Istanbul Commerce University (ITICU), Turkey
The Istanbul Commerce University has been established with the initiative of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and aims to bring the vision of international knowledge participation and scientific research in modern and applied education supported by modern technologies. The university has about 4000 students and is composed of five faculties and vocational education centres running graduate programs, and a further three Institutes running graduate programs focusing on industrial applications. The faculty consists of 165 full time professors with notable experience in local and international universities. The university established the "European Union Practice & Research Centre" in 2004, targeting the investigation and study of the legal, political, economic, social and cultural aspects of the European Union and supporting collaboration in research with European academia. The objectives of Istanbul Commerce University support the Bologna Declarations and the ERASMUS Education Coordination (EUEEC) in an interdisciplinary approach, which aims to contribute towards the upgrading of Turkish - European Union relationships. Multicultural and multilingual educational aspects are supported through bilateral agreements with other European Universities like those with the "Institut d'etudes Politiques, Grenoble -France", "The University of Udine, Italy" and "Birmingham University in the UK".
Dr. Gulgun Kayakutlu
Dr. Gulgun Kayakutlu (PhD Engineering Management, Marmara University) is associate professor and Assistant Director of the Institute of Analytical Sciences in ITICU. Before joining the University, she was the founder and General Manager of Sybase Turkey, where she managed several real-time transaction projects in the private sector and many B2B projects in the Government sector. She developed strong international team-work skills while working for the OECD and the International Energy Agency for over 7 years in Paris (1982-1990). Since 1996, Dr. Kayakutlu works in the virtual team of ENTOVATION as one of the top hundred knowledge management experts. For the last two years she has partnered the management of strategic planning and reconstruction of a textile holding with fourteen companies.
Professor Dr. Kerem Alkin
Professor Dr. Kerem Alkin (PhD Economics, University of Istanbul) is Director of the Institute of Social Sciences at the Istanbul Commerce University. He has been teaching many aspects of the economic science at both graduate and undergrduate levels. Prior to that he worked with State Planning Organisation (SPO) on National Development Plans with focus on Industrial development. Professor Alkin holds various high-ranking positions in a number of institutions including that of advisor to the Turkish Armed Forces Center of Strategic Research (SAREM), the State Planning Organisation (SPO), the Istanbul Stock Exchange and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. He has published widely and appears regularly in the mass media as an economic development and policy expert.