IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS IN THE FIRST 50, AGAIN
Izmir University of Economics (IUE) moved from 35th place to 28th in the “Interuniversity Entrepreneurship and Innovation Index” listed by TUBITAK based on the entrepreneurship and innovation performances of the universities. In this way, Izmir University of Economics resumed its status of being the only foundation university from Aegean Region with 38.95 points in the index announced by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology.
Ekrem Demirtaş, President of IUE Board of Trustees, pointed out that the list had been prepared since 2012, and they felt proud of ranking in the most entrepreneur and innovative 50 universities every year as the only foundation university from the Aegean Region. President Demirtaş said, “Entrepreneurship and Innovation Index, ranks the universities in terms of their entrepreneurship and innovation performances, and contributes to the increase of competition between the universities. We did not establish this university to train graduates with a standard education. We’ve made it clear from the beginning that we would be training the entrepreneurs this country needs of. And we were to accomplish this through an innovative approach, and this last statement is a proof of our accomplishment. Years of labour has been acknowledge officially with this ranking again.”
‘Entrepreneurship is a tough track’
President Demirtaş indicated that they took pride in training graduates creating employment not seeking employment. Demirtaş stated the following:
“Entrepreneurship is a tough track. We expected our students to reveal the distinction of “Izmir University of Economics” in the entrepreneurship track. Embriyonix unit, without a doubt, has a major role in carrying out the projects that enabled our students to launch their own businesses, start their own companies while they were still studying. Embriyonix is a centre that helps developing projects especially on technology and design, and accelerates finding investors to launch businesses. Some of them, while still students, made millions of dollars; while some looked out for their family businesses, some became successful entrepreneurs by taking big risks with zero capital. I would like to congratulate the IUE Family who moves us up in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Index list every year.”
‘Moving according to our strategies’
IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Oğuz Esen mentioned that Entrepreneurship and Innovation Index listed the universities based on 23 indicators such as scientific and technological research competency of the universities, intellectual property pool, collaboration and interaction, entrepreneurship and innovation culture, and economic contribution and commercialization. Moving up to the 28th place among 144 universities was based on working diligently in establishing their future strategies, and moving steadfastly, stated Prof. Dr. Esen. “We scored 6.8 points in Scientific and Technological Research Competency, 5.6 points in Intellectual Property Pool, 14.4 points in Collaboration and Interaction, 7.8 points in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Culture, and 4.3 points in economic contribution and commercialization. We scored a total of 38.95 points and became the only foundation university from Aegean Region to have made it in the list,” remarked Prof. Dr. Esen.
