Abdullah Gül University (AGU) Rector Prof. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu said as a university they will create societal benefit with education and research outcomes.
The Search Conference was organized jointly by AGU and Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality on the "Kayseri in 2050" theme and started to create shared wisdom and participatory planning.
At Radisson Blu Hotel, Kayseri Mayor Mustafa Çelik delivered the opening speech and said, in order to envisage Kayseri correctly in 2050, population is the priority issue to take into account.
Mayor Çelik said: "An old population is awaiting us. That is a fact. We need to discuss what to do with regard to that fact. Our city receives immigrants at regional, national and international levels. Recently, a great number of immigrants came from Syria. Thereby, what should we do concerning immigration policies in the next 50 years? Should we concentrate the population in the city center or feed people wherever they are born? We need to plan them all."
AGU Rector Prof. İhsan Sabuncuoğlu stated that they aim to be a university turning education and research into societal benefit and for that reason AGU has roles and responsibilities in the future design dreamed for Kayseri.
Expressing that they have been creating a different and ambitious university which Turkey has not had, Rector Sabuncuoğlu explained the 3rd generation university model with education, research and societal impact functions and said, AGU was on the way of becoming one.
Sabuncuoğlu said:
"Our university have used these 3 essential functions in its basic design. We are going to be a university which transforms its education and research into societal benefit. We know that universities around the world will change their course in similar ways. That's why we have been taking steps towards creating a 3rd generation university. This conference is very important for us. We would like to catch project ideas for the next 15 years here and realize them."
Former Kayseri Mayor and current Kayseri Deputy Mehmet Özhaseki also made a presentation and talked about the projects launched in Kayseri.
Özhaseki stressed that they completed many projects without using public resources and budget and many of their practices were dubbed the Kayseri Model.
Özhaseki added: "The route and targets should be determined so that when the wind is favorable, it will help. We need to plan how to act and what to do so that this city might flourish and become an attraction center for its environment."
The Search Conference started after the opening ceremony and included discussions and brainstorming around "Strong Steps in the Future of Kayseri."
Afterwards, group discussions were carried out on "Future Directions and Designs for Kayseri."
Academics, university students, businessmen, representatives of media, non-governmental organizations and municipalities across the country came to the conference. Tomorrow's program includes discussions about a strategic road map.
