• Ender Yorgancılar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aegean Region Chamber of Industry:
• “Applied and long-term internships are extremely important for the country’s future”
• “(The cooperation protocol signed with the Council of Higher Education) These are protocols shaped with an understanding of our needs, closely monitored, and designed with future planning in mind”
• “Recent curriculum updates and steps taken to close unnecessary programs in higher education are noteworthy”

April 10, 2026

Ender Yorgancılar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO), recalled the “University–Industry Cooperation Protocol” they signed with the Council of Higher Education and emphasized that applied and long-term internships are extremely important for the country’s future.

As employment-oriented transformation efforts in higher education continue under the leadership of the Council of Higher Education, new steps aimed at strengthening university–industry cooperation are being introduced day by day.

In line with the Council of Higher Education’s vision of an “employment-oriented university,” a “University–Industry Cooperation Protocol” was signed between the Council and EBSO.

Speaking about the protocol, Yorgancılar stated that initiatives carried out within the framework of university–industry cooperation are of great importance for the country’s future.

He noted that they have been closely following the efforts of Erol Özvar, President of the Council of Higher Education, who has been visiting provinces to bring universities and industry together. Yorgancılar described recent curriculum updates and the closure of unnecessary programs in higher education as “noteworthy.”

Emphasizing that industrial and production processes have historically undergone continuous transformation, Yorgancılar stated that it is inevitable for the education system to be updated in parallel with these changes: “In an environment where production models and needs are changing, nothing is more natural than the transformation of education.”

Referring to the signed protocol, he said: “These are protocols that understand our needs, follow developments closely, and are designed with the future in mind.”

- “Applied Education Plays a Decisive Role”

Yorgancılar underlined that “applied education” plays a decisive role in students’ transition into working life, noting that without practical reinforcement, theoretical knowledge alone makes it difficult for graduates to integrate into the system.

He also pointed out that the current understanding of internships needs to be reconsidered and that efforts are underway in this regard. Recalling the cooperation protocol between EBSO and the Council of Higher Education, Yorgancılar stated: “In both faculties and vocational schools, replacing nominal internships with applied and long-term internship models is extremely important for the country’s future.”

Highlighting the fundamental role of education in the development of societies, Yorgancılar emphasized that education and healthcare are among the most essential pillars of a strong society.

He added that, as EBSO, they collaborate with universities in İzmir across various fields and contribute to the professional development of young people through sector-based projects and European Union-supported initiatives.

In line with the Council of Higher Education’s “employment-oriented university” vision, the aim is to educate students not only with theoretical knowledge but also with practical skills and experience. In this context, increasing applied education opportunities through university–industry cooperation supports graduates in entering the workforce more quickly and with stronger qualifications.