The “Akbank Family Company Academy” established by Akbank in association with the Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU will help family companies institutionalize and become sustainable.

The Akbank Family Company Academy held by Akbank and the Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU aims to increase the competitive strength of family companies, achieve healthy growth, and support efforts towards sustainability and institutionalization.

The program covers many aspects that the leaders of family companies may need, from strategic management to business development and innovation, institutionalization, finance, management best practices, legal issues, and human resource management.  Theoretical knowledge will be put into practice over examples from Turkey and the world.

Courses have been 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, and will be 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.  Factory visits will be made to Sabancı Holding companies, and a Sabancı University Executive Development Unit EDU certificate will be awarded to participants who complete the training.

Participants will be 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.

Speaking on the program, Akbank’s Vice President of Small and Medium Enterprise Banking Bülent Oğuz said that the main reason for some family companies failing at sustainability was the lack of a specific plan and defined processes for transition across generations, and added:

“Family companies are governed by rules as well as emotions.  In an emotionally-sensitive environment, companies must evolve into institutions to carry on to future generations.  However, many family companies in Turkey and the world lack specific planning for the future, evolve according to the needs of the present, and grow to include more family members over the years.  Many family companies are unable to achieve sustained growth and financial success due to family disagreements in the long term, and the challenges faced by professionals in family companies.  Company owners have to deal with family issues on one hand and competition on the other.  Companies that have grown and thrived on the hard work of family members over the years come to the brink of ceasing to exist.  Research suggests that 35% of family companies are able to carry on to the second generation, and only 15% to the third generation.

“These facts were our motives behind the ‘Akbank Family Company Academy.’  Through our comprehensive partnership with EDU, we have designed a program to educate family companies in family constitutions, tax planning, company valuation, objective setting, management of the institutionalization process, and strategic management.  We regard this program of critical importance because we believe family companies are essential to the growth of the economy in Turkey.”

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

“When family companies have difficulty in taking steps towards institutionalization or are not assertive enough, problems arise in company continuity and achieving sustainable growth.  Since these companies comprise a large segment of the Turkish economy, enabling family companies to make effective use of the latest management tools and methods, and increasing their competitive strength will have significant contributions to the growth of these companies with sustainable profitability, and the part they play in the Turkish economy.  We are beyond discussing the necessity of change and sustainability, and looking into ways of enabling these.  Therefore, as EDU, we are happy to be a part of our ‘learning partner’ Akbank’s Family Company Academy to play our part in this important initiative.

“Akbank Family Company Academy was designed completely with family companies in mind, bringing the most relevant content together with the most effective learning approaches.  Family companies taking part in this program will have taken an important step towards keeping up with the evolving world and becoming a business based on sustainability.” 

The three-month program between April and June 2014 is open to family company owners or family members working in their family companies.  The “Akbank Family Company Academy” will begin on April 1^st, and applications may be made through www.akbank.com.

SABANCI UNIVERSITY 

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL  SCIENCES

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

2015 – 2016 FALL APPLICATIONS

The following programs leading to  MA and PhD degrees are accepting applications for  2015-2016 academic year Fall semester.

Contact names for each program have been provided for academic inquiries only. For administrative or procedure related questions, please contact Student Resources Office.

Conflict Analysis and Resolution (MA) www

Contact: Emre Hatipoğlu, (216) 483 92 60, ehatipoglu@sabanciuniv.edu

Cultural Studies (MA) www

Contact: Sibel Irzık, (216) 483 93 32, sibeli@sabanciuniv.edu

Economics (MA/PhD) www 

Contact: Özgür Kıbrıs, (216) 483 92 67, ozgur@sabanciuniv.edu

European Studies (MA) www

Contact(s): Meltem Müftüler Baç, (216) 483 92 47,  muftuler@sabanciuniv.edu

History (MA/PhD) www

Contact: Halil Berktay, (216) 483 92 37, hberktay@sabanciuniv.edu

Public Policy (MA) www

Contact:  Abdurrahman Aydemir, (216) 483 93 44, aaydemir@sabanciuniv.edu

Political Science (MA/PhD) www 

Contact: Ersin Kalaycıoğlu, (216) 483 93 45, kalaycie@sabanciuniv.edu

Turkish Studies (MA) www

Contact: Halil Berktay, (216) 483 92 37, hberktay@sabanciuniv.edu

Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design  (MA) www

Contact: Onur Yazıcıgil, (216) 483 93 34, oyazicigil@sabanciuniv.edu

Applicants must have completed their previous degree programs by August 31, 2015, at latest.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements for Graduate School of Social Sciences

Financial Support

A limited number of scholarships based on academic achievement are available in the form of partial or full tuition waivers and/or stipends.

Click for SU Graduate Scholarships.

Click for Graduate Funding, Other Opportunities and Awards

Please note that those candidates who fail to submit a sufficient English proficiency exam score and thus attend the course of English Language Preparation will receive no scholarship until they successfully complete the course.

Deadline

April 17, 2015 is the deadline for applications to Cultural Studies, History and Turkish Studies programs.

May 4, 2015 is the deadline for applications to Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Economics, European Studies, Public Policy, Political Science and Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design programs.

For History, Political Science, Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design programs, all applicants should attend and take the written exam, afterwards eligible candidates are invited for an interview via e-mail. For other programs, after an initial screening, eligible candidates are invited for an interview via e-mail.

Please note that applications from abroad will not be required to take the written exam; they will be interviewed via phone or net meeting (Skype, etc.) if they’re found eligible after the initial screening.

The Graduate Admissions Calendar

Economics (MA/PhD)

Interview** : May 18, 2015 (FASS 2056) at 9:00

European Studies (MA)

Interview** : May 21, 2015 (FASS 2056) at 9:00

Cultural Studies (MA)

Interview** : May 6-7, 2015 (FASS 2056) at 9:00

Conflict Analysis and Resolution (MA)

Interview**: May 14, 2015 (FASS 2056) at 9:00

History (MA/PhD)

Written Exam* : May 4, 2015 (FASS 1008A / 2034) at 9:30

Interview** : May 6-7, 2015 (FASS 2054) at 9:30

Public Policy (MA)

Interview**: May 13, 2015 (FASS 2054) at 9:00

Political Science (MA/PhD)

MA Written Exam / PhD Gateway Exam * : May 11, 2015 (FASS 1103) at 10:00

Interview** : May 14-15, 2015 (FASS 2054) at 10:00

Turkish Studies (MA)

Interview** : May 5-6, 2015  (FASS 2054) at 9:30                  

Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design (MA)

Written Exam*: May 18, 2015 (FENS L048) at 10:00

Interview** : May 20, 2015 (FASS 2056) at 10:00

*All candidates are required to attend the admission exam / interview at the given date.

Applicants for more than one program must get in touch with the contact names of those programs and petition to take the entrance exams in a different time period to avoid possible time conflicts. 

 **Eligible candidates are going to be invited via e-mail for the interview.

Applications:

Online applications are accepted via http://admission.sabanciuniv.edu/ . Application documents (official exam results, transcript, etc..) should be uploaded on the online system and application packages be submitted either in person or post by mail to the address below. Please note that print-out of the completed application form should also be added to the application package. The packages sent via mail must arrive at the department by the application deadline. Applications sent via e-mail are not accepted.

Warning! All the application documents become property of Sabancı University. It is suggested to keep the original reports of TOEFL, GRE and ALES scores, and apply with the copies of those test scores. But please note that the originals must be produced at the time of registration to Sabancı University.

Student Resources Office
Sabancı University, Orhanlı
34956, Tuzla/ İstanbul-Turkey
www.sabanciuniv.edu
Phone: +90 (216) 483 9093
Facsimile: +90 (216) 483 90 73
E-mail: studentinfo@sabanciuniv.edu

Sabancı University hosted a conference by MIT faculty member Peter Fisher on "Physics Appreciaton and Education in an Engineering Environment." The conference was held at the Karaköy Minerva Palas on the evening of Friday, March 27, and attending were deans, department heads and faculty from the physics and engineering departments of universities across Turkey.

Sabancı University President Nihat Berker delivered introductory remarks. Eight first-year students of MIT, visiting Turkey as part of an exchange program for the top students in class between MIT and Sabancı University, also attended the conference.

Peter Fisher started by introducing himself and discussing the difference between physics and engineering. Fisher's conceptual description of the difference between physics and engineering was complemented by practical examples. On the difference, Fisher said, “Physics is experiment-based while engineering is experience-based. Physics wants to understand; engineering wants to do. General rules apply to physics; solid information is valid in engineering. Physics wants to break the boundaries while engineering acts within them. Physics thinks it can do anything, engineering knows it can do something."

Peter Fisher also emphasized the importance of storytelling and real-world examples when helping people appreciate the importance of physics. Fisher shared some examples of his own.

Faculty of Engineering & Natural Sciences
Sabancı University, Istanbul, Turkey
April, 2015

The Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (FENS) at Sabancı University invites applications for multiple full-time faculty positions effective with the Fall 2015 term. Applications are sought in interdisciplinary fields relevant to Energy Systems, Technologies & Materials, including but not limited to renewable energy systems, wind energy, photovoltaics, power electronics and energy distribution systems. Successful candidates are expected to develop externally-funded, internationally-recognized research programs; teach courses and supervise students at both undergraduate and graduate levels; and undertake citizenship activities for the benefit of Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences in Sabanci University as a faculty member and science and engineering community as a scholar. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree in a related discipline and have a strong research background.

Energy is adopted as a pioneering research area for further growth and progress. Existing competencies and current research interests are listed in the document published on our web-site:  http://fens.sabanciuniv.edu/en/energy-research-in-fens.

Applicants must provide a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching plans, and at least three professional references, including addresses, e-mails and telephone numbers.

Sabancı University, a privately funded premier academic institution, started instruction in the 1999-2000 academic year on its new state-of-the-art campus located in suburban Istanbul. The University offers 12 undergraduate programs and 23 graduate programs in three faculties (Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Management). The University aims at establishing a high standard of academic excellence and a research-oriented atmosphere both for its faculty and for its students, while nurturing productive relationships particularly with the industries in the region which constitute the industrial heartland of Turkey. The medium of instruction is English.

Sabancı University has been ranked as 182nd in the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings and 15th in BRICS & Emerging Economies Rank 2015.

Detailed information about Sabancı University is available at the web site: 

http://www.sabanciuniv.edu/en

The applicants should submit their materials through the online application system indicating the closest academic program to their background

http://fens.sabanciuniv.edu/en/academic-job-applications

On April 22, 2015, an exhibition by famous documentary maker / photographer, especially focusing on environmental issues, Yann-Arthus Bertrand, will be organized as part of the Young Scholars Workshop titled “Beyond Special Circumstances: Turkey and Global Climate Change Politics” which was convened by Assoc. Prof. Semra Cerit Mazlum, Marmara University Research Center for International Relations (MURCIR) and Dr. Ethemcan Turhan, Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) on April 17, 2015.

Venue: FASS Art Gallery

Program:

11.00 - 11.15: IPC, Dr. Ethemcan Turhan Vital signs of climate change. What we should expect from COP 21

11.15 - 11.30: AFD, Bertrand Willocquet, AFD Country Director Information about the exhibition which is prepared by AFD- GoodPlanet cooperation in the context of COP 21

Yann-Arthus Bertrand is a famous documentary maker / photographer focusing on environmental issues.

Bertrand created the Goodplanet Foundation that aims to raise public awareness of environmental issues, implement carbon offset programmes and fight deforestation with local NGOs. He was designated Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme on Earth Day (April 22nd, 2009). In 2006, Yann started the series Vu Du Ciel, a television documentary series of several one-and-a-half hour episodes, each dealing with a particular environmental problem.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand undertook the production of a full-length feature film, HOME, that deals with the state of our planet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU). In 2011, Yann directed two films for the United Nations : the film Forest, official film of the 2011 International Year of the Forest, and the film Desertification. Both were screened during UN General Assemblies.

For the First Rio Conference in 1992, Yann-Arthus Bertrand prepared a big work for the year 2000 on the state of the planet: it is The Earth From the Air. For the World Water Forum in March 2012, Yann-Arthus Bertrand, Thierry Piantanida and Baptiste Rouget-Luchaire directed a film narrating the history of water and reminding us that reasoned management of water is a crucial challenge for our century. This documentary was broadcast on French national television on the 20 th of March 2012.

For Rio + 20, Yann directed the film "Planet Ocean" with Michael Pitiot. This film aims to promote understanding of the importance of oceans in the ecosystem. In the same time, the GoodPlanet Foundation initiated a “Ocean Programme”, to raise awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems. At the heart of this programme, the publication of the book “L’Homme et la Mer” by the Editions de la Martinière, available in bookstores from the 18 th of October 2012.

In 2012, Yann began filming his next feature film called "Human." At the crossroads of "Home" and the project "7 Billion Others", "Human" is comprised of interviews with people from all conditions in over 45 countries, and aerial images gleaned all over the world. Filming takes place in very diverse landscapes since June 2012. Particular, from January 2014, Thailand, Antarctica, Dubai, Brazil, Pakistan, Cuba or Japan.

2015 Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards given for “Living Together, Dialog & Cooperation within Diversity in Turkey".

Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı:

"As you are all aware, some of the most critical items on Turkey's agenda are steps to ensure the democratic coexistence of differences. I believe that the analyses and solution recommendations offered in each of the studies will contribute to fostering an environment nourished by dialog and cooperation."

In honor of the late Sakıp Sabancı, Honorary Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sabancı University, the “Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards” were presented at a ceremony hosted by the Sakıp Sabancı Family, Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı, and President A. Nihat Berker on Friday, April 10, 2015 at the Sabancı Center. 

This year's theme was “Living Together, Dialogue & Cooperation within Diversity in Turkey”.

Jury Prize was given to EmeritusEmeritus Profesör Martin Van Bruinessen layık görüldü. Professor Martin Van Bruinessen has been working on the Middle East and Turkey since the 1970s: Based on anthropological field studies, his book Agha, Shaikh and State: On the Social and Political Organization of Kurdistan spearheaded the largely unexplored area of Kurdish studies. Martin van Bruinessen’s ongoing work spans a diverse area from the Kurds to the Alevis, Islam, heterodoxy, Evliya Çelebi, Ottoman history, Middle East, Europe and Indonesia. His recent focus is on religion and Islam in the transnational sphere. Martin van Bruinessen was awarded the Jury Prize for his outstanding work and lifelong commitment to using the science of anthropology specifically for living together, dialog and cooperation within diversity.

The three equally-weighted Essay Awards were given to:  

•     Mahiye Seçil Dağtaş from the University of Waterloo for “Beyond Tolerance: Re/Presenting Religious Difference in the Case of the Antakya Choir of Civilizations”

•    Haydar Darıcı from the University of Michigan for "Encounters in the Shadow of War: Turkey’s Kurdish Region"

•     Anoush Tamar Suni from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for "The Ruin as Archive: Landscape and Memory in Anatolia".

Professor Martin Van Bruinessen received his award from Sabancı University Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı. Essay Award winners received their prizes from Sabancı University Board of Trustees Member and the late Sakıp Sabancı's daughter Sevil Sabancı, and Sabancı University President Professor Nihat Berker.

The award supports scholars, particularly young social scientists, discussing a current issue on an academic level.

Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards were established 10 years ago to honor the will of the late Sakıp Sabancı, and are given by Sabancı University in fields including Turkish and Islamic art, and the history, economy and sociology of Turkey.  The award program is led by the Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Istanbul Policy Center. Submissions are reviewed by an international panel of independent jury members. In the last decade, Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards have been given in subjects ranging from Turkey's economy to foreign policy, history, and social dynamics.

Starting in 2015, the Board of Trustees and Sakıp Sabancı Family resolved to give the Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards as part of the Remembrance Ceremony.  Award themes in previous years were other pressing issues such as “Checks and Balances in Democracy: the Turkish Case from a Comparative Perspective” and “Gender Equality in Turkey”. The theme for 2015 was “Living Together, Dialogue & Cooperation within Diversity in Turkey”.

The 2016 awards will be given in "New Centers in Turkey: Economy, Education, Art and Peace in Cities". In the tradition of the previous awards, the 2016 Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards will seek to support scholars, particularly young social scientists, discussing a current issue on an academic level.

"Only education must be the compass of nations striving to go forward. Our duty is to build effective platforms."

In her introductory remarks, Sabancı University Founding Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı said that by merging the Sakıp Sabancı International Research Awards with a special night to remember the late Sakıp Sabancı, they have added to the meaning of both occasions.

Güler Sabancı continued, “Almost everyone's mental image of Sakıp Sabancı is the same whether they knew him or not: his bounding positive energy, candidness, genuine attitude, industriousness, wittiness and smiling eyes.  But to me, what sets him apart from everybody is how appreciated he was as a businessman by the Turkish people as a whole."

Emphasizing the importance of education, science, scientists and innovation for Sakıp Sabancı, Güler Sabancı said that he was a close follower of innovation. Güler Sabancı explained, “He wanted to be a step ahead of time in both thought and activity. So he listened to the youth and took their opinions. He always reminded everyone to clear the way for the youth, and express his confidence in them. These are why his greatest dream was building a university. And he was fortunate enough to see his dream come true. Today, Sabancı University is among the best in Turkey. Our institution leads the way with an education model that makes a difference, and provides world-class education to thousands of youths."

Speaking on the significance of choosing "Living Together, Dialogue & Cooperation within Diversity in Turkey" as this year's theme, Güler Sabancı said, "As you are all aware, some of the most critical items on Turkey's agenda are steps to ensure the democratic coexistence of differences. I believe that the analyses and solution recommendations offered in each of the studies will contribute to fostering an environment nourished by dialog and cooperation."

Güler Sabancı concluded by saying: "Only education must be the compass of nations striving to go forward. Our duty is to build effective platforms."

I wish a bright future for young scholars and the society of Turkey

Jury Award winner Professor Martin Van Bruinessen said, "It will be a great honor if my writings have contributed to living together, cooperation and dialog between ethnic groups in Turkey."

Bruinessen warned academics that their studies may have limited impact on the society. He noted the possible contribution of prominent business figures like Sakıp Sabancı to living together, cooperation and dialog in Turkey.

Professor Martin Van Bruinessen concluded, “The number of young scholars in Turkey is on the rise. The studies of this generation promise hope for Turkey.  I am optimistic in my view of the country. I wish a bright future for young scholars and the society of Turkey."

About Martin VAN BRUINESSEN

Martin VAN BRUINESSEN (1946, Schoonhoven, Netherlands) studied theoretical physics and mathematics at Utrecht University, graduating 'cum laude' in 1971. He later switched to social anthropology, which he had been studying on the side. In 1974-76 he spent two years doing fieldwork in (the Kurdish-inhabited parts of) Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria for study of social organisation and social change among the Kurds. This fieldwork, supplemented with archival research, resulted in a Ph.D. thesis ("Agha, Shaikh and State: On the Social and Political Organization of Kurdistan") submitted to Utrecht University in 1978, revised versions of which were later published in German, Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, Arabic and again English.  

During the years 1978-81 he traveled extensively in Turkey, Iran (on which he published a number of articles) and Afghanistan (where he worked in a village development project). In between (mainly during 1979-1980), he did research in Ottoman history and taught an advanced Turkish course, both at the Department of Turkish Studies of Utrecht University. The work on Ottoman history, done in cooperation with colleagues of different backgrounds, resulted in the edition and analysis of (parts of) the single major source on Kurdish society in the 17th century, Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatname.

From 1982 on, he has concentrated on Indonesia as a second area of research, spending altogether 9 years there in research and teaching on various aspects of Indonesian Islam. This included a year of fieldwork in a poor slum in the city of Bandung, four years as a consultant for field research methods at Indonesia's Institute of Sciences, supervising large research projects on Indonesia's ulama and on co-operatives in various parts of the country, and two and a half years as a lecturer of sociology of religion and related subjects at the State Institute of Islamic Studies in Yogyakarta. These activities resulted in numerous publications, in English and Indonesian, including the monographs Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah di Indonesia (1992), NU: Tradisi, Relasi-relasi Kuasa, Pencarian Wacana Baru (1994), and Kitab Kuning, Pesantren dan Tarekat: Tradisi-tradisi Islam di Indonesia (1995).

Between his stays in Indonesia he returned several times to the Middle East on short research trips, focusing on Kurdish and Turkish politics and religious movements, notably on shifting ethnic and religious identities in Turkey and on developments in the Kurdish movement. In 1994 van Bruinessen returned to the Netherlands as an assistant professor of Kurdish and Turkish studies at the Department of Arabic, Persian and Turkish Languages and Cultures of Utrecht University. During the course year 1996-97 he was a guest professor for Kurdish studies at the Institute of Ethnology of Berlin's Free University. He also taught, for shorter periods, at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) in Paris. Much of his writing on the Kurds of this period was collected in the two volumes Mullas, Sufis and Heretics: The Role of Religion in Kurdish Society (2000) and Kurdish Ethno-nationalism Versus Nation-building States (2000).

In 1999 van Bruinessen was appointed to the chair of comparative studies of modern Muslim societies at Utrecht University and the International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM). At the latter institute, he co-ordinated the research programs ‘Islam, Civil Society and the Public Sphere’ and ‘The Production of Islamic Knowledge in Western Europe’ and organized numerous conferences and workshops. His major publications were the coedited volumes Sufism and the ‘Modern’ in Islam (with Julia D. Howell, 2007), The Madrasa in Asia: Political Activism and Transnational Linkages (with Farish A. Noor and Yoginder Sikand, 2008), Islam and Modernity: Issues and Debates (with M. Khalid Masud and Armando Salvatore, 2009), Producing Islamic Knowledge: Transmission and Dissemination in Western Europe (with Stefano Allievi, 2011) and Contemporary Developments in Indonesian Islam: Explaining the ‘Conservative Turn’ (forthcoming).

Van Bruinessen retired formally from Utrecht University in 2011, but he continues PhD supervision there as well as at several other universities, and was a guest professor at the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations in London in the 2011-12 winter semester. From September 2012 onwards, he is a senior visiting researcher at the Asia Research Institute of the National University of Singapore.

Besides the major West European languages, Van Bruinessen is fluent in, and has lectured in, Turkish and Indonesian, reads and speaks Kurdish and Persian, and has passive knowledge of Arabic. He has made most of his scholarly work available to the people with whom it deals in the form of Indonesian, Turkish, Kurdish, Persian and Arabic translations.

Downloadable publications

http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/index.html

Complete list of publications

http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publicaties-eng.html

DEADLINE EXTENDED: The Mercator-IPC Fellowship Program Applications

Application Documents

2015/16 Call for Applications | Thematic Areas and Project Proposals | Application Form | Program Guidelines |Fellowship Brochure

The Mercator-IPC Fellowship Program is part of the Istanbul Policy Center-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative, a strategic partnership between Sabancı University and Stiftung Mercator. The program aims to strengthen academic, political, and social ties between Turkey and Germany, as well as between Turkey and Europe by facilitating excellent scientific research and hands-on policy work. It is based on the premise that acquisition of knowledge and the exchange of people and ideas are preconditions for meeting the challenges of an increasingly globalized world in the 21st century.

The Mercator-IPC Fellowship Program allows international scholars, journalists, professionals and civil society activists especially but not exclusively from Germany to work on academic and practical projects at Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) in three thematic areas:

EU/German-Turkish relations
Climate change
Education

There are two types of positions available:

Mercator-IPC Fellowships are granted to outstanding young academics, journalists and professionals who have significant prior work experience. The fellows will be expected to work on academic or practical projects at IPC. A Master’s degree (or equivalent) is required for this position, but a PhD is strongly preferred. Applicants without a PhD degree will only be considered if their work experience and expertise meet the program requirements to the jury’s satisfaction. Projects which focus on the German-Turkish nexus are likewise preferred. Applicants cannot apply for fellowships to fund their PhD dissertations.

Mercator-IPC Senior Fellowships are granted to internationally renowned scholars and highly respected representatives of civil society or politics who have already made a significant contribution to German-Turkish or European-Turkish relations. Senior Fellows are jointly chosen by the partners of the Istanbul Policy Center-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative.

Given the urgency of climate change which risks going beyond a 2oC warmer world and poses a significant threat for societies, economies and ecosystems, prompt action is needed at all levels. Yet people long for a better way of life and it is not conceivable to choose between climate and development. Consequently, the challenge of the 21st century becomes identifying and implementing development trajectories that reconcile economic, social and environmental concerns and priorities.

The circumstances such as increasing investments in renewable energy sector and development of sectorial climate adaptation policies in many countries provide a unique opportunity to take actions for sustainable development through the prism of the climate change. In order to address these issues and prepare towards the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Marmara University Research Center for International Relations (MURCIR) and Istanbul Policy Center-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative (IPC) organize a two-day event (conference-debate and scientific workshop) on climate change on 16th and 17th of April 2015. 

On 16th of April 2015, the conference-debate will bring together French and Turkish representatives from public authorities, private sector, financial sector, academia and civil society to discuss the topic "How to reconcile climate and development?”. The questions which will be addressed by the speakers include but are not limited to “How to define these development trajectories? How to finance them? Do all countries have the means for this? What concrete solutions have already been developed?”.  The conference will be followed by a cocktail and an exhibition of photographs titled “60 Solutions for Climate Change” by acclaimed photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

On 17th April 2015, the Young Scholars Workshop titled “Beyond Special Circumstances: Turkey and Global Climate Change Politics” will gather junior and senior academics as well as presenters from government institutions, NGOs and think tanks from around the world to exchange broadly on the various aspects of climate change. This workshop will also host two high-level keynote speakers:

Prof. Hilal Elver, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food; Professor of Global Studies at University of California at Santa Barbara, USA

Prof. Franck LeCocq, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) AR5 WGIII Lead Author; Director of CIRED (International Center for Environment and Development), France

Both the conference and the workshop are open to general public. 

You can find the detailed programs: 

16 April 2015 click

17 April 2015 click

Please click here to register 

The new exhibition titled “Buluşma…Reunion” brings together the works of 20 artists whose paths have crossed with the Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design Program, displaying a range of works from various disciplines such as painting to photography, documentary and installation. The exhibition will be open to art enthusiasts between the dates of April 9, 2015 – July 26, 2015.

Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM) is preparing to host the new exhibition titled “Buluşma…Reunion”, bringing together the works produced by 20 artist graduates of the Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design Program in many disciplines from painting to photography, documentary and installation.

The details of the exhibition were announced during a press conference on April 8, 2015, Wednesday, with the attendance of SSM Director Dr. Nazan Ölçer, President of the Sabancı University A. Nihat Berker and Erdağ Aksel, Faculty Member at the Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. “Buluşma…Reunion” brings together the works of 20 artists whose paths have crossed with the Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design Program, and who now work as professional artists, gaining prominence in international biennales, expositions and exhibitions, on the 15th anniversary of the program’s first course. These 20 artist graduates produce works in many different mediums but distinguish themselves in their common determination to produce in the art world where maintaining permanence and continuity is a constant challenge and come together at this exhibition for the first time.

A catalogue in conjunction with the exhibition was prepared for the artworks, which were selected from the works of 115 artist graduates who graduated from the Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design Program between 1999-2015. The publication includes articles penned by the Sabancı University alumni and the faculty as well as photographs by Sabancı University Faculty Member Murat Germen.

The 40 artworks by 20 artists were selected by a committee including notable names in the international art world today such as the Exhibitions Secretary of the Royal Academy of Arts (1977-2008) Sir Norman Rosenthal, Director of l'Ecole Nationale Supérieure Des Beaux-Arts (2000-2011) Henry-Claude Cousseau and art historian, curator and critic Deepak Ananth, who also serve as the International Board Members of SSM, along with Dr. Nazan Ölçer, Director of Sakıp Sabancı Museum and Erdağ Aksal, Sabancı University Arts and Social Sciences Faculty Member Erdağ Aksel.

During the “Buluşma…Reunion” press conference Dr. Nazan Ölçer addressed the audience, saying, “These professional artists who have found their own artistic path come together at the “Buluşma…Reunion” exhibition for the first time, at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. Exhibitions are among the most powerful ways of communicating with the society, and they are invaluable in providing the opportunity for artists to showcase their works and take bold steps in forming their personal languages. I firmly believe that this exhibition hosted by Sakıp Sabancı Museum will resound with its youth and energy.”

The President of the Sabancı University Prof. Dr. A. Nihat Berker expressed his happiness and excitement about the “Buluşma…Reunion” exhibition, saying “The cause of my elation is seeing that Sakıp Sabancı Museum will be hosting the works of our young artists in the same halls that previously hosted such world-renowned artists as Picasso, Dali, Rembrandt, Rodin, Anish Kapoor and Miro.” Prof. Dr. Berker also said, “As the Sabancı University, we are extremely proud to see that these young artists are moving further in their art careers with determination. I am certain that they will gain international acclaim in the future.”

Erdağ Aksel, Faculty Member at the Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, addressed the audience during the press conference and said, “Sabancı University was founded at the end of a long process that started with Güler Sabancı’s challenge to a group of academicians to ‘imagine the university that your heart desires.’ Today, we are happily seeing the fruits of this revolutionary program.”

As part of the “Buluşma… Reunion” exhibition, which will be open between the dates of April 9 and July 26, 2015, works by the Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Program graduates Aslı Narin, Baptiste Croze, Berke Soyuer, Beyza Boyacıoğlu, Burcu Yağcıoğlu, Cemre Yeşil, Deniz Gül, Deniz Üster, Ege Kanar, Egemen Demirci, Elif Süsler, Erdem Taşdelen, Hasan Salih Ay, Hayal Pozantı, İz Öztat, Julia Kul, Onur Ceritoğlu, Tan Mavitan and Meriç Algün Ringborg, who was recently invited to be a part of the 56. Venice Biennale will be exhibited alongside two works by sculptor Bayram Candan, who continued his art practice in the metal studio at the Sabancı University until his untimely passing in 2013.  

Panel conferences with the attendance of artists and Sabancı University alumni who currently work in the fields of art theory and criticism and who also contributed to the exhibition catalogue with their articles, will also be organized in conjunction with the exhibition. The first of the series of panels will take place on April 11, 2015, Saturday.  

In the Children’s Education Programs designed parallel to the “Buluşma…Reunion” exhibition, children will explore questions regarding contemporary art and partake in a creative process that will help them delve into the questions that arise in the artist’s mind. Throughout the exhibition, children will add their artistic output to an ever-growing installation, a thought map.

A scholarship fund within Sabancı University was created as part of the “Buluşma…Reunion” project with the contributions of Enka Vakfı, Garanti Bankası, Kibar Holding, Milliyet Gazetesi, Mitsubishi, Polimeks Holding, Sabancı Holding, Samsung ve Umur Matbaa along with many personal contributions, to be used on the education of the Sabancı University Visual Arts and Visual Communication Program students.

For the duration of “Buluşma…Reunion”, all students will be able to visit the exhibition free of charge.

Sabancı University Gender and Women's Studies Forum continues education on “Film and Gender” section

Sabancı University Gender and Women's Studies Forum continues its efforts in education with three modules on “Film and Gender”. The training module will be held on Saturdays between 10 am and 1 pm at the Karaköy Minerva Palas. Admission is limited and the sessions will begin on April 4, 2015. The "Film and Gender" module will be a four-week module.

The “Film and Gender” module will discuss representations of women and men in film and analyze how gender roles are built; and the third module, This module will consist of an introductory course followed by Sabancı University Faculty Member Ruken Alp on “All About My Mother” (P. Almadovar), Sabancı University Faculty Member Reyhan Tutumlu on “The Shining” (S. Kubrick) and Sabancı University Faculty Member Sibel Irzık on “M. Butterfly” (D. Cronenberg).

The "Art and Gender" module in May will also be a four-week session. The lectures in order are Marmara University Faculty Member Ahu Antmen on “Gender Discrimination in Art History and Feminist Art Practices”, artist Canan on “The Personal Is Political”, Kadir Has University Faculty Member İnci Eviner on “The Knife in the Eye” and Rahmi Oğdül on “Knitting the Body in Art: Flat and Circular”.

Program
April 2015 | Film and Gender (4 Weeks)

April 4 - (Lecturer tbd), “Introduction”
April 11 - Ruken Alp (Sabancı University), “All About My Mother” (P. Almadovar)
April 18 - Reyhan Tutumlu (Sabancı University), “The Shining” (S. Kubrick)
April 25 - Sibel Irzık (Sabancı University), “M. Butterfly” (D. Cronenberg)

May 2015 | Art and Gender (4 Weeks)

May 2 - Ahu Antmen (Marmara University), “Gender Discrimination in Art History and Feminist Art Practices”
May 9 - Canan, “The Personal Is Political”
May 16 - İnci Eviner (Kadir Has University), “The Knife in the Eye”
May 23 - Rahmi Öğdül, “Knitting the Body in Art: Flat and Circular"

Place: Karaköy Minerva Palas

Time: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm

Fees:

Students / Teachers / SU Members: 150 TL (April), 150 TL (May)
Adults: 240 TL (April), 240 TL (May)

Information and Registration: email genderforum@sabanciuniv.edu or call  0216 483 93300216 483 9330

Website: http://genderforum.sabanciuniv.edu/tr/sanat_sinema_felsefe