focus on applied industry experience rather than purely academic representation. Members span visual effects, creative direction, intellectual property and emerging media technology, suggesting the board will be used to test course content against hiring expectations and working practices.

Industry Link

Industry-academia links have become a recurring theme in India's media and entertainment training market as studios and content companies seek workers with production-ready skills. Education providers in animation and VFX have increasingly brought industry professionals closer to course design, especially as studios adopt changing pipelines and software tools.

For Arena Animation, the board gives that approach a more formal structure. The advisory group is expected to contribute insights on emerging trends and skill requirements through periodic interventions, mentorship sessions and curriculum alignment.

That may be significant in segments such as VFX, gaming and extended reality, where production methods can change quickly and employers often point to a gap between classroom learning and studio expectations. By involving practitioners in a regular review process, training providers can adjust modules more quickly than in traditional academic settings.

Arena Animation has operated since 1996 and says it has trained more than 450,000 students globally through its network of centres. Its course portfolio covers animation, VFX, gaming, digital media and multimedia, areas that have seen rising interest as demand grows for streaming content, gaming production, advertising work and immersive media.

The company also highlighted student placements in studios and media businesses, including DNEG, Rockstar Games, Zebu Animation, Green Gold Animation, ILM, NY VFXWALA, Network 18 and Digitoonz. Those employer links are likely to be central to how the advisory board is used, particularly if the institution wants to show that course content reflects current recruitment needs.

Curriculum Focus

Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech, and Brand Custodian, Arena Animation, said the board is intended to keep the institution closely aligned with market changes.

"At Arena Animation, our priority has always been to stay closely aligned with the evolving needs of the industry. The Academic Advisory Board is a natural extension of this vision. By bringing together some of the finest minds from across the media and entertainment ecosystem, we aim to ensure that our curriculum remains relevant, forward-looking, and validated by industry experts. This initiative is about maximising value for our students through direct access to industry insights, practices, and expectations," Weling said.

"The 'Learn from the Leader' philosophy is not just a campaign for us. It is a commitment. Through this Academic Advisory Board, we are embedding industry expertise directly into the learning journey. Students will benefit from periodic interactions, practical exposure, and insights into how the industry is evolving. This initiative will serve as a strong differentiator for Arena Animation and further strengthen our positioning as a career-focused, industry-driven education brand," he said.

The launch reflects a broader push by specialist training brands to demonstrate measurable ties to employers and working professionals. In creative education, where job outcomes and software familiarity often carry as much weight as formal qualifications, advisory structures like this can serve as a visible way for institutions to reassure students that course material aligns with studio practice.

The board will support mentoring, curriculum review and the integration of current industry workflows into the student learning experience.