The International Symposium on Youth Employment Challenges (ISYEC), which aims to identify the problems experienced in youth employment and come up with solutions, was held in Istanbul.

Near East University Lecturer Şefik Emre Coşkun represented Northern Cyprus at the international symposium organized with the participation of 18 countries in partnership with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union Education and Youth Programs Center Presidency and Youth@Work.

90 representatives from 18 countries discussed international youth employment
At ISYEC, which was held for the fourth time this year with the support of the Council of Europe, 90 people in the sectors of education, civil society, private sector and public fields from 18 countries came together to exchange ideas on solutions to the youth unemployment problem. In the four-day event, panels, workshops, university visits and experience sharing were carried out. Near East University Lecturer and NERITA Senior Technology Transfer Specialist Şefik Emre Coşkun held a workshop called ’21st Century Competencies and Youth Unemployment’. The results of the workshop on the courses and activities held within the Near East University and Özay Günsel Children’s University and the reflections in this field were conveyed.

Şefik Emre Coşkun: “I think the most important competence of the century is ‘learning to learn’.”
Saying that the 21st century is the period of the fastest transformation in the history of the world due to the impact of technology and digitalization, Şefik Emre Coşkun emphasized that youth should be equipped with 21st century competencies in order to keep up with this rapid change. Stating that they have prepared special programs to help young people gain these competencies with the trainings they have started at Near East University and Özay Günsel Children’s University, Coşkun said that they have prepared training programs on “21st Century Competencies, Learning to Learn and Time Management” for university and children’s university students. “I think the most important competence of the 21st century is ‘learning to learn. Today, the timeliness of information takes a very short time. Therefore, not only students but also professionals should continue the learning process.”, said Şefik Emre Coşkun. Stating that they aim to increase the knowledge and skills of young people by raising awareness on this subject with the training programs they have prepared, Coşkun said that he is happy to share the experience and results obtained with the training programs they have carried out at the Near East University and Özay Günsel Children’s University by participating in the International Symposium on Challenges and Opportunities in Youth Employment