A new global report, based on a survey of over 10,000 people from 10 countries including Turkey, highlights the public attitude towards engineering. Several findings of the report stand out:

• An overwhelming majority of the public in each of the 10 countries agree that engineering has driven progress in the past and will do so in future.

• The majority believe engineering is critical in solving the world’s problems.

• Engineering tops the list of professions viewed as most vital for economic growth. However, only 55% of the respondents are interested in engineering career. The figure for Turkey is 50%.

• Young generations in emerging economies have higher interest in engineering. The figure is 80% among 16-17 year-old students in Turkey.

• Almost as many women as men are interested in engineering, with a only slight tilt towards men. Turkey is one of the countries in which the gender gap is narrowest.

• Although 71% claim that their country’s engineers do not receive the recognition they deserve for their contribution to society, younger people are more attracted by making a contribution to society than career opportunities.

At the Faculty of Engineering at Yaşar University, we consider these findings to be both promising and challenging. We recognize that there are many young men and women who see engineering not only as a respectable and well-paying career, but also as a great way to contribute to society. Our overwhelming ambition is to educate these people and contribute to their efforts in becoming creative and innovative engineers of the future, who would seek solutions to regional, national, and global problems.

Graduating skilled persons who can acquire and utilize knowledge to carry out the projects of the future is one of the challenges of engineering education. An equally difficult challenge is to equip them with an understanding of the real world circumstances as well as human and societal needs. Our educational programs, which put emphasis on creative thinking, experimental learning, cultural diversity, gender neutrality, interaction with society, social competence, and management and entrepreneurship skills, are designed to meet both challenges. Our up-to-date educational programs are supported by modern laboratory facilities. Information and communication technology infrastructure, which is essential for the implementation of a contemporary engineering approach, has also been fully integrated into our programs. Our wide spectrum of elective courses presents our students with the opportunity to specialize in a diverse set of interest areas. Furthermore, with widespread opportunities for minor and double major programs, our students are able complement their expertise by educational degree programs in other fields. Our students take advantage of the opportunities to spend one or two semesters abroad at universities listed among the institutions of European High Education, or complete their summer practices abroad.  These practices augment our efforts to instill global awareness among the next generation of successful engineers.

We take pride in providing our students with one of the best learning environments in our country, and are determined to continuously improve our high standards.

M. Erol Sezer,PhD.

Professor and Dean,
Faculty of Engineering