400 bachelor’s degrees, 178 master’s degrees and 16 doctorate degrees were awarded at the Commencement Ceremony held on the Sabancı University campus. Among Sabancı University graduates this year were international students from 25 countries.

On Saturday, June 20th, 2015, Sabancı University held the commencement ceremony for its 16th graduate and 13th undergraduate classes. Graduates received their diplomas at a ceremony on the Tuzla campus of the university, attended by over 5000 people. The top ranking students of the three faculties also received their awards. Winners were Ersin Çukurtaş and Bilal Demir in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Aygen Öztürk in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and Berrak Atik in the School of Management.

Speaking at the ceremony were Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı and President Professor Nihat Berker as well as Executive MBA graduate Hulusi Kıyık on behalf of graduate students, Manufacturing Systems Engineering graduate Saime Aslan on behalf of undergraduate students, and Sabancı University Alumni Association Chair Zeynep Bahar Çelik.

Gürsel Sönmez Awards presented to 3 graduates

Awards in honor of the late Sabancı University Faculty Member Gürsel Sönmez, who passed away in 2006, were presented at the ceremony. This year's Dr. Gürsel Sönmez Research Awards were given to Computer Science and Engineering PhD graduate Çağlar Tırkaz, Biological Sciences and Bioengineering PhD graduate Bala Anı Akpınar, and Mechatronic Engineering MSc graduate Moustafa Shojaeian.

Hat-tossing was followed by live music and dance shows by Ayhan Sicimoğlu. Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı joined the dance to share the excitement of graduation with the students.

Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı gave life advice to new graduates at the commencement ceremony.

"You have been raised well and equipped with diverse qualifications. The philosophy of our university gave you benefits like free thought, freedom from prejudice, openness to different thoughts and opinions, embracing differences as assets, and valuing the importance of knowledge."

“Remember: the only thing we are certain about the future is that it will be different. Therefore one must be open to change. This is a sign of self-confidence and self-respect."

"We live in a digital age. Everything around us is becoming digital. Use technology to simplify life and create value."

"Know yourselves well. Have confidence in yourselves but never stop soliciting opinions, questioning, and continuing to learn."

400 bachelor’s degrees, 178 master’s degrees and 16 doctorate degrees were awarded at the Commencement Ceremony held on the Sabancı University campus. Among Sabancı University graduates this year were international students from 25 countries.

"The voters did their part and made their preferences manifest. Now it is the turn of the elected. We expect them to reach an understanding as soon as possible, form the new government, and start working without any undue delay."

Güler Sabancı discussed the elections of June 7th. She said that ballot rates were high and the voters showed their desire to have four political parties in the Parliament, which was a step towards peace and understanding in the context of the Turkish democracy. Güler Sabancı said that the voters did their part and made their preferences manifest, continuing “Now it is the turn of the elected.”

Sabancı noted that democracy meant consensus and solutions, and considering the great issues ahead of Turkey today, she called for the elected to reach an understanding as soon as possible, form the new government, and start working without any undue delay.

Güler Sabancı drew attention to the fact that there were 97 women in the Parliament this term, which is a record high in the history of Turkey. Güler Sabancı said “Although this result is 'pleasing' it is by no means 'satisfactory.' Women represent 50% of our population and their participation and representation in business must increase if women are to achieve the status they deserve. Gender equality is an important issue worldwide, and here in Turkey we still have a lot of ground to cover. With the new government, we should leave the difficult days behind and keep working diligently for Turkey - all together."

"Development in Turkey was never only economic for the Sabancı Family."

Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı began her speech by remembering and thanking people who gave support to Sabancı University.

Güler Sabancı said that development in Turkey was never only economic for the Sabancı Family, and that they have always believed that social development must go in tandem with economic development. She said that Sabancı University was the most important, labor-intensive, longest-term and largest project ever undertaken by the Sabancı Foundation.

Remembering the late 9th President of Turkey, Süleyman Demirel, Güler Sabancı said "The late Demirel supported our university since the beginning and was with us both for groundbreaking and inauguration. May his soul rest in peace."

"We imagined an innovative, different university."

Güler Sabancı said that when they had set off to found a global university twenty years ago, they had imagined a university that was innovative and different. Sabancı said that they made a difference in higher education in Turkey, choosing to create a new and unique model that was not a reiteration of existing university models.

"This success belongs to us all!"

Güler Sabancı spoke on the international achievements of Sabancı University:

"We are delighted to see that the values we adopted when we began this journey and sought to uphold ever since are among the criteria employed by international rankings.

Our university may be only in its 16th academic year, but we have been gaining recognition on Times Higher Education rankings since last year.

We were 15th among the best universities in emerging economies. This bolstered our pride and confidence for further success.

Then, on April 29th, we ranked 13th on the "100 Under 50" rankings, where we were included for the first time.

We were further honored and delighted to be included in the Asian Universities Rankings revealed only a few weeks ago. We were the highest-positioned private university entering the list for the first time."

Güler Sabancı said that a factor which ensured further international achievements by Sabancı University was the emphasis on research as well as education for sustainable success. Güler Sabancı said, “The number of research papers per faculty member, and the number of citations received to these papers, increase day by day. Our research funds keep growing. All of these are extremely important to me as they display the research power and success of our university. This success belongs to us all!"

“I am confident that the Reunion... Buluşma Exhibition will move you with its youth and energy."

Saying that the high position achieved by Sabancı University was proof that they were on the right path and motivated them to advance further, Güler Sabancı expressed her pride in the achievements of Sabancı University alumni in every area.

Güler Sabancı mentioned the exhibition “Reunion… Buluşma” by young Sabancı University alumni, saying that the exhibition is a first and a different example of achievement. Explaining that the exhibition, available for viewing at the Sakıp Sabacı Museum in Emirgan, was very special to them, Güler Sabancı said “Young artists, graduates of Sabancı University, reunited at home for the first time. I am confident that the Reunion... Buluşma Exhibition will move you with its youth and energy."

"We live in a digital age. Everything around us is becoming digital. Use technology to simplify life and create value."

Addressing the new graduates, Güler Sabancı said that they would achieve success, trigger change and make a difference in business or academic life just like the 7000 alumni before them. Güler Sabancı continued, "You have been raised well and equipped with diverse qualifications. The philosophy of our university gave you benefits like free thought, freedom from prejudice, openness to different thoughts and opinions, embracing differences as assets, and valuing the importance of knowledge."

Emphasizing the importance of constant focus on the future, Sabancı said “Remember: the only thing we are certain about the future is that it will be different. Therefore one must be open to change. This is a sign of self-confidence and self-respect."

Güler Sabancı said “You can’t change everything whenever you want. Have COURAGE to change what you can.  Have PATIENCE for what you cannot.  And have WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE to discern between the two.

Saying that the graduates were beginning a new era of their lives where it is normal to have dreams as well as concerns, Sabancı said: "Know yourselves well. Have confidence in yourselves but never stop soliciting opinions, questioning, and continuing to learn."

Güler Sabancı said that we live in a digital age and everything around us is becoming digital, advising graduates to: "Use technology to simplify life and create value."

Sabancı noted that success may await graduates as well as disappointment, continuing: "You may sometimes be left with difficult choices. In this case, universal values should be the star that guides you.  You should navigate by human rights, equality, rule of law, and science and knowledge."

"The freedom of choice at Sabancı University, our human-focused mode of operation, constant questioning and striving for the better is an example for Turkey - an example for whole continents."

Sabancı University invited world-renowned scientist and Harvard University faculty member Professor Gökhan Hotamışlıgil for the Academic Year Closing Lecture.

As in previous years, the speaker for the Academic Year Closing Lecture was chosen by a democratic and participatory election process led by the Commencement Class.

Gökhan Hotamışlıgil spoke to the Sabancı University Commencement Class for the Academic Year Closing Lecture on Friday, June 19, 2015 at the Sabancı University Performing Arts Center.  Gökhan Hotamışlıgil's lecture was titled “Competition, Solidarity and Mingling with the Crowd."

Gökhan Hotamışlıgil spoke on how evolution affects cultural and social life today. Hotamışlıgil said that humans, unlike other creatures, could rally around a symbol and exhibit solidarity. He advised the youth to think well before choosing where they would be competitive. Discussing the importance of solidarity, Hotamışlıgil said, "Solidarity, discussion, conversation and understanding can help people become more productive. One of the most important signals or motivators of solidarity is need. People are more inclined towards solidarity when they have a need for it."

Following the lecture, Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, President Nihat Berker and graduates laid the commemorative brick in the Alumni Pier.

Applying to the TÜBİTAK call for promoting the notion of entrepreneurship and innovation in universities and ensuring early realization of successful business ideas, Sabancı University became one of the 14 Turkish universities to receive TÜBİTAK support and started its first term in early 2014.

In the Spring 2015 term, 40 students registered to the TÜBİTAK 1601 Entrepreneurship Certificate Program received courses from Sabancı University faculty members including Kutlu Kazancı on Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship; Assistant Professor Umut Ekmekçi on Creative Thinking and Idea Generation; Associate Professor Mahmut Bayazıt on Management Skills, Leadership and Decision-Making Techniques, Effective Negotiation Techniques; Professor Dilek Çetindamar on Business Modeling and Gülru Gözaçan on Effective Presentations.

In addition to the courses, the students visited ITU ARI Teknokent to meet with ITU Seed entrepreneurs, and went to the offices of Pozitron, which was sold to Monitise for USD 100 million in 2014, IMONA, and Düğün.com to speak to their executives. The program also invited SecureDrive founder Murat Şahin, ESKİMO founder Tolga Canözkan, and Metamorfoz ICT founder and co-creator of SUCard, the Sabancı University graduate Ergi Şener to the Tuzla campus. These were public events where participants found the opportunity to listen to the experiences of entrepreneurs.

Program implementer Naci Kahraman said: "The 'Entrepreneurship School' is coordinated by the Sabancı University Entrepreneurship Council and supported by TÜBİTAK, and we did our utmost to make it much better than a program where you simply spend a few hours in class every week. We designed the program with courses, extracurricular activities and practical application. We think of the Entrepreneurship School as a form of intensive master's in entrepreneurship. We were particularly delighted to hear from engineering students that they benefited greatly in terms of management skills. We completed the third term of the Entrepreneurship School, and we plan to keep improving our program to offer further benefits. We are enthusiastic about tech-based projects to emerge from this school to transition to the Sabancı University Pre-incubation Center SUCOOL. As the Entrepreneurship Council, we would like to congratulate all graduates and wish them success in their academic and professional endeavors."

The Entrepreneurship School gave 17 graduates at the end of the term, including one MSc and one PhD student and one PhD researcher from the Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM).

The full list of graduates is below:

1. Aykut Kadayıfçı – EE 4th Year
2. Baturalp Topçu – MS 2nd Year
3. Buse Yıldırım – IS 4th Year
4. Cansu Çalbıyık – MS 2nd Year
5. Dilek Çakıroğlu – MAT PhD
6. Emre Ekinci – ECON 2nd Year
7. Ersin İncir – CS 2nd Year
8. Günsu Eskicioğlu – MS 2nd Year
9. Dr. Hilmi Ege – SUNUM Researcher
10. Kerem Çetiner – MS 4th Year
11. Kübra Özbıyık – MS 4th Year
12. Mehmet Albayrak – MS MSc
13. Müge Seğmen – CS 4th Year
14. Özlem Çelebi – MS 4th Year
15. Umut Gönülkırmaz – MS 4th Year
16. Yusufcan Bozkuş – MGMT 2nd Year
17. Yüce Ülker – MS 4th Year

Akbank held the third "Akbank Family Company Academy" in association with the Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU to help family companies institutionalize and become sustainable.

After a successful launch in October 2014, the third Akbank Family Company Academy was held this year to respond to the great interest in the subject. The program is designed in partnership with the Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU to increase the competitive strength of family companies, achieve healthy growth, and support efforts towards sustainability and institutionalization.

Akbank’s Vice President of Small and Medium Enterprise Banking Bülent Oğuz said that they continued to improve the program, explaining: "We observed that family companies needed support and direction in sustainability, and implemented the Akbank Family Company Academy. We gave our first graduates in 2014, and now completed the 3rd program. The feedback we received from our participants was overwhelmingly positive. This compelled us to improve and continue the program. A new section of the program enables participants to benefit from the knowledge and experience of Sabancı Holding companies. Furthermore, a partnership with Brisa, a leading player in the industry, makes the program available to Brisa business partners as well. We are delighted that Brisa chose to go ahead with our program. The 30 Brisa business partners taking part in the program were certified in hands-on training about how to survive and thrive under fierce competition, and carry their companies on to future generations." 

Oğuz pointed out that family companies were critical for the development of the Turkish economy, saying "This program is important to us because we believe that the growth of family companies is instrumental in the development of the national economy. Among the companies registered in Turkey, 95% are SMEs, and 98.8% of SMEs are family companies. The development of family companies means the development of SMEs and the national economy as a whole."

Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU Director Dr. Cüneyt Evirgen said the following about the program:

"The time we live in requires that we implement the right and actionable mechanisms for institutionalization and sustainable growth.  As EDU, we hope to support SMEs, which bear critical importance in the Turkish economy, to institutionalize through the Akbank Family Company Academy. This program enables second and third-generation business owners to utilize the latest techniques and applications in the world of business to identify the development opportunities in their companies, and prepare business plans that will guide them through the institutionalization process. Application-oriented content draws the framework of the program, and the curriculum is bolstered with academic guidance and field visits.

Brisa General Manager Hakan Bayman commented:

"We at Brisa use every opportunity to emphasize the importance we place on sustainability. We believe that one of the vital aspects of sustainability is to develop continuous and well-rooted relationships with our business partners. Businesses enriched with the participation of family members have to expand their vision and increase their efficiencies to achieve strong growth in the competitive world of business. Acting on our vision of growing together with our business partners, we joined forces with Akbank and the Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU to help our business partners gain these competencies, make their businesses more sustainable, and ensure that their ventures are carried forward to future generations through greater institutionalization. I congratulate all business partners who were certified at the end of the training. As Brisa, we will continue to support our business partners to achieve our vision of growing together."
The program covers subjects most needed by the executives of family companies, including strategic management, business development, innovation, institutionalization, finance, good management practices, legal issues and human resources management. Global and local examples were used to merge theory with practice. At the end of the program, factory visits were made to Sabancı Holding companies and sessions were held to see human resources practices at Sabancı Holding entities in place in order to enable participants to gain firsthand experience about the subjects taught in the program.
Participants are also able to purchase consultancy programs that include the actions they will need to take for institutionalization and the creation of a family constitution from program partners at special discounts.

Experts from Deloitte Turkey and Pekin&Bayar Attorney Partnership took part in the program as well

Courses designed for family companies that wish to evolve into a corporation, keep up with current developments through academic training, and plan to handover company management to the younger generation were given by EDU advisors who are subject matter experts and long-time executives in business, as well as the trainers of program partners Deloitte Turkey and Pekin&Bayar Attorney Partnership. In addition, meetings were held with five distinguished executives, including the CEOs of Sabancı Holding companies. Participants found the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with executives and ask them questions. Trainers and professionals taking part in the conversations shared their actual experiences and personal examples to put theory into practice.

Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences member Bahattin Koç received an "Turkish Culture Research and Technology Award" given by the Elginkan Foundation to promote and disseminate research on Turkish culture and technology with his work on artificial tissue and organ design and 3D printing of tissues and organs using live cells.

Elginkan Foundation Awards given

"Turkish Culture Research and Technology Awards" established by the Elginkan Foundation to promote and disseminate research on Turkish culture and technology were given. Among the recipients of the 9th Awards in Technology was Sabancı University Associate Professor Bahattin Koç and his work on 3D printing of artificial tissue and organs.

The first 3D printing of aorta tissue in the world

Bahattin Koç and his students Can Küçükgül, Saime Burçe Özler and Forough Hafezi started research to use the regular or stem cells of a patient to produce an identical replica of the tissue or even organ required for transplant. Live cells were used for 3D bio-printing of the artificial tissue, and the success of the team means that the risk of transplant rejection will be eliminated in the future.

For more information about the Elginkan Foundation “Turkish Culture Research and Technology Awards" click here.

MİLRES is the largest civilian R&D project in the history of Turkey

The MİLRES (National Wind Energy Systems) project was introduced in a public event.  Sabancı University is the Project Director and in charge of Mechanical Systems. 

Attending the meeting at İstanbul Ulaşım AŞ were Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Fikri Işık, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız, Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı, President Nihat Berker, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Dean Yusuf Menceloğlu, SUNUM Director Volkan Özgüz, as well as representatives from other project partners TUSAŞ/TAİ, İstanbul Ulaşım AŞ, TÜBİTAK MAM and ITU. Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences member and MİLRES Project Director Mahmut Akşit made a presentation about MİLRES.

Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Fikri Işık: "Wind energy is booming in Turkey, but unfortunately the technology is entirely dependent on imports. One of Turkey's most important goals is to become a producer of technology. Investments that will reduce Turkey's import dependency in energy are priority strategic investments."  Explaining that the need for energy in

Turkey grew rapidly, resulting in large investments in renewable energies, Işık said "This is why this project is important to us. What matters here is that the prototype is more than 90% domestically produced."
Minister Işık pointed out that a domestic technology would help Turkey save USD 15 billion in imports, and continued "The project will create direct employment opportunities for 100,000 people and indirect opportunities for a quarter of a million."

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız said that all protocols signed for domestication and domestic production to date have had significant benefits, this being extremely important for the industry in Turkey.
Yıldız said that Turkey grew faster than the world, and the growth rate of the energy sector exceeded that of the economy: "Because they have to grow. Under these circumstances, we must manage both growth and change properly. These must be obtained from domestic sources, and renewable energy sources among them."

Minister Yıldız said that there were 4000 MW of wind power in operation and another 2000 MW under construction, and continued: "While we reduce operating expenses, we must avoid acts that will be detrimental to the current account deficit. As a result of our investors' confidence in political stability and the policies and strategies in the energy industry, we recently went on offer for 3000 MW of wind power, and received almost 44.000 MW of bids in return. This is tremendous support both for the political stability in Turkey and the structure of the energy industry. This will not end here; we will continue to improve and grow."

Yıldız emphasized the need for both the private sector and academics to play their part in supplying the market with domestic resources, saying "A tractor consists of approximately five thousand parts, an automobile of 10,200 parts, and a nuclear power plant of 515,000 parts. We will be able to make all of them. This may take 10 or 20 years, but in the end, when the youth of today grow to be my age, we will be making all of these ourselves."

Bakan Yıldız, şu anda işletme halinde yaklaşık 4 bin megavatlık, inşa halinde ise 2 bin megavatlık rüzgar santrali bulunduğu bilgisini vererek, şunları kaydetti:

"Bizim, işletme giderlerini düşürürken, yatırım maliyetlerini cari açığı olumsuz etkileyecek şekilde bir eylemde bulunmamamız lazım. Geçenlerde yatırımcımızın siyasi istikrara duyduğu güvenin, enerji sektör politika ve stratejilerine duyduğu güvenin bir eseri olarak rüzgarla alakalı 3 bin megavatlık arza çıktık, 43-44 bin megavatlık talep geldi. Bu hem ülkemizin siyasi istikrarına hem de enerji sektörüyle alakalı yapılanmaya çok önemli bir destek anlamına geliyor. İş bununla bitmeyecek bu gelişecek, büyüyecek."

Hem özel sektörün hem de akademisyenlerin bu pazarın yerli kaynaklarla doldurulmasına mutlaka katkıda bulunmaları gerektiğini vurgulayan Yıldız, "Bir traktör yaklaşık 5 bin parçadan, binek araba 10 bin 200 civarında parçadan, nükleer güç santrali ise 515 bin parçadan oluşuyor. Bunların hepsini biz yapacağız. İsterse 10 yıl, isterse 20 yıl sürsün ama sonuçta bir genç kardeşim bizim yaşlarımıza geldiğinde artık bütün bunların hepsi yerli kaynaklardan yapılmış olacak" diye konuştu.

About the MİLRES project

MİLRES Project Director and Sabancı University Faculty Member Professor Mahmut Akşit made a presentation about the MİLRES project. According to information given by Akşit, the MİLRES Project began in July 2011 with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources as the client institution and completely domestic resources provided as part of the TÜBİTAK Public Research and Development Projects Support Program (1007 Program).  As of the start date, the project is the civilian R&D prjoject with the largest budget ever in the history of the Republic. The forecasted budget for the project is TL 55 million. TÜBİTAK approved TL 10 million for the initial stage over a two-year period. The stage was then extended and the budget was revised to TL 11.5 million. Out of this budget, TL 3,832,469 is allocated to use by Sabancı University.

Project partners and their duties are: Sabancı University on the "Project Management, Mechanical Systems" work package; TUSAŞ/TAİ on the "Turbine Rotor" work package, İstanbul Ulaşım AŞ on the "Control and Electronic Systems" work package; TÜBİTAK MAM on the "Generator and Electrical Systems" work package; and Istanbul Technical University on the "Wind Analysis and Structural Systems" work package.

In the first stage of the project, 98 researchers from 9 universities and institutions, including 20 researchers from Sabancı University, and 23 graduate students including 13 Sabancı University students are commissioned. Following the completion of the production, assembly and field testing of all components in the MİLRES project, a prototype turbine rated at 500 KW will be built and commissioned in June. In the second stage of the project, a second turbine, rated at 2.5 MW, will be built. These turbines will be built on the İSKİ (Istanbul Water Company) property near Lake Terkos, and will supply the pumping station there.

The project's goal is to develop and complete prototype production of 2.5 MW wind turbines with 100% original and domestic technology to be applied on an industrial scale.

Project objectives include building the infrastructure required for an original and globally competitive wind industry based on 100% Turkish design and technology; reaching an established capacity of 40GW in the long term while meeting 25% of the demand with domestic turbine technologies to save approximately USD 10 billion in imports; developing test and production infrastructure for wind turbine subsystems in Turkey; creating employment opportunities for Turkish industrialists and laborers; training a workforce to boost local production and create export potential to similar markets; and developing wind turbine towers, rotors, generators and related power electronics systems.

The inaugural Dr. T. Fikret Yücel Award Program by the Technology Development Foundation of Turkey (TTGV) rewarded achievements in innovation management.

Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences member Umut Ekmekçi received the Special Jury Award for contribution to innovation management with the "National Nanotechnology Initiative."

One of the Special Jury Awardees was the "National Nanotechnology Initiative" coordinated by Umut Ekmekçi.

Sabancı University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Energy Technologies and Management Graduate Program Director Dr. Umut Ekmekçi received the Special Jury Award for his "National Nanotechnology Initiative," an entirely voluntary program aiming to contribute to national-level policymaking in nanotechnology from the perspective of the industry and industrialists, and increase awareness and knowledge of nanotechnology and its potential to cause radical impact across a range of industries.

National Nanotechnology Initiative (UNG)

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (UNG) was a program that took place from 2009 to 2012 based on an innovative approach and model in technology and innovation policies. The program aimed to build industry capacity for producing value-added solutions in nanotechnology and its potential to cause radical impact across a range of industries, and was based on cooperation. UNG was an entirely voluntary program aiming to contribute to national-level policymaking in nanotechnology from the perspective of the industry and industrialists.

UNG is based on a unique model in industry-public-university collaboration (network of networks) and unique working methods. The model was designed to involve the industry perspective and spread awareness in the industry about the selection and development of national technology policies, and is a significant model for the science and technology policies of Turkey.

Technology Development Foundation of Turkey (TTGV) Dr. T. Fikret Yücel Award Program 2015 Jury Panel Members

Jury panel members for the 2015 Awards were Vispera Bilgi Teknolojileri A.Ş. CEO and Sabancı University Faculty Member Professor Aytül Erçil, Eczacıbaşı Innovation Center Advisor and Teknopark Istanbul Chief Advisor Associate Professor Cemil Arıkan, Koç University R&D Advisor and Incubation Center Managing Director Enis Erkel, Gürallar Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Directors and TÜSİAD Digital Economy Roundtable Leader Esin Güral Argat, and Yeditepe University Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department Faculty Member Professor Uğur Çilingiroğlu.

As a ritual of Sabanci University, Visual Arts and Visual Communication design students, taking VA 204 Language of Drawing II and VA 324 Advanced Drawing, are exhibiting their works on Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

In these two important courses given by Wieslaw Zaremba, students use both modern and traditional techniques. 

Date:  July 1, 2015 to October 1, 2015 (All day)

Where: FASS main staircase and ground floor corridors

In both of these courses students’ aim is to create compositions inspired by their memories and dreams, so they create their compositions with their own drawing styles accordingly. During their processes of drawing, they observe real models, objects and textures. Since anatomical analysis of live models are severely important for their works, they also reflect the photographs of the models on their canvases. Also in VA 204 they observe their own photographs and draw their self portraits with the same methods. 

After sketching the first drafts of their works, students continue with water colour for outlining and later on they use ink,dry pastels and acrylic paint. Apart from the appreciated realistic styles, creative and experimental styles in drawing are also welcomed in these courses. So it can be said that there are no limitations for the students. 

In these courses, talent and experience are not compulsory. The only motto is to work hard and experiment. Even the students who have no painting background at all can create masterpieces. It proves that, practice and working hard can compensate the lack of experience and talent. Also, since the timing is really important in these courses, students become more ambitious to be on time and with their hard work to achieve their goal they get experienced during the process of the works. 

Photo Gallery: From Sketch to Painting 

Student works exhibition from 1st of July at Sabanci University Campus, Tuzla. VA 204 students’ works will be exhibited also in open air theatre on 20th June 2015: Gözde E. Gümüşöz , Sernur F. Güney , Buse Haberal , Defne Kayserilioğlu , Ayçe Kelleci ,Dila N. Kılıç , Çiğdem Özkan , Ecem Özkara , Meha Shahid , Gülce Evinç , Ecem Güleç ,Elif İyigün , Başak Özçelik , Nil Şahin , Zuhal Uz , Güneş Ünal , Ece İ. Yenmez

VA 324 students’ works are being exhibited in FASS main staircase and ground floor corridors: İlke Alkan, Aqsa H. Baloch, Gülşah Cansever, Serçin Çabuk, Claudia Johanna Isabella de With, Pelin Doğrul, Dilara İlter, Pelin Maravent, Elif Nuhoğlu, Özge Onay, Ali Tezulaş, Olga Toivanen, Doğa Vurgun, Ecem Zengin,

VA 504 G: Sedef Uluğ

Course assistants: VA 324 Cagatay Tuna Ozkan, Dilay Ozguven VA 204 Aqsa Baloch, Zeynep Kaynar, Didem Erbas

Gallery assistant: İlke Alkan

Curator: Wieslaw Zaremba 

Date: July 1, 2015 to October 1, 2015 (All day)

Where: FASS main staircase and ground floor corridors

“NEW CENTERS IN TURKEY: ECONOMY, EDUCATION, ARTS AND PEACE IN CITIES”

The theme for the 2016 Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards was chosen as “New Centers in Turkey: Economy, Education, Arts and Peace in Cities."  Deadline for submissions is January 15, 2016.

The Sakıp Sabancı International Research Award entails a Jury Prize awarded to an individual who has made distinguished contributions on the above-mentioned theme.  In addition to the Jury Prize, Essay Awards will be given to researchers under 45 years of age.  Awardees will be selected by an independent and international jury.

This year’s theme is:

Cities have always been associated with human emancipation. In Europe in the Middle Ages, it was believed that city air brings freedom. Modern cities, too, are defined as areas of high freedom potential for people leaving behind extended family ties and hierarchical agricultural relationships. However, attractive as the potential for human freedom may be, cities are also spheres where economic inequalities, income disparities, cultural differences and ghettoization trends become most visible.

Turkey is a country that is going through rapid urbanization. The percentage of the urban population rose from 25% in the 1950s to 75% today. We are now living in an urbanized Turkey with all its risks and potential. Anatolian provinces prove to be the most dynamic ones in terms of rapid urbanization. Processes of change and transformation since the 1980s gave rise to the emergence of new city centers in Anatolia. Cities like Kayseri, Konya, Gaziantep, Eskişehir, Denizli, Çorum and others have become new centers of economic and political power over the last three decades. 

It is possible to argue that these new city centers pose alternatives to those cities that have been prominent since the early years of the Republic such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. These cities draw attention not only by their recent entrepreneurial ventures, but also their wealth of initiatives in education and artistic activities. What is novel about the emergence and rise of these cities? What are the drivers of entrepreneurship observed in these cities? How compatible are these new urban areas with the fundamental freedoms of citizens? Is the atmosphere (social and political environment) in these cities conducive to liberation – the function that has historically been attributed to cities? How can new urban spaces contribute to development, democratization and peace in Turkey?

This topic was chosen for this year's Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards in line with the interdisciplinary nature of Sabancı University. Submissions that make general and specific contributions to this subject from a wide and interdisciplinary academic perspective are welcome.

About The Sakıp Sabancı International Research Award

The Sakıp Sabancı International Research Award involves a Jury Prize of 25,000 USD. The Jury Prize will be awarded to an individual who has made contributions to the above-mentioned theme. An independent and international jury will select the Awardee.

In addition to the Jury Prize, Essay Awards will be given to researchers under 45 years of age. This category includes 10,000 USD for each of the three award-winning essays selected by the same jury from among submitted essays.

For further information: http://award.sabanciuniv.edu

Conditions for the Essay Award competition are:

• All entries, which may be coauthored, must be new and original works, not published previously in any form.

• Essays must be of the format and size of a regular academic journal article (25 to 35 pages, in double-space format, including references).

• An abstract of 500 words embedded into the original essay and a short CV of the author(s) are required.

• Entries must be submitted in English, in the form of a Word document to the following address:

http://award.sabanciuniv.edu/submityourentry/