02/02/2012
The Initiative between Sabancı University’s İstanbul Policy Centre (IPC) and Stiftung Mercator has begun innovative work on climate change, Turkey-Germany- EU relations and education
Participants to the "Policy Requirements for Turkey and EU: A 2012 Perspective" panel include Kemal Derviş, member of Sabancı University International Board of Advisors, ICM Senior Advisor and Brookings Institute Vice President, Daniel Gros, Director of Center for European Studies CEPS.
The first event marking the beginning of the unique and innovative work in areas of Climate Change, Turkey-Germany- EU Relations and Education, took place on Feb 1st. The panel at The Seed, Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum, Emirgan, witnessed the formation of a unique Turkish-German collaboration on public policy and academic work.
The keynote speakers were Güler Sabancı, President of Sabancı University Board of Trustees, Bernhard Lorentz, President of Stiftung Mercator, Nihat Berker, Sabancı University Rector and Fuat Keyman, İPM Director
Following keynote speeches, Kemal Derviş, member of Sabancı University International Board of Advisors, ICM Senior Advisor and Brookings Institute Vice President, Daniel Gros, Director of Center for European Studies CEPS and Klaus Scharioth, participated in the "Policy Requirements for Turkey and EU: A 2012 Perspective" panel, aimed at contributing to the revitalization of Turkey-EU relations, a joint project of Center for European Studies CEPS), IPM and Stiftung Mercator.
Financial Resources of the Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Centre (IPC) and Stiftung Mercator
The non-profit strategic alliance will be jointly financed by Stiftung Mercator and Sabancı University. Sabancı University allocates a major part of its yearly budget to IPM and its various projects. In 2011, total financing equaled one million thirty three thousand Euros and Sabancı University allocated funds worth three million seven hundred ninety eight thousand Euros in the five-year period.
The alliance will last for five years and Stiftung Mercator shall donate five million five hundred thousand Euros, one million Euros of which is a supplemental project fund. One third of this fund shall be used in scholarships and the remainder shall be used for collaborative efforts.
In an increasingly globalizing world acquisition of knowledge and free movement of people and ideas loom large in preparation for whet the 21. century brings. Aiming strengthening of academic, political and social ties between Turkey and Germany and Turkey and the EU, Stiftung Mercator shall invest 5.500.000 Euros in the initiative. The initiative shall focus on three areas of cooperation critical for the future of these countries and the world:
• Relations between EU/Germany and Turkey
• Climate Change
• Education
Strategic Targets
The strategic alliance formed between Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Centre (IPC) and Stiftung Mercator aims at conducting academic studies and application-oriented projects in the three areas identified. The steps to be taken are as follows:
• Consolidation of IPM’s stance as a European think tank of global significance, continuation of its prestige and political force joining serious academic work with oriented practices
• With the Mercator Scholarship Program, provision of invaluable intellectual, financial and logistical resources to international academicians doing research at IPM
• Through projects that will allow the initiative to exert social and political influence, allowing IPM to reach decision makers and public opinion
• Projects aiming to strengthen relations between EU/Germany and Turkey
The framework agreement defining areas of strategic alliance between Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Centre (IPC) and Stiftung Mercator was signed by Güler Sabancı, Sabancı University President of the Board of Trustees, and Bernhard Lorentz, President of Stiftung Mercator, in recent months in Essen, at a meeting attended by prominent representatives of German business, politics and civil society.
The five-year strategic alliance between Istanbul Policy Center and Stiftung Mercator shall cover joint research and public policy formation in areas of climate change, Turkey-Germany- EU relations and education.
This alliance will be a first in Turkey, especially in terms of the intensive research on climate change and its contribution to strengthening of public awareness on the subject. The alliance formed between Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Centre (IPC) and Stiftung Mercator aims at being a research and public policy institution with a joint Turkish-German vision based on equality, as demonstrated in its approach to EU-Turkey relations and other issues.
