A cooperation protocol signing ceremony was held between Üsküdar University and the Social Media and Digital Security Education Research Association (SODİMER). Üsküdar University Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, SODİMER President Prof. Dr. Levent Eraslan, Üsküdar University Secretary General Selçuk Uysaler, Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Aylin Tutgun Ünal, and Üsküdar University Head of Corporate Communications Tahsin Aksu attended the signing ceremony.
Prof. Dr. Levent Eraslan: “The digital world has a great need for such institutions”
SODİMER President Prof. Dr. Levent Eraslan, who gave the opening speech of the protocol ceremony, made evaluations about the work focused on the digital world. Eraslan said; “SODİMER is a non-governmental organization established two years ago, working with the motto 'guide of the digital world'. We had also been together with Mr. Nevzat Tarhan at one or two meetings before. We are now greatly enjoying signing this protocol. We have four areas of work: digital games, social media, digital security, and digital currency. We are an NGO with nearly 100 faculty members, 7 directorates, 2 country representations, and we conduct all our work in our field for free. It is a continuation of an academic unit I established while serving as vice-rector at Anadolu University. We are carrying out very intensive work such as the digital teacher academy, the digital parent school, and the metaverse school which we will open today, and mathematics support programs. Furthermore, last week, we established a structure called the Turkey Metaverse Platform. It is an open structure for everyone who thinks locally and nationally, including 20 large companies. Two important institutions, I am aware of your work aimed at the digital world. In this sense, I hope we create a very good cooperation, a beautiful synergy. Because the digital world has a great need for such institutions. In the system we have currently established, we have trained one hundred thousand teachers in the last two years. We provide training to thousands of people, and I would like to reiterate that we do all of it for free.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “There is a global wind in society regarding digitalization”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who spoke about whether we will be the subject or the object of digitalization, said; “I thank everyone who contributed to this. Digitalization has seriously emerged as a reality of the 21st century in the world. Such a digital transformation is taking place all over the world. Or rather, a digital revolution is taking place. I am following Professor Levent, who recognized this digitalization early and carried out public awareness efforts regarding it. I thank him on this occasion. There is a global wind in society regarding digitalization. Here, will we be the subject or the object of digitalization? We need to decide this. If we are to be the object of digitalization, some will produce, and we will apply. In such a situation, we will be the object of imperialism. In other words, we will be exploited. Currently, one of these post-colonial works in all colonization efforts worldwide is a new understanding of colonialism after colonialism. This is an understanding of colonialism based on voluntarism, based on consent. This is something inherent in human nature.”
“It is not a struggle for power, but a struggle for dominance”
Tarhan emphasized that we should use digitalization as a tool, not an end; “Those who hold power want to maintain that power. In fact, this is not a struggle for power, but a struggle for dominance. There is a feeling of 'let me dominate the world more' rather than 'let me be richer, let me be more powerful.' Within this feeling of dominance, digitalization has provided very serious opportunities to those who want to rule the world. Here, if we have the consciousness to say no, to be ourselves, we need to know how to protect our own boundaries and create our own platforms in such situations. In this regard, we need to realize that we should use digitalization as a tool, not an end. The victims of this are mostly children and young people. It is very good that you have started this in the style of a parent school. Therefore, these are not works that the state can do. They are works that require voluntarism and dedication. For this reason, since such applications are always gratuitous, and the people on the other side do not expect anything, they are more convincing and closer to acceptance. To create a mental transformation in a person, it is necessary to first create an emotional transformation. Therefore, it is very important that we act with sincerity and genuine intent, not in a self-serving way. SODİMER is trying to do this. For this, it especially deserves thanks.”
“Group intelligence is the intelligence of this era”
Tarhan, addressing the importance of establishing good cooperation and healthy communication to activate the group intelligence of this era, said; “As a university, if we succeed in being together, doing things together, and acting together, we call this collective thinking, collective initiative. Individual developments, individual intelligences are limited, but group intelligence is the intelligence of this era. Therefore, to activate the group intelligence of this era, cooperation and healthy communication are important. I am very hopeful about young people in digitalization. We organize a Science and Idea Festival. The first one was held in 2013 in collaboration with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, and the theme of 2013 was artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence gained prominence after Davos in 2018, but we had formed a joint collaboration in 2013, seeing that the future was here 5-6 years earlier, telling high school students to do something about it. Since then, we have continued the Science and Idea Festival with the Ministry of National Education. I should also mention that the project idea for this originated from Üsküdar University. In 2013, we researched worldwide whether high school or university students were doing something like this. We were the first in Turkey. Combining learning with fun, providing disciplined and enjoyable learning was important for students for permanent learning. Therefore, we implemented this. We will continue it in future works. In digitalization, dreaming is very important. We wanted to transform our dreams into project ideas and then move them to the digital realm. Digitalization has its downsides as well as its benefits. Those who say the world is moving towards digital dictatorship are right, but the solution is not to complain. We are a culture close to Eastern culture. Instead of complaining, we need to take action. There is a saying in Anatolia; 'Instead of stoning the devil, applaud the saints.' We need to reinforce the positive instead of stoning the negative. It should be the same in digitalization. I hope it leads to good things.” He concluded his speech.
The online program concluded after the signing of the protocols and a group photo.