Yaşar University

Profile

Yaşar University aspires to become Aegean Region’s most active innovation/entrepreneurship hub fostering inclusive spin-offs/startups/scale-ups and creating and sustaining innovative networks, pioneering in the areas of digital technologies applied in the agri-food sector; hence, to achieve sustainable circular economic development meeting all the regional, environmental, cultural, and social needs, in compliance with all quadruple helix actors (industry, academia, government and civil society) by 2030.

Yaşar University was established in 2001 and it is one of the leading HEIs of Türkiye by its 10 faculties (Law, Economics and Administrative Sciences, Engineering, Communication, Art and Design, Science and Letters, Architecture, Business, Human and Social Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Technologies), 4 schools (School of Applied Sciences, Vocational School, Vocational School of Justice, and School of Foreign Languages), Graduate School and its research centres such as the EU Research Centre, Open and Distance Learning Centre, Knowledge & Technology Transfer Office and Continuing Education Centre. Yaşar University serves more than 10.000 students with around 500 academic staff. More than 60 different degree programs are offered in its departments and the English is the medium of instruction for most of the programmes. Yaşar University enriches its high-caliber teaching by strong collaboration with civil society, industry and commerce both in national and international context. With its Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Technologies, Yaşar University became the first university in Turkey to offer English language education in the category based on the universality of agriculture-food awareness.

Competences & Capabilities

Yaşar University has become a strong part of the Aegean agri-food innovation ecosystem by maintaining close communication and strategic partnerships with representatives of all quadruple helix actors, in addition to its educational and research activities. The University is a strategic partner to the İzmir Agricultural Technology Center (IATC) Project which aims to establish the first techno-park with the theme of agri-tech in Türkiye. The project is carried out under the leadership of İzmir Commodity Exchange and implemented under the guidance of İzmir Development Agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Yaşar University, İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir Chamber of Commerce, Aegean Region Chamber of Industry, Aegean Exporters' Associations, İzmir Chamber of Shipping and İzmir Chamber of Craftsmen.

Yaşar University supports entrepreneurs in capacity building, networking and commercialisation through its in-house Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office and RiEcoLab AgTech Ecosystem Integration Lab. EIT Food Hub Türkiye is another strategic partner of Yaşar University. The University undertakes EIT Food activities as EIT Food Hub Türkiye in cooperation with Boğaziçi University and Impact Hub Istanbul in the 2021- 2023 season and works to expand agri-food entrepreneurship in Türkiye.

Yaşar University acknowledges the significance of the sustainability and circularity of food value chains for the path to food secure world. The University has the opportunity to reach multiple stages of the food value chain, from input supply to production (e.g., Çamlı Feed Animal Husbandry), from processing to marketing (e.g., Pınar Dairy, Pınar Waters & Beverages and Pınar Meat, Aegean Exporters’ Association), as well as waste management (e.g., AGRIEU, CE&I44FOODWASTE, Food-Friendly Cuisine), through its agri-food sector partners and the projects it carries out.

The main aspiration of Yaşar University in becoming a partner to the EIT Food Community is to develop strategic partnerships by exploiting the Community’s EU-wide influence while receiving vital support in capacity and resource development, communication, and dissemination to take its research, innovation, and ecosystem efforts in the fields of food and agriculture one solid step further. With the valuable support of the EIT Food Community, the University will endeavour to take part in various research and innovation consortia in the fields of agriculture and food, especially those established under the EU Framework Programme. The University will have the opportunity to continue strongly and effectively to support knowledge and technology transfer, innovation and ecosystem efforts and sustainable development in the regional ecosystem.