Istanbul, April 20 – Ibn Haldun University and the Yeni Türkiye Eğitim Vakfı (YETEV) have officially launched a cooperation protocol for the ‘Next-Generation English Teaching Ecosystem: Human, Technology, and Value-Oriented YETEV Schools Language Model’ project. The signing ceremony took place at the Media and Event Center of Ibn Haldun University Campus in Başakşehir.
Project Aims to Revolutionize English Language Education
The ceremony was attended by Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan, Rector of Ibn Haldun University, and Yusuf Tüfekçi, General Manager of YETEV Schools. The project aims to enhance students’ language skills, support the professional development of teachers, and ensure the active participation of parents in the educational process. It also seeks to establish a holistic educational approach that aligns with international standards.
Through this collaboration, the two institutions plan to create an exemplary model that integrates a human-centered approach to education with technology. The project goes beyond curriculum development to establish an integrated educational ecosystem focused on human values, technology, and values. This innovative perspective is expected to transcend traditional language teaching methods.
Statements from Key Representatives
Yusuf Tüfekçi, General Manager of YETEV Schools, emphasized the foundation’s commitment to a strong education that extends beyond academic and basic religious values. “We, as the YETEV Foundation, are striving to be the representative of a strong education that is built upon these values but whose wings spread like octopus arms in every direction. In this sense, our esteemed Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Bilal, and his team, and with us always and everywhere, most recently in Dil Köyü, when I presented it to Mr. Bilal, he said: ‘Hocam, Ibn Haldun is our home, we are their home. Therefore, we are individuals living in the same house, how much we can benefit from each other’ – this statement gives us extra strength. This is not just a language issue, but a perspective, a philosophy. We will create a new language model that is based on humanity, values, and an integrated system. In fact, this is also a system integrated into the ‘Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli’ (Türkiye Century Education Model) currently functionally used and implemented by our Ministry. We will now establish a new system by identifying language with the content of that Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli. Therefore, perhaps many schools in Turkey, and even our Ministry, will take this language model, which includes our religious values and sensitivities, as a model. We would be honored by this. We would experience the happiness and honor of laying the foundation for this. In this regard, I would like to thank Ibn Haldun University, our esteemed Rector, his team, and Furkan Alpakoç for empowering us, hosting us, and supporting us in this regard,” he stated.
Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan, Rector of Ibn Haldun University, highlighted the importance of effective cyclicality in education. “We see you as a stakeholder, as a sibling. However, we see each other as complementary. YETEV is our sister institution, but we also move forward with our other stakeholders in the same way. What we see there is, I emphasize, in terms of experience transfer. One of the most critical things in the state of higher education and education is to be able to effectively operate cyclicality with society and the individual. From primary school to high school, you are dealing with. Therefore, the key thing for you is to achieve cyclicality with the family. If you cannot achieve that, you will see the relationship between the child and the family when you work closely. Therefore, you need to be there as a complementary institution. When we came, we saw it this way too. For example, we first switched to the 7+1 model in the Faculty of Communication. Then, simultaneously, there were long-term internships in Business and Economics. Now, approximately 10 departments will all switch to 7+1 for undergraduate studies. Why? 7+1 is this: after giving the child seven semesters of theoretical lessons, they need to be in life for one semester and you need to be nourished from there. Otherwise, in an era where artificial intelligence accelerates change so much, what is the most fundamental problem for teachers? It is very tiring to adapt to the speed of change. And age is a very important factor here. If your age increases, your adaptation capacity decreases. If you are young, you can adapt more,” Arkan explained.
Managing Conflicts Effectively
Arkan also touched upon the inevitability of conflicts in institutions and families. “We will probably be in a world where conflicts occur within institutions and families for another 30 years, I don’t know how it will be in the future. This is in the nature of things. Therefore, the issue is to manage conflicts effectively and productively. It is necessary to touch upon the reality of life, the reality of the family, and the reality of the child and act upon it. We truly value you as a stakeholder. The feedback we receive from you while working with you is extremely important to us. In this regard, we are slowly moving towards that in the mentor-teacher program and the master’s program. Therefore, we look at it this way, as a partnership. And perhaps the most important secret of a successful establishment is this. Beyond that, let’s do much better work and produce work that will be a model for other schools in our country,” he concluded.
Following the speeches, the cooperation protocol between the two institutions was formally signed. The ceremony concluded with a group photo session.
