Great Cooperation for Artificial Intelligence Education
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The Cooperation Protocol for the Artificial Intelligence Specialist Training Program, which will be carried out under the leadership of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and with the partnership of the General Directorate of Information Technologies, Ahmet Çalık Foundation, Turkish Informatics Association and our University, was signed at a ceremony held at the Information Commercialization Center.
General Manager of Information Technologies of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance Mr. Cebrail Taşkın, Vice President of Ahmet Çalık Foundation Mr. Mahmut Can Çalık, President of the Informatics Association of Türkiye Mr. Rahmi Aktepe, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our University Dr. İsrafil Kuralay, and Acting Rector of our University Prof. Dr. Ömer Torlak attended the ceremony.
General Manager of Information Technologies of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance Mr. Cebrail Taşkın gave a short speech at the ceremony, and stated that the project has entered a new phase as of today, that the trainings will now be conducted face-to-face, and that it is very important that the project is carried out with Istanbul Ticaret University, which is supported by Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO). Mr. Taşkın thanked the parties involved in the project and our university.
Ahmet Çalık Foundation Vice President Mr. Mahmut Can Çalık stated that they established the foundation in 2021 and said that they are in an effort to create value by providing services in the field of education, science and technology. Emphasizing that the Artificial Intelligence Specialist Training Program was developed in cooperation with the Turkish Informatics Association and Istanbul Ticaret University, Mr. Çalık underlined that with the project, 140 young people will gain competence in the field of artificial intelligence. Mr. Çalık thanked the project stakeholders by underlining that there will be theoretical and practical trainings within the scope of the project.
President of the Informatics Association of Türkiye Mr. Rahmi Aktepe noted that signing the project at the Information Commercialization Center, that is, in a building that serves the purpose of the project, has a special meaning. Reminding that their Association has been operating in the field of technology and informatics for 52 years, Mr. Aktepe said that they pioneered the enactment of the law on Technopark. Stating that they are happy to take part in the Artificial Intelligence Specialist Training Program project, Mr. Aktepe thanked the General Directorate of Information Technologies, Ahmet Çalık Foundation and Istanbul Ticaret University. Aktepe has said, “The cooperation for this training program should not be limited to 140 people. Our resources are limited and we know our needs. The most important of these needs is education.”
Making a short greeting speech, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Ticaret University Dr. İsrafil Kuralay stated that they are in a very meaningful and beautiful environment and underlined that a good project is being carried out under the leadership of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. Noting that the Ahmet Çalık Foundation is leading important works, Dr. Kuralay emphasized that one of the founders of Information Commercialization Center was, in fact, Mr. Ahmet Çalık.
Dr. Kuralay said that they do joint projects also with the Informatics Association of Türkiye from time to time within the capacity of ITO, and stated that it is very valuable for them, as Istanbul Commerce University, to undertake the educational role in the project. Stating that ITO Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Şekib Avdagiç and his management have a special interest in and support projects such as the Artificial Intelligence Specialist Training Program, Dr. Kuralay said, “Therefore, we are in the right place. As both the university and the ITO, we are ready to make any and all kinds of contribution.”
Istanbul Ticaret University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Torlak started his speech by thanking our academicians Prof. Dr. Abdul Halim Zaim and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hanifi Parlar for their significant contributions to the project. Emphasizing that a valuable cooperation protocol was signed on an important issue, Prof. Dr. Torlak emphasized that with the project, it would be possible to increase human quality and increase exports. Prof. Dr. Torlak underlined the need to further increase the cooperation between the business world, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and universities with similar projects.
Prof. Dr. Torlak gave some information about the university, and reminded that Istanbul Ticret University is the only foundation university with a cyber security department in Türkiye. Prof. Dr. Torlak has said, “There is a need for efforts that can analyze data well and present it to decision makers.” Prof. Dr. Torlak concluded his speech by thanking the stakeholders of the project.
After the completion of the speeches, the cooperation protocol was signed and a group photo was taken.
