Istanbul Policy Center Senior Scholar Bahri Yılmaz organized The German-Turkish Round Table (GTRT), funded by Robert Bosch Foundation and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) on November 22-23, 2012 in Istanbul.

45 experts from Turkey and Germany were brought together to discuss “China’s Growing Clout in International Relations; Turkish and German Perceptions.” Participants discussed economic relations of Germany and Turkey with China, China as a major topic in Turkey’s and Germany’s Foreign Policy, and China’s policy in the Middle East and North Africa throughout the conference.

The GTRT is an initiative that seeks to build bridges and promote dialogue between Germany and Turkey in areas of mutual international political and economic concerns.

IPC at Sabancı University Senior Scholar Korel Göymen organized the third conference wşth the theme of “Environmental Governance International Conference” this year in Istanbul on November 16-17.

IPC at Sabancı University Senior Scholar Korel Göymen organized the third conference wşth the theme of “Environmental Governance International Conference” this year in Istanbul on November 16-17.

IPC Director Fuat Keyman gave the keynote speech of the conference while IPC Senior Scholars Ersin Kalaycıoğlu and Ahmet Evin, and ERI Director Üstün Ergüder moderated various panels during the event.

The discussions ranged from environmental governance at national and local levels to the role of regional and international organizations, as well as the involvement of NGOs in environmental governance.

There were multiple panel discussions, enriched by keynote remarks from prominent members of Turkish and European civil society, government representatives, public officials, academics.  The two-day event also welcomed Sabancı University Public Policy MA students.  Among the prominent panelists who provided invaluable intellectual contribution to this timely conference were Hans-Georg Fleck (Friedrich Naumann Stiftung), Mithat Rende (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Murat Ersin Şahin (Ministry of Environment and Urbanism), Daniel Mittler (Greenpeace International), Sibel Sezer (REC Turkey), Yunus Arıkan (ICLEI), Uygar Özesmi (change.org), Tunç Soyer (Mayor of Seferihisar), Wolfram Lamping (Darmstadt University), Selami Öztürk (Mayor of Kadıköy), Asım Güzelbey (Mayor of Gaziantep), Ayfer Baykal (Environment Mayor of Copenhagen), Faruk Göksu (ÇEKÜL Foundation), Sıla Akalp (Support for Local Initiatives Platform), and Serdar Sarıgül (Tema Foundation). Panelists’s presentations will be compiled into a book to be published under the same title.

 “Reporting on International Security and Terrorism” Seminar

Syria and Beyond: Foreign Policy Challenges Facing the Next US President The Thomson Reuters Foundation Annual Global Security Seminar was held in Istanbul this year and organised in coordination with Istanbul Policy Center.

As the part of the seminar, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Ambassador to the UN, Iraq, and Afghanistan was the keynote speaker at the conference at ‘the Seed’ at the Sakıp Sabancı Muesum in Emirgan, Istanbul. Mark Trevelyan from Reuters moderated the conference entitled “Syria and Beyond: Foreign Policy Challenges Facing the Next US President.” Ambassador Khalilzad, spoke of the on-going conflict in Syria and noted that this conflict has been creating problems for Syria’s neighbouring countries. During the conference, the future foreign policy challenges facing the next US president and their implications for Turkey and the region were discussed. The Ambassador referred to a number of foreign policy issues, such as the future of Afghanistan, the USA’s policies regarding the Arab Spring, Iran’s nuclear program and the Syrian crisis. Khalilzad spoke of Iran and nuclear weapons, and relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ambassador mentioned that he was very pleased with the rise of Turkish power and influence in the last 10 to 15 years. For him, Turkey, as one of the rising powers, has become a much more important player.

The seminar on “Reporting on International Security and Terrorism” was held from November 12-14 with the support of Stiftung Mercator, Gerda Henkel Stiftung and the Stanley Foundation.

On the first day of the Seminar, guests discussed the death of global jihadism; how authoritarian rulers use social media to repress revolutions and collect intelligence; security, terrorism and the media; race politics, Islamophobia, and extremisms of the far right and left; and Somalia.

On November 13, Tuesday Doc. Dr. Rahmi Yaran, Mufti of Istanbul gave a speech on “the importance of Cami for Muslims and Tolerance and Living Together” at the Fatih Mosque. Fuat Keyman, Director of Istanbul Policy Center moderated the next session on “Turkey’s bridge building role in the Middle East and the World” and the Arab Spring was discussed.

On the last day of the “Reporting on International Security and Terrorism” Seminar; topics such as preventi

Dora Bakoyannis gave a lecture titled “The International Crisis as an Opportunity” at Sabancı University.  Bakoyannis spoke on the global economic crisis, the roles of Europe, United States and China on economic balances and Turkish-Greek relations, warning Turkey to be very cautious to avoid the impact of the global crisis.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece and former Mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyannis gave a lecture at Sabancı University on Friday, November 16, 2012.

Invited by Akbank CEO and Managing Director Suzan Sabancı Dinçer, Bakoyannis lectured on “The International Crisis as an Opportunity.”  The lecture was hosted by Sabancı University Board of Trustees Member Suzan Sabancı Dinçer and President Professor Nihat Berker.

“The crisis in Europe is structural and contagious”
Dora Bakoyannis discussed the consequences of the failure to turn crisis into opportunity in the aftermath of the 2008 downfall, and the impact of the slowing of the growth rate in Europe and China on the global economy.  Bakoyannis mentioned that the US still struggled to pay its debts and that Europe was in the epicenter of the worst and most widespread crisis in history.

Bakoyannis said that the European crisis emanated from the debt crisis in Greece, explaining that the situation was structural and contagious, as evidenced by the repercussions in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, the European south, as well as Ireland, Slovenia and Belgium.  Speaking on the psychological impact of the crisis on the European Union, Dora Bakoyannis mentioned the friction and tension between the north and the south.

“Turkey must be very cautious”
Placing Europe at the epicenter of the global economic crisis, Bakoyannis argued that there were some hopeful signals: “We are also receiving positive signals.  The BRIC and Turkish cases are promising examples; however, the current dynamics of the situation is not all roses, being fragile at its core.”  Dora Bakoyannis said that the BRIC countries also suffered from the global crisis and reminded the words of Sabancı University International Board of Overseers Member Kemal Derviş for Turkey to be very cautious not to follow in the footsteps of other countries with very large debts.

Bakoyannis emphasized the importance of Europe as the balancer of the global economic system to confront the debt crisis.  She continued, “We need to cast a new role to China with its steady growth, a role that will place the nation as a counterbalance to the global economy under new economic principles.  The achievements that made the Turkish and BRIC economies sustainable have great weight in achieving balance across the global economy.”

Dora Bakoyannis argued that the boundaries of the EU and the Eurozone had to be reviewed and the management of the global economy had to be restructured to turn the crisis into an opportunity.

Bakoyannis on Turkish-Greek relations
Discussing Turkish-Greek relations, Bakoyannis said that Greece was in full support of Turkey’s accession to the EU.  Arguing against the perception of the EU as a “Christian Club,” Bakoyannis said, “EU is a club centered around values, which makes it different from other unions.”  She continued that the dynamic social structure and strong economy in Turkey were assets for the European Union.

“Greece needs more investment and jobs”
Bakoyannis explained the impact of the Greek crisis on everyday life, expressing her dismay that the young generation was emigrating due to employment.  Commenting on the recommendations of international financial institutions for Greece, Dora Bakoyannis said that while the income level could not be reduced any further, the country needed more investment and jobs.

Dora Bakoyannis concluded by saying, “The global crisis is far from over.  There are very few signals that could help to transform the crisis into opportunity.  The crisis is becoming exaggerated due to the debt crisis in Europe, expanding to the United States, China and the rest of the world.  BRIC countries and some other nations have so far considered the crisis fictitious.  Turkey must be very cautious to avoid the global downfall.”

Our Phd Student Andaç Hamamcı's methods performed best at the live challenge in Nice

"As reflected in the Dice score table below, the following methods performed best at the live challenge in Nice.

Please click to more information.

Dear 2013 Graduating Class Students,

At a period where your days at the University are coming to an end, you are crossing the exciting threshold between your educational career, graduation and the real world. In this period when you will be reaping the rewards of years of hard work with graduation, it is your natural right to want to celebrate much.
This meeting marks the start of “2013 Graduation Events” planning period, the events which we will be organizing together.
 
An important component of these events is the Graduation Ceremony, an event organized in a manner that includes the attribute of change, if preferred by all of you. You may view past years’ Graduation Ceremonies’ events on the Alumni Website. I believe that one ceremony in particular that will excite all of you is the 2012 Graduation Ceremony, which can be seen in the photographs by clicking here.

I’m inviting all of you attend this Graduating Class Meeting where we will be discussing the Graduation Events along with all subjects pertaining to the 2013 Graduating Class.


Date        : Monday, November 19th
Location : FASS G056
Time       : 18:30

Nihat Berker   
President

Spring Term Applications to Engineering&Natural Sciences Grad. Programs
By Student Resources  |  07 November 2012

Dora Bakoyannis will give a speech titled “Global Crisis as an Opportunity” at Sabancı University.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece and former Mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyannis will give a speech at Sabancı University on Friday, November 16, 2012.

To watch it live click here 

Invited by Sabancı University Board of Trustees Member Suzan Sabancı Dinçer, Bakoyannis will give a speech titled “Global Crisis as an Opportunity.”

Dora Bakoyannis will discuss the consequences of the failure to turn crisis into opportunity in the aftermath of the 2008 downfall, and the impact of the slowing of the growth rate in Europe and China on the global economy.  In mentioning the positive developments so far, Bakoyannis will explain how the BRIC and Turkish cases are promising examples, and comment on the rumors that the current dynamics of the situation is not all roses, being fragile at its core.

Dora Bakoyannis will emphasize the importance of Europe as the balancer of the global economic system to confront the debt crisis, explaining the need to cast a new role to China with its steady growth, a role that will place the nation as a counterbalance to the global economy under new economic principles.  Bakoyannis will also discuss the importance of the achievements that made the Turkish and BRIC economies sustainable in achieving balance across the global economy.

You are cordially invited to the lecture hosted by Sabancı University Board of Trustees Member Suzan Sabancı Dinçer and President Professor Nihat Berker.

Program:
Date: Friday, November 16, 2012
Time: 12:40 – 13:40
Place: Sabancı University Campus, Orhanlı – Tuzla

N.B.: The lecture will be in English only.

Kemal Derviş explains how Turkey can be among the top 10 economies globally in 2023 at the annual lecture in memory of Atatürk at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Kemal Derviş: “Long-term economic stability requires an environment of social and political peace.”

Kemal Derviş, Member of the Sabancı University International Board of Overseers and the Istanbul Policy Center Board of Directors and Vice President of the Brookings Institution, gave a lecture titled “Turkey on the Way to the 100th Anniversary of the Republic” at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, November 13, 2012.  Derviş’s speech was part of a succession of events that are traditionally organized around November 10 to observe the passing of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Hosted by Ambassador Namık Tan and invited by Turkish-American Friendship Societies, Kemal Derviş spoke on the achievements of the Turkish Republic since its foundation, and discussed the path leading to the Republic’s centennial in 2023.  Derviş underscored the need for a high level of investment adequately backed by domestic resources to ensure that the Republic and the democracy is confident of its future in 2023, and said that social peace and national unity were absolute requirements for rapid and sustainable growth based on investment and domestic savings.

Kemal Derviş asserted that a policy which intends peace, develops economic, cultural and political relations with other nations, and extends a helping hand to neighboring countries while avoiding to take sides in their internal conflicts would be beneficial from an economic perspective and uphold the legacy of Atatürk.  Derviş added that a legal and political framework in which ethnic Kurds could maintain their own culture and identity in total peace as citizens of the Republic of Turkey had to be established as soon as possible without any type of violence and within the unity of Turkey as a nation.  Derviş argued that such an environment of peace would only be possible when all terrorist acts subside and everyone strives to achieve their goals via strictly democratic means.  Kemal Derviş said that both the debate surrounding secularism and new assertions regarding the Kurdish identity must build upon Atatürk’s always bold yet realistic, solution-oriented approach which embraced the circumstances of the time.

Kemal Derviş continued: “Successful democracy, however, is not just a ‘winner take all’ system, where those who win elections can do as they please.  It has to include a system of checks and balances in a way that protects individual citizens, opposition groups, and whoever is in the minority.  On the road to the hundredth anniversary of the Republic, Turkey now has the chance to show its citizens and the world that it has achieved what the founding fathers ultimately wanted, even though they did not practice it, namely that the country has become a full, normally functioning democracy.”

Kemal Derviş concluded by saying that long-term economic stability required an environment of social and political peace, and that Turkey would be much better positioned to achieve this goal as a strong member of Europe positioned globally yet, in any case, reinventing itself.