The “NGOs at the University” project, where civil society organizations strengthened by academic knowledge offered innovative solutions to societal problems, completed its successful journey with a closing program. Supported by the Ministry of Interior’s Directorate General of Relations with Civil Society and implemented under the leadership of the Amasya Associations Federation (ADEF), the project was carried out in cooperation with Üsküdar University and the Haydi Tut Elimi Association. The closing program, hosted by Üsküdar University, allowed for the evaluation of the project's outputs and served as an inspiration for future collaboration projects.
The closing program, held at Üsküdar University Main Campus Nermin Tarhan conference hall, attracted great interest.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “As Üsküdar University, we have always supported projects”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who delivered the opening speech of the program, emphasized that civil society projects must be sustainable. Tarhan said; “NGOs are social capital. Social capital is as important as monetary capital. The better you manage monetary capital, the more it grows. Especially because we live in the age of communication, individuals with rich social networks can explain their work better. That is, if the quality of your work is one-third of its value, two-thirds is your ability to explain it to others. So, it is important to make it visible, applicable, and sustainable both personally and socially. Therefore, to ensure the sustainability of this project, it is beneficial to take secondary and tertiary steps. As Üsküdar University, we have always supported such projects.”
“We need to achieve modernization while preserving our own culture”
Reminding that NGOs should prioritize efforts towards human development, Tarhan said; “Currently, we call investments in bricks and mortar 'culture'. Those are tangible cultures. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism should not operate like a Museum Ministry. It should invest in people. That is, it needs to build people. Building structures without building people is temporary. At that moment, we would be deceiving ourselves. Therefore, NGOs need to undertake activities aimed at human development. We need to succeed in modernization while preserving our own culture.”
Concrete results and new horizons…
Throughout the event, the tangible achievements obtained within the scope of the project were shared in detail by the participating NGOs. Project Coordinator Turan Sayar presented the innovative approaches implemented by the project and practices that increased social benefit, while Academic Advisors Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış played a significant role in the project's success with their scientific support on the institutionalization and branding of NGOs. Project Cycle Consultant Dr. Lecturer Nebiye Yaşar provided academic guidance with her systematic approach in the planning and implementation phases of the project.
Strong partnerships for the future
At the end of the program, participating NGO representatives, academics, and Üsküdar University management expressed their intentions to collaborate on more comprehensive projects in the future.
The thank-you plaques presented at the closing program and the "NGO Institutionalization and Branding" book underscored that this project was only a beginning and that civil society can become much stronger with academic knowledge.
A new era in social transformation
The “NGOs at the University” project has taken its place in memory as one of the most concrete examples of social innovation and cooperation in Turkey. The project's closing program represented not only the end of a success story but also the beginning of an era where the bond between civil society and academia strengthened further, shedding light on new projects and a hopeful future.
The project will continue to be a guide and source of inspiration for civil society movements that touch human lives, producing innovative and lasting solutions.