IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS’ SUPPORT TO FUTURE LEADERS
First steps towards training the future entrepreneurs and leaders have been taken at the International RYLA (The Rotary Youth Leadership Award) meeting organized by the lead of Urla Rotary Club and support of Izmir University of Economics (IUE). Approximately 80 young people attended a two-day seminar on “Young Entrepreneurship and Leadership” at the organization that was held at Euphoria Aegean Resort Hotel, Seferihisar.
Ertan Soydan, Chair of Urla Rotary Club RYLA Seminar Organization Committee and Member of IUE Board of Trustees, stated that they provided training on leadership and entrepreneurship to 80 young people between the ages of 18 – 25, in his speech. Soydan said, “By this means, we would like to promote the Rotary Club and allow them to become good Rotarians. We are preparing the foundation for them to become successful leaders. This time our topic is young entrepreneurship and leadership. The motto of the event is ‘Seeking Future Leaders’. We are helping our youth to lay a strong foundation for future.”
‘Equip yourself with knowledge to have an easier work life’
Levent Gökçeer, IUE Secretary General, and Taylan Özgür Demirkaya, IUE Director of Embriyonix, also shared their opinions and talked about entrepreneurship and leadership at the organization. Levent Gökçeer pointed out that with the university education being over, individuals had to face the real life, and he made the following recommendations to the students:
“Social relations are very significant. Social relations you develop throughout your education, your empathy skills, working with civil society organizations, these all help you develop, improve. Having a good quality of education at high school or university, and speaking a second language is a major advantage. In addition to this, if you are able to do a master’s, or even a doctorate along with your work life, you will be able to overcome the difficulties much easier. The more you equip yourself with knowledge, the easier your work life will get.”
‘Meaning creates money’
Taylan Özgür Demirkaya, on the other hand, indicated that the mentality during university education affected the work life. Demirkaya also provided information on entrepreneurship, and he said, “Entrepreneurship is not a job, but a state of mind. Therefore, solving a problem should be more important here. Which problem are you solving? You should do a better job of what you are doing. People need to focus on your solution. They should be ready to pay for that or get involved in. Meaning creates money.”
Hülya Köseleci, Chair of Regional RYLA Committee, stated that 20 of the 80 participants were ERASMUS students. She said the fact that the scholarship students attending the event was important for them, and that they held interactive trainings for the participants.
