Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Attending the foundation ceremony of the TOBB ETU Technology Center in addition to Hisarcıklıoğlu were Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız and Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz.

TOBB President and TOBB ETU Board of Trustees Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu touched on the importance of invention and investing in technology.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that witnessing the laying of the foundation of this facility is seeing firsthand the fruits of the cooperation between university and industry and drew attention to the goals of TOBB ETU.

Hisarcıklıoğlu went on, “We, as TOBB, founded TOBB ETU in 2004 with 270 students. We had a goal, to be among the best in 10 years. Thankfully, we achieved this in less than 10 years. With our education policies we have become one of the most successful universities of Turkey. Today, TOBB ETU is the choice of champions. Last year 14 of the top 100 students taking part in the university exam chose TOBB ETU. There are many differences which sets TOBB ETU apart from other universities.”

- “New entrepreneurs are being trained”

“New entrepreneurs will of course be trained in a university founded by entrepreneurs. TOBB ETU’s biggest difference is that it acts as the bridge between the academic community and the business world. TOBB ETU is one of the innovative universities of Turkey. Neither petroleum nor gold, the most important capital of the 21st century are entrepreneurs. TOBB ETU is intimately aware of this and functions as an entrepreneurship workshop, training graduates with leadership and enterprising spirit.

With this vision, TOBB ETU has achieved another first in Turkey. As part of the joint education system it has developed, TOBB ETU provides its students the opportunity to work in the most prominent establishments of Turkey.

Only our university runs a trimester calendar. This is because the private sector works relentlessly, so the university of the private sector will need to work come summer or winter.

During one of the trimesters, the students work and gain experience in establishments.

In addition our students are insured and paid just like employees. This means TOBB ETU students graduate with nearly a year of work experience.

They say ‘there’s a big difference between knowing and doing’. Truly, youth receive theoretical education in universities but without practice, they experience difficulties in business life.
Thanks to the joint education system our students get to know the business world, receive practical training. They are able to better determine what they want from life, what field to focus on.
In addition, successful students receive job offers from the places where they were interned even before they graduate.

Turkey’s greatest problem is unemployment, except for TOBB ETU graduates. Until now, 86% of our graduates have begun their careers. This is the highest ratio in Turkey.”

- TOBB ETU works throughout the year like companies

The joint education system benefits not only the students, said Hisarcıklıoğlu and that companies stand to gain much, “In normal systems, students only took internships during the summer. We, on the other hand, send our students in the winter and spring as well.

- Success stories of the students

“Our students Püren Canbolat and Sait Çetinkaya have, through their joint training process, ensured that Hidrosan received ISO 9001 Quality Certificate.

Mechanical Engineering Department’s  Emrah Karakaya invented the “optical sensor bottle holder” during his internship, which was bought by Arçelik who applied for the patent.

Electrical-Electronic Department student Eren Zeybek decreased the sterilization duration by 15% at Trans Medikal which produces sterilizers. When you consider that these will be used in every medical operation, Eren’s project will save a hospital 2,500 TL per month. This equates to 30,000 TL for a hospital per year and 3 million TL for a 100 hospitals.

Arçelik’s washing machine factory has profited by 1 million TL thanks to Gülin Begüm Ünal’s zero forklift project.
Three of our students at TAI have won 155,000 Dollars monthly through four different projects.

It is not just our engineers who innovate. All of our students are very successful.
Begün Çelenkoğlu in Visual Communications Design Dept. designed and produced the mascot for Rigips.
The company uses the mascot all over the world, in all domestic and international fairs.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We put forth a challenge. We said that we would train entrepreneurs. See now that we have entrepreneurs who are putting forth innovative ideas. I am overjoyed by this. I am very proud of our students and young inventors.”

- Strong academic staff

Pointing out that TOBB ETU has a strong academic staff in addition to its successful students, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Our academicians have carried TOBB ETU to the top with their publications and projects. Engineering Faculty Biomedical Engineering Department Faculty Member Asst. Dr. Teyfik Demir was selected for the 40 People Under 40 Successful in the Field of Medical Technology by the Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry, headquartered in England.
Following this success, he founded the first Clinical Biomechanics Laboratory in Turkey at TOBB ETU.

This is just one of the many successes of our academicians. TOBB ETU academicians are just as entrepreneurial as its students.”

- A new era is beginning with the TOBB ETU Technology Center

Stating that a new era is beginning with the laying of the foundation of the TOBB ETU Technology Center, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that the Technology Center would consolidate all of the TOBB ETU Faculty of Engineering’s laboratories in a single place. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In the Center, there will be studio and design workshops as well as engineering research centers. We will consolidate over 70 laboratories in a single place. Our students will bring their ideas to life here. The first prototypes will be built in this center.”

Stating that the most interesting part of the TOBB ETU Technology Center will be the Water Turbine Design and Test Center, Hisarcıklıoğlu said,

“In addition to the 10 million TL grant from the Development Ministry for the establishment of the Design and Test Center, TOBB is also contributing 10 million TL. TEMSAN will also be providing important contributions regarding the testing apparatus.

A matter which needs to be underlined is that the Center will provide significant contributions to the country. In the next five years, 1,500 hydroelectric power plants will need to test their water turbines.

Don’t scoff at the costs of these tests, just a single one costs hundreds of thousands of Dollars to be spent abroad.
On the other hand, after the Design and Test Center is established, our dependency on foreign sources for design testing as well as water turbine production will decrease.

Domestic firms, although they have the power and ability to produce water turbines, have not been able to take to the field of turbine production because testing and design were not able to be conducted in Turkey.

This way, companies who take part in the production process, like TEMSAN, will have an easier job and will be able to work in this field, increasing the number of SMEs.

If we are able to produce turbines domestically the Test Center will save us from 6 billion Dollars in spending annually including the costs of design and testing.

This will contribute 6 billion Dollars towards solving the current deficit. In addition to new power plants, renovation work will be undertaken at the Design and Testing Center.

As you can see, this is the result of a shared vision. The Ministry of Energy has taken steps to steer Turkey towards renewable energy. The private sector has ramped up the investments.

The Development Ministry and TOBB will open the way for investments, all that is left is to build this monument which will unearth Turkey’s renewable energy potential.

We are undertaking an endeavor which will ultimately benefit everyone, especially our country.”

After M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu’s speech, Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız also spoke on the importance and significance of the facility.
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