Sabancı University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU IMC) became one of the only six worldwide, and the first university center in Turkey with AS9100 certification. 

AS9100 Certificate has critical importance in the international platform for institutions operating in the Aerospace and Defense Industry. SU IMC, which started its activities as of 2018, was audited in October 2019 and was approved by IAQG (International Aerospace Quality Group) in March 2020 as a result of a successful audit. 

The aerospace industry requires intensive controls and methods to ensure reliability and safety. This AS9100 Rev D Certification achievement continues to provide our partners confidence that SU IMC has the quality processes and capabilities to solve complex engineering and manufacturing problems and fulfil the aerospace and defence industry needs. 

SU IMC also has TS EN ISO / IEC 17025 Certificate, which is a laboratory accreditation certificate approved in February 2019.

Sabancı University and Kordsa are now fully providing their know-how and infrastructure of their design, analysis and production to support Ministry of Health and healthcare professionals in their fight against Covid-19.

2 institutions co-operating under the roof of “Composite Technologies Center of Excellence” will contribute to the design, analysis and prototyping of medical devices and their parts used in Covid-19 treatment, as well as healthcare professonials’ protection equipment. The center has started the preparations of production by 3D printing of plastic and metal parts for medical devices used in covid-19 treatment.   

Sabancı University Collaboration Space Manager Erdem İnanç pools 3D printer owners, software developers and designers for supporting the combat against Covid-19. 

Collaboration Space Manager Erdem İnanç

Sabancı University Collaboration Space Manager Erdem İnanç made a call to designers and software and hardware developers asking them to help produce medical instruments and personal protection equipment for healthcare professionals and he was able to reach out to almost one thousand volunteers in a short time.  

Creating the entirely voluntary kitleseluretim.org platform with his colleagues Ahmet Alpat, Yaşar Celep, Mert Mumcu and Umut Yıldız, with the aim of supporting Turkey in its fight against Covid-19 with low cost personal protection equipment for healthcare professionals and medical instruments for the patients, Erdem İnanç stated that they have now reached an adequate number in terms of 3D printers, software developers and designers, and they already asked healthcare professionals for information regarding their needs for supplies and equipment. 

A decentralized platform is created

Named as the Mass Production Movement, the purpose of this independent and decentralized initiative is to match available production and human resources capacity with the needs for an effective fight against the Covid-19 outbreak. Founders of the platform stated that they believed this collaborative production can potentially mitigate the damage of the outbreak. 

List of needs expected from healthcare professionals

Emphasizing that they can provide support for the production of supplies needed for medical staff in healthcare and hospitals such as protective masks, visors, respirators and oxygen concentrators, İnanç said they were expecting a list of potential needs from healthcare professionals.  

Click on the link below for  interview with Collaboration Space Director Erdem İnanç on Medyascope.tv.

About Collaboration Space

Founded in Sabancı University Information Center Collaboration Space serves as a hub for DIY projects, creativity, and sharing ideas.  Its Makerspace area is equipped with 3D printers, 3D scanners, electronic and hardware supplies. Collaboration Space organizes workshops and trainings for users, and offers a space for learning by doing, learning from mistakes and co-production. Once the users produce a prototype that is eligible for a venture, developers receive funding and mentoring support from SU ASSET program for encouraging entrepreneurship in Sabancı University.

Dear Students of Sabancı University,

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak that started in December 2019, we are going through an unprecedented period of change on a global scale. For all of us, this period entails much more than just fighting against a disease. We are trying to rapidly adapt to new conditions while also experiencing various difficulties in all aspects of our lives. The online education program is one of the fields in which we are quickly adapting, for the benefit of both our valued students and for our faculty members.

According to the announcement of the Higher Education Council on 26 March 2020, the decision has been made to fully carry out the 2019-2020 Spring semester through online distance education. This decision will allow your education to continue at the highest possible standards, while also presenting you with a new experience. In a world that is being besieged by extraordinary circumstances, we remain of the few privileged universities within which education is continuing online and uninterrupted, thanks to the new decisions and changes being implemented.

As Sabancı University, we have quickly established our roadmap thanks to the efforts of our faculty members, our experience with innovative education which includes distance learning, and our existing infrastructure. In addition, we have contacted the world’s most prestigious educational institutions and chosen the most suitable digital platforms in order to offer you the most effective learning experience in the present circumstances. At a time when many universities in developed countries are struggling to provide a clear plan of action for their students, we are determined to offer our students all the possibilities with which they can pursue their education without wasting time. As of today, we anticipate that the 2020 Summer Term will be taking place with the previously announced courses and schedule.

Furthermore, we can proudly state that the research carried out by our university has started to contribute directly to the development of effective solutions in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. We intend for our scientific contributions in this effort to continue and increase. The ongoing developments can be followed on our website. It is befitting for our university, which in the past 20 years has been a pioneer in every field, to direct its trailblazing research capabilities towards this important goal.

It should not be forgotten that we are dealing with completely new conditions that have never been experienced in any part of the world to this day. We need to implement a new model of operation adapted to these new conditions in every domain in which we are active, be it education, research, or scientific activities. Consequently, the new solutions being implemented must naturally be different from the solutions that were valid up until a few months ago. Some of these solutions may not be ideal but are designed to work to the best of our abilities, in the present circumstances. We should turn the various limitations, created by the extraordinary conditions in which we find ourselves, into opportunities, using the capabilities that technology offers. Together with our faculty members, our staff and you, our dear students, we are committed to continue our pioneering work in this new era. For us, it is out of the question to sit and wait.

Promising examples in a few countries show us that, with the help of concerted effort and good practices, the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak can be contained – and these successful examples give us hope for the future. In a few months, when the impact of the outbreak is contained worldwide, we will be faced with completely new conditions. For our entire university community, and for the whole of our country, it is within our reach to be prepared, as much as possible, for these new conditions, and for this new world. If we are able to take advantage of the current situation, and use our present circumstances to prepare ourselves, we can take our rightful place in the new world that awaits us. We wholly trust in our ability to succeed.

We will continue to rapidly adapt ourselves according to the developments and continue to inform you. We are going through a very dynamic period and we need to make decisions accordingly. In the online education period that will continue until the end of the semester, our wish is for you to focus on your education, adhere to our university’s most important principles – academic honesty and awareness of responsibility –  and to trust in us.

As your university, we will continue to be by your side, despite you being away from campus.

I wish you a semester full of learning and inspiration, where you remain healthy and safe in your homes.

Sincerely,

Yusuf Leblebici

President  

ETİ Global Leadership Program, launched with the collaboration of Sabancı University Executive Development Unit (EDU) and ETİ, produced its second term graduates.  

The Program which is designed for mid-level managers working in different units of ETİ, had 20 participants. The participants who have successfully completed 14-day program covering the 5 educational modules with 9 different topics, from personal leadership to organizational management, received their participation certificates.

For more information about EDU’s programs, please visit the website at https://edu.sabanciuniv.edu/tr

Sabancı University’s strong emphasis on “research-based growth” strategy was awarded with a €8.4 million funding, which is the university’s highest one-off EU funding to date. The IPA - Competitive Sectors Program implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Technology and co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey decided to support two projects from the Sabancı University’s Integrated Manufacturing Research and Application Center (SU-IMC).

The “Research and Development” program call with a budget of €43.4 million has funded six projects in order to make Turkey’s industries more productive, support the commercialization of innovative products and ideas, decrease the current budget deficit and thus increase the competitiveness of the SMEs in Turkey.

The fact that two of the six supported projects belong to Sabancı University and that the research budget provided to these projects corresponds to the highest European Union project support provided to a university is a proof for the success of Sabancı University's growth strategy with its specialized centers and externally funded research projects. With these projects, Sabancı University will further advance its pioneering role in establishing university-industry collaborations and transforming our industry.

Funded Projects

DiMAP – Direct Digital Manufacturing Platform: With a total budget of €7.9 million, the project led by Prof. Dr.Bahattin Koç with the project researchers: Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yıldız, Assist. Prof. Dr. Thomas Cender, Assist. Prof. Dr. Eralp Demir and Assist. Prof. Dr. Eda Aydoğan Güngör will form a digital manufacturing platform. The project aims to develop smart and digital manufacturing technologies to directly manufacture complex and functional products with required properties and standards using additive manufacturing processes supported by data-driven smart manufacturing and quality control systems. The project will transform and uplift Turkey’s manufacturing SMEs to the EU level by training, consultation, prototyping, and demonstration activities.  SU-IMC’s project partners include Bursa Industrialists and Businessmen Association (BUSIAD), Kocaeli Chamber of Industry (KOSANO), Turkish Composite Manufacturers Association, East Marmara Development Agency (MARKA), SAHA Istanbul and Teknopark Istanbul.

-       Coordinated by the TOSB and co-directed by the SU-IMC Researcher Assist. Prof. Dr. Murat Büyük, another IPA project, “Connected, Automated and Electric Vehicle Technologies and Services Innovation HUB ( CAEVS-INNOHUB)” was also funded under this framework, "Research and Development". The budget allocated to SU-IMC for this project is €462,000. The project aims to create an effective cooperation and synergies between CAEV specialization centers to develop new technologies and services. SU IMC’s project partners include MARKA, TAYSAD, TUBİTAK TUTEL, Okan, Koç and Kocaeli Universities.

We would like to thank all Sabancı University employees, especially the Industrial Cooperation and Technology Licensing Office and the Research and Graduate Policies staff for their contributions in the preparation and successful funding of these two projects.

The Castles of the Future Leader Development Program, launched with the collaboration of Sabancı University, EDU and Kale Group, produced its second graduates, while Digital Transformation and Innovation Academy program produced its first graduates.

Zeynep Bodur Okyay, President and CEO of Kale Group, Selda Seçkinler Oba, Vice President of Kale Group Human Resources Department, and Cüneyt Evirgen, Director of EDU, program executives and Kale Group managers participated in the graduation ceremony held on Tuzla Campus of Sabancı University. Zeynep Bodur Okyay, President and CEO of Kale Group, pointed out that human resources are the most valuable resource to move companies to a successful future.

Dr. Cüneyt Evirgen, Director of EDU, underlined that the ability to leave a mark in today's world may be possible by adapting to digital technologies and playing a role in the development of these technologies while emphasizing change and digitalization. He stated that Kale Group sets a very valuable example in this context both for its sector and for Turkey. After the speeches, Kale Group employees, who completed the Digital Transformation and Innovation Academy and Castles of the Future Leader Development Program, were presented with the “Outstanding Success and Achievement Certificates” and gifts.

At the end of the graduation ceremony, second group participants of the Digital Transformation and Innovation Academy and third group participants of the Castles of the Future Leader Development Program were presented. For Kale Group, learning and development activities will continue with long-term programs without slowing down in 2020 as well.

Our Dear Students,

As you all know, we are going through very difficult and challenging times, on a global scale. As Sabancı University, our first priority in this process is and will be the health and security of our students, our faculty and our staff. We trust that our country, and our university, will succeed in overcoming the difficulties with the help of good preparation, experience, and perseverance.

We are closely following the developments and we are taking the measures necessary to minimize the impact of the epidemic on the academic life of our students. In cooperation with the Turkish Higher Education Council, we have started the preparations for on-line education in all of our programs. As of Monday March 23rd, Sabancı University will be initiating on-line education at undergraduate and graduate levels.

The details will be sent to you by the teaching staff and faculty members who are responsible for your courses. I would like to thank all of our faculty and staff who have worked very hard to make this transition in such a short time. As Sabancı University, we are well aware and proud of our leading role in this endeavor. I wish the best of success to all of you in your on-line studies, and I sincerely hope to be able to see you all on campus, in a few weeks.

With my best wishes,

Yusuf Leblebici

Gül Demirtaş, who is a visiting researcher at Sabancı Business School where she completed her Ph.D. degree, wrote a recently published report on “Corporate Bond Market Trends, Emerging Risks and Monetary Policy” with the OECD’s Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs. The report examines corporate bond markets at the international level and includes a detailed analysis based on comparative data for the past 20 years.

The report draws attention to the fact that, as markets re-adopted expansionary monetary policies at the beginning of 2019, the global debt stock created by bonds non-financial corporations issued reached an unprecedented US$13.5 trillion in real terms at the end of the year; it also emphasizes a drop in the quality of corporate debt.

Commenting on the report, Demirtaş said, “Compared with previous credit cycles, today’s stock of outstanding corporate bonds has lower overall credit quality, higher payback requirements, longer average maturities and inferior covenant protection. All of these amplify the negative effects that an economic downturn would have on the non-financial corporate sector and overall economy.”

The corporate bond issuances in developing countries and the significant increase in the volume of BBB rated bonds since 2008 mean that most of the global debt stock is composed of low-quality bonds. In 2019, only 30% of the global outstanding stock of non-financial corporate bonds were rated A or above and issued by developed countries.

In addition to Demirtaş, Head of Division at the Corporate Governance and Corporate Finance Division of the OECD’s Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs Mats Isaksson and senior economist Serdar Çelik contributed to the report which examined more than 92 thousand corporate bonds issued in 114 countries in 2000-2019.

Demirtaş, who is currently working at Sabancı Business School, has a Ph.D. degree on finance from Sabancı University. She was a Research and Teaching Assistant at Sabancı Business School in 2009-2015 and has worked on corporate finance and corporate management.

The report is available here.  

Sabancı University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Microelectronics Program 2008 undergraduate and Electronics Engineering Program 2010 master's graduate Aydın Aysu, has received a Faculty Early Career Development award, also known as the CAREER Award, from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award is one of the highest honors given by NSF to young faculty members in science and engineering. 

Aydın Aysu is currently a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University. NSF will provide $438,000 in funding over five years to support Aysu’s project, “Physical Side-Channels Beyond Cryptography: Transforming the Side-Channel Framework for Deep Learning.”

Ph.D. students who would like to work on this project with Aydın Aysu can contact him.

Please click here for our alumni Aydın Aysu’s biography.