19 October 2018 EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND EGIAD

19 OCTOBER 2018

The leading role of Izmir University of Economics (IUE) in education is reaching out to the business world. A protocol has been signed between Mahmut Özgener, Chairman of Izmir Chamber of Commerce, and President of Board of Trustees of Izmir University of Economics, and Aydın Buğra İlter, President of Aegean Young Businessmen Association (EGIAD). The protocol allows members of EGIAD, and employees working at companies owned by members of EGIAD to receive graduate education at a discounted price. A 25% discount in tuition fees will be applied as part of the protocol.

Alongside President Özgener and İlter, IUE General Coordinator Prof. Dr. Murat Borovalı, IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Can Muğan and Members of IUE Board of Trustees attended the protocol ceremony at IUE Board of Trustees Meeting Hall.

President Mahmut Özgener indicated that academy, university, and science needed to underlie the future of the country, and he said, “Nowadays, when technology and economy is developing rapidly worldwide, if we fail to set our goals in the light of science, we would get lost only as a city and country. EGIAD, with its innovative, entrepreneurial structure, takes its rightful place among the most important civil society organizations. We follow the accomplishments of EGIAD closely, and we support them. With almost 650 members, they serve as the well-equipped business people of our city.”

President Özgener reminded that not long ago they called out to the people of Izmir, to all sectors in the city to become the part of education and development projects. “This call has been answered by Aegean Young Businessmen Association. Today, we are signing a protocol with EGIAD in the name of science. Members of EGIAD and employees working at companies owned by members of EGIAD will receive graduate education at our university in line with this protocol. Graduate education is very important for us; it is a step further than undergraduate education. The University offers education with 43 master’s programs and 9 doctoral programs. 558 students are being educated in these programs. Even though the graduate education programs are offered in English, some of the programs offered have Turkish options,” said President Özgener.

Aydın Buğra İlter, President of EGIAD, and Member of IUE Board of Trustees, pointed that they had always been partners with Izmir University of Economics. İlter said, “We work together on entrepreneurship. Therefore, this protocol we signed today will only speed up the processes and collaboration on academic studies, entrepreneurship, internship opportunities, and university-industry collaboration.”