In scope of the work carried out as part of the Visual Arts Archive Project of the Eastern Mediterranean University Center for Cyprus Studies, 220 sculptures of the late Şinasi Tekman were put under protection and brought to the university for their safe transfer to future generations through a protocol signed between his family and the Rectorate on 7 July 2011.

In addition to this initiative, in line with the decision of the Eastern Mediterranean University, efforts for the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean University Art Collection were put into action under the leadership of the Vice Rector for Technical Affairs Prof. Dr. Bekir Özer in 2016. The aforesaid decision was formalised through the approval (Ref. No. VYK00-2016-0086 ) of the Board of Trustees on 20.05.2016. EMU Center for Cyprus Studies was assigned the execution responsibility of the project.

The aim of the collection can be summarized as collecting and protecting the works of Turkish Cypriot artists and contributing to their promotion through various activities taking place both at national and international levels.

In this context, artists' donated works are transferred to the EMU Art Collection after a protocol has been signed. By February 2019, 423 artworks of 26 artists were collected and put under protection. With a consideration of the security issues, some of the said artwork are exhibited at EMU Rector's Office and the university library.