Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel evaluated the role of universities in the new world transformed by artificial intelligence.
"Universities are now part of the global competition ecosystem"
Evaluating the topic of "Professions of the Future and the Artificial Intelligence Revolution" during these days when the preference marathon continues, Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel said, "A university is an ecosystem. This ecosystem has many components such as its academics, students, and university-industry collaborations. First-generation universities focused on transferring knowledge. Second-generation universities became R&D-oriented. Third-generation universities transformed into entrepreneurship-focused institutions aiming for the produced knowledge to turn into products. Today, fourth-generation universities have transformed into structures that support entrepreneurship to compete within global networks."
Stating that this transformation has also changed students' understanding of education, Prof. Ergüzel said, "Within this transforming ecosystem, we must ensure that our students establish the right relationships with academics, industry, and other stakeholders. Because graduation no longer means just getting a diploma."
"Being able to write good projects is one of the most important competencies of the future"
Expressing that projects play a decisive role in the professions of the future, Prof. Ergüzel said, "A project has four main characteristics. It must be original. It must be based on scientific methods. It must be widely applicable. The results obtained must also be reproducible. We apply an educational model that progresses systematically from the first year to ensure our students acquire these competencies."
"Project culture starts in the first year"
Explaining that project-based education at Üsküdar University starts from students' first year, Prof. Ergüzel said, "First, we teach the University Culture course. We discuss what a university is, what is expected from a student, and what values the university will add to life. Then comes our Entrepreneurship and Project Culture course. In the third year, we have project-based elective courses. In the final year, our students prepare their graduation projects. Thus, we create a project culture that develops step by step throughout four years."
"We have established a strong ecosystem from BrainPark to student clubs"
Stating that students are supported not only through courses but also through different platforms within the university, Prof. Ergüzel said, "We have an incubation center within our university. We have BrainPark. We have R&D working groups. We have student clubs. Therefore, our students can benefit from a wide range of support mechanisms in terms of academics, entrepreneurship, and research according to their interests."
"Anxiety about finding a job is extremely natural"
Stating that one of the biggest concerns of university candidates is post-graduation employment, Prof. Ergüzel said, "It is extremely natural for the concern about finding a job to be a priority. Because after university, there is a working life, family life, and career plan. We also experienced the same concerns during our student years. The university's duty in this process is to guide the student correctly."
"Students who can turn knowledge into products stand out"
Stating that merely possessing theoretical knowledge is no longer sufficient, Prof. Ergüzel said, "In business life, not only knowledge is measured. The skills to turn knowledge into products and implement them are also evaluated. For this reason, we aim for our students to gain this experience during their university years, not after graduation."
Science Idea Festival prepares students for the future
Stating that the Science Idea Festival and Hackathon organizations held at the university make significant contributions to students' development, Prof. Ergüzel said, "Competitive applications such as the Science Idea Festival and Hackathon provide our students with very important experiences. We see that significant contributions are made to the professional development of our students who achieve important successes, especially in Hackathons."
"Project culture should start in high school years"
Stating that the Science Idea Festival appeals not only to university students but also to high school students, Prof. Ergüzel said, "We do not limit this process only to university years. The main reason for extending the Science Idea Festival to high school students is to instill a project writing culture at an early age. Students who acquire the approach of systematically solving a problem when faced with it during high school come to university much better prepared."
"We have TÜBİTAK and TÜSEB-supported student projects"
Stating that Üsküdar University students have signed numerous projects supported by national and international funds, Prof. Ergüzel continued:
"Our university has many student projects supported by national organizations such as TÜBİTAK, TÜSEB, as well as international funding providers. Studying in a good department is not enough on its own. If you support this with strong projects and international collaborations, you gain very significant advantages after graduation. Writing a project is not just about doing scientific work. You also learn to manage communication with your teammates, partners, and stakeholders within the project. Therefore, project experience is a very important educational process that develops students' communication skills."
"Artificial intelligence is transforming every profession"
Stating that artificial intelligence plays a direct role in some professions and a supportive role in others, Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel said, "There are professions that heavily use artificial intelligence, as well as professions that use it as a supportive tool. The distinguishing factor here, whether in health sciences, engineering, or social sciences, is the strong acquisition of competencies specific to that field. This is precisely the fundamental duty of universities."
"A university is not just an institution that provides knowledge, but an ecosystem that builds values"
Explaining that the educational journey of students at Üsküdar University is planned and structured progressively, Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel said:
"We start with University Culture, mature it with Entrepreneurship and Project Culture, and complete it with Project-Based Elective Courses and a graduation project. In addition, our university's value-oriented pillar includes the 24 Golden Values approach. While the main mission of the university is to provide education, you actually prepare the candidate for business life, society, and the world. Educating a very good engineer is valuable, but when you educate an engineer with values, they become an individual who contributes to society with the software they develop and the applications they create. Our priority is not just to educate a good engineer or a good health scientist; it is to educate value-oriented individuals."
"Artificial intelligence is not a threat, but a powerful business partner"
Stating that artificial intelligence will transform employment in some areas, but the real difference will be made by those who use technology effectively, Prof. Ergüzel continued:
"It is certain that artificial intelligence will narrow the scope of employment in some professions. However, the question to be concerned about is not whether artificial intelligence will take over the profession. Those who use artificial intelligence correctly will surpass their colleagues who do not use it at all or use it poorly. If you can use artificial intelligence tools well, you will be at an advantage in terms of employment. Absolutely, within a few years, there will be no professional field left that is not proficient in artificial intelligence tools or does not use it as a business partner. Therefore, artificial intelligence is not a threat, but a powerful business partner that saves time, provides analytical power, and facilitates tasks. It is necessary to see artificial intelligence as an opportunity rather than a threat and to use this tool appropriately."
"The era of classic CVs is ending"
Stating that the business world now places more importance on digital portfolios than classic CVs, Prof. Ergüzel said, "Our expectation from candidates now is to prepare digital resumes rather than classic CVs. What projects did the student take part in during university life, what did they learn; it may not be possible to fit these into a CV format. In their digital resumes, they can include videos of the projects they've done and talk about themselves. What you call a resume should not just consist of text. There should also be videos. A digital portfolio that describes the projects they have done since high school, the awards they have received, and how they developed them will provide a significant advantage in terms of employment after graduation."
"When choosing a university, question its distinguishing feature"
Addressing the candidates during the preference period, Prof. Ergüzel said, "Prospective students should first question what the distinguishing feature of a university is. Afterwards, they should evaluate the differences specific to the department. The most accurate way to do this is to visit the university, and listen to the academics and students."
"University is the most important investment in the future"
Stating that choosing a university is one of the most critical investments in life, Prof. Ergüzel said, "University is an investment in the future. When investing in your future, this process must be carried out with the right investment advisor, the right academician, and the right university. A university should provide a student with three fundamental qualities: self-confidence, leadership skills, and communication. Each of our students has different aptitudes. Project development environments, student clubs, social activities, and hackathons that enable these to emerge must be present at the university. The goal is to bring out each student's unique skills."
"Universities that prepare for life's challenges will make a difference"
Stating that getting a diploma does not mean the end of the struggle, Prof. Ergüzel concluded, "Winning a department does not mean the struggle is over. Life will present unexpected difficulties. One of the fundamental missions of the university is to educate students to cope with these difficulties. Universities that prepare students not only for a profession but also for life will make the real difference."
