İTÜ and DEİK signed a protocol for university-industry cooperation

Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) and Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK) signed a comprehensive cooperation protocol for education, internship, R&D, education and research with international organizations.

The protocol signed by İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu and DEİK President Nail Olpak aims to implement important projects within the framework of university-industry cooperation between İTÜ and DEİK on employment, vocational education, institutionalization, business diplomacy, branding, human resources management processes, digitalization, human management summits, international organizations and research.

 The protocol involves establishing new relationships and developing existing relationships between DEİK members and İTÜ administration, faculty members, researchers and students, mutual use of results of research studies and organizing joint events for the scientific and business worlds.

 Our students’ internship mobility between countries will be supported

 Within the framework of the protocol, joint activities will be carried out in order to develop university-industry cooperation with target countries to be determined by both institutions. Via commissions created between DEİK and İTÜ, coordination will be provided between founding institutions such as TOBB (The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey), TİM (Turkish Exporters Assembly), MÜSİAD (Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association), ASKON (Anatolian Lions Businessmen Association). Commissions to be formed under the headings business diplomacy, education, economy will come together with business councils to work on special projects. The commissions will work especially for the coordination of the internship mobility of Turkish and foreign students, and new internship opportunities for students will be made available.

 Stating that İTÜ added a new one to its collaborations with the business world, İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu said, “We signed a very comprehensive protocol with DEİK, which we think will be very beneficial. First of all, a commission will be formed for R&D studies, internship opportunities and special projects with target countries and through this commission’s activities our students and academics will have the chance to work much closer with the industry. As İTÜ, we always give particular importance to university-industry cooperation. I would like to thank distinguished President Mr. Nail Olpak and all the DEİK Family for the cooperation.”

 Stating that university-industry cooperation is a very valuable attainment for the future of the Turkish private sector, DEİK President Nail Olpak said, “As DEİK, which conducts foreign economic relations of the Turkish business world, we are in continuous contact with our universities, academics and students. Within the framework of our country-based and sectoral global business diplomacy activities we carry out with our 146 Business Councils, we see our universities as a precious treasure and driving force for our business world. The cooperation protocol we signed with one of our country’s oldest universities İTÜ, which I am proud to be a graduate of, will add value to our private sector and our students in this sense. With the qualified commissions we will establish, we will present a comprehensive projection from education to economy, from business diplomacy to R&D projects and internship programs abroad. We will unite the academic and scientific perspective as well as our university students’ dynamism with our business world. We aim to achieve projects with high added value to particularly increase the production power of the Turkish industry in global trade. I would like to thank distinguished İTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu and the İTÜ Family for their support.”