A “Graduate Education Collaboration Protocol” was signed between Sakarya University of Applied Sciences (SUBÜ) and the 1st Organized Industrial Zone Directorate (SOSB). According to the protocol, courses and thesis consultations for SUBÜ’s two thesis-based master’s programs will be held in a building allocated to the university by the industrial zone.
The protocol was signed by SUBÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sarıbıyık and Mustafa Gültepe, Vice President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and Chairman of the SOSB Board of Directors, marking a first of its kind in Turkey. Under this agreement, courses and thesis consultations for the International Business Management and International Trade and Logistics master’s programs of the SUBÜ Graduate Education Institute will take place on the SOSB campus.
The protocol aims to strengthen university-industry collaboration, enable employees of companies within the SOSB to pursue graduate education, and ensure that theses produced contribute to improving business processes and solving problems in SOSB-affiliated companies. The signing ceremony was held at the SUBÜ Faculty of Sport Sciences lounge and attended by SUBÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ali Fuat Boz, Graduate Education Institute Director Prof. Dr. Zafer Tatlı, UBF Vice Dean Sinan Esen, representatives from the Technology Transfer Office, SOSB Board Vice Chairman Haşim Yücel, and SOSB Regional Director Ahmet Çubuk.
Committed to Achieving Great Work
Highlighting the +1 Applied Education Model, which allows students working in R&D departments to receive credit for two courses, Rector Sarıbıyık stated, “As a university, we are always open to collaborating with the business world. We have previously received the Community Service Award, one of the Higher Education Council’s (YÖK) Excellence Awards, for an R&D project. Many business representatives come to our classes and meet our students, helping them understand the business world. Full-time 16-week internships further strengthen this adaptation. Studies show that our graduates are preferred by employers. We are always eager to achieve great work in both R&D and education, and we wholeheartedly believe that we will accomplish even more together.”
Faculty Members in the Field
Rector Sarıbıyık also emphasized the importance of gaining professional experience, saying, “YÖK emphasizes the importance of opening schools within industrial zones, and the Ministry supports these initiatives per student. We are actively working on establishing a school within the OSB. One major complaint has been theses gathering dust on shelves, which we aim to eliminate. Theses should be useful. Another complaint was that faculty members were not going into the field. Our system requires faculty to engage with the field, allowing them to observe the business environment closely and update course content based on real-world conditions.”
SUBÜ Ahead in University-Industry Collaboration
Mustafa Gültepe, TİM Vice President and SOSB Board Chairman, stated, “University-industry collaboration has often been discussed but rarely implemented. Sakarya University of Applied Sciences is already ahead in this regard. Two years ago, we launched a program to increase enrollment and standards in universities offering textile education. We first invested in our students, created scholarships, worked with YÖK, and set clear criteria with rewards. There was a huge demand. When discussing with academics, we insisted that seniors must be present in companies. Some faculty were hesitant, but we implemented it with job guarantees. SUBÜ has been applying this approach across all departments since its foundation. With the integration of master’s studies, new knowledge, innovative ideas, and practical experience will come together, generating projects Turkey truly needs.
