A significant step was taken towards joint work in the fields of digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and technology production with the signing of a cooperation protocol between Near East University and the Cyprus Entrepreneurship and Technology Investment Association (GİTYAD).
The “Digital Future Summit”, held in collaboration between the Digital Education and Information Unit (DEBİM), the Near East Research Innovation and Technology Area (NERITA), and the Social Research and Development Center (TAGEM), all operating within Near East University, which is among the top 500 universities in the world, and the Cyprus Entrepreneurship and Technology Investment Association (GİTYAD), brought together the academic, technology, and entrepreneurial worlds on a common platform.
The summit, which addressed the societal impacts of digital transformation, from production processes to cybersecurity, brought together the academic, technology, and entrepreneurial worlds. The event featured comprehensive assessments of the digital future, focusing on questions such as “How do I start? How do I think differently? How do I produce? How do I protect?” At the summit, GİTYAD President Temel Üngör shared his experiences regarding the entrepreneurship ecosystem with his presentation titled “It’s Courage, Not Ideas, That Brings Success.” Prof. Dr. Uğur Serincan from Eskişehir University of Technology explained the process of transforming scientific knowledge into production with his presentation “From Science to Product: The Journey of Nanotechnology.” Electronics and Information Technology Expert Kazım Ateş drew attention to digital security risks in his speech titled “The Invisible Threat: The Reality of Cybersecurity in the TRNC.” NERITA President Prof. Dr. Murat Özgören also participated in the summit with his presentation “Shaping the Future Together.”
The event was moderated by TAGEM Presidents Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay and Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay, and Specialist Lecturer Murat Cem Acaralp; the opening speeches were given by Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt and DEBİM Director Prof. Dr. Sezer Kanbul.
Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, in his opening speech, emphasized that artificial intelligence is one of the most important transformative elements of today’s world. “The saying ‘A specter is haunting Europe’, which emerged years ago, is perhaps the most important manifesto in human history. What it evoked was much debated. In my opinion, the specter haunting the world today is artificial intelligence”, said Prof. Dr. Kurt, adding that countries that demonstrate development in artificial intelligence, software, and entrepreneurship also stand out economically. Drawing attention to the fact that the TRNC is a “university island”, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt stated that production and incentives in these areas should be increased. Stating that universities are institutions that produce knowledge, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt noted that scientific knowledge should be further developed in cooperation with social institutions and organizations. He expressed that the Digital Future Summit is important for this reason. Kurt stated that they value every effort that will contribute to social transformation, saying, “Every sentence spoken is of great importance to us. I believe that we will all benefit from this summit, and I thank everyone who contributed.”
DEBİM Director Prof. Dr. Sezer Kanbul stated that the information and experiences to be shared at the summit will contribute to the development of new projects. Prof. Dr. Kanbul said, “In this environment where we will share very valuable information on entrepreneurship and innovation, we will take our students’ projects and collaborations much further.” Prof. Dr. Kanbul also thanked the DEBİM team and everyone who contributed to the realization of the event.
A Joint Effort for the Digital Future!
As part of the event, a cooperation protocol was also signed between Near East University and the Cyprus Entrepreneurship and Technology Investment Association (GİTYAD). The protocol, signed by Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt and GİTYAD President Temel Üngör, aims to develop cooperation in the fields of digital transformation, entrepreneurship, technology production, and joint academic studies. This collaboration aims to bring together the investment, mentorship, and industry network support of NERITA and GITYAD with the academic and research infrastructure of the university to realize the innovative entrepreneurial ideas of students and researchers. Furthermore, it is planned to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem by developing joint pre-incubation and incubation programs, conducting training and mentorship processes for young entrepreneurs, and contributing to the commercialization of technology-based projects.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held before the event, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt emphasized the great importance of university-industry collaborations in building the digital future, stating that this protocol is the first step of a new beginning. GİTYAD President Temel Üngör stated that the collaboration will pave the way for the realization of important projects by bringing together knowledge production and sector experience, and expressed his hope that it will contribute to productive and sustainable work for both institutions.
