The protocol regarding the project was signed at the OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone Regional Directorate. The protocol was signed by Orhan Aydın, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OSTİM, and Adem Arıcı, Regional Director, on behalf of OSTİM, and by Prof. Dr. Kürşat Çağıltay, Senior Representative of the Institution, on behalf of METU.
Information technology will be a leverage for SMEs
Providing information about the project, Prof. Dr. Kürşat Çağıltay described it as one of METU's efforts to become a community university. Stating that Bilgeİş's target audience is primarily SMEs, Çağıltay emphasized that they are preparing courses tailored to the needs of SMEs through their online training portal, adding, "In this context, we are initially preparing 100 courses that will be open to everyone and accessible for free."
Emphasizing that the aim of the courses is not only to teach information technologies, Çağıltay stated, “We have courses on topics such as how SMEs can use information technology as leverage, and how they can reduce their production costs. We also have courses that address today's needs and the jobs of the future.”
OSTİM Chairman Orhan Aydın expressed his satisfaction with being involved in the project. Wishing the protocol to be beneficial to both institutions, Aydın said, "We can be a good solution partner."
Online Education Platform
One of the project's key objectives is to improve the alignment of employees, employers, and organizations by developing ICT-related skills and competencies. To this end, an online training platform called the ‘Bilgeİş Training Portal’ will be developed based on the needs of employees and employers. Within this framework, free, widely accessible, easily available, and innovative online courses will be developed as part of the online platform's content. Employees and employers will be provided with training through these online courses to help them improve their professional skills.
The protocol outlines that the implementation of the project will increase awareness of the importance of ICT use in commercial settings, enhance the skills, qualifications, and adaptability of employees and employers through online training, and create an actively informed business environment and network. Furthermore, easily accessible and innovative online activities will be implemented to enrich the research and development capacities of organizations and strengthen interaction and collaboration between universities and the business world. Additionally, investments in human capital will be encouraged by supporting the sustainable career development of those participating in the training.
In short, the BILGEİŞ Project
The BİLGEİŞ Project is being implemented by METU within the framework of the ‘Lifelong Learning Priority’ of the Human Resources Development Operational Program (HRD OP) under the European Union-Turkey financial cooperation. The general objectives of the project are as follows: to develop e-learning infrastructure in the field of information and communication technologies, to strengthen university-business relations, to improve the professional competencies of workers and employers, especially in SMEs, and to contribute to the national economy by strengthening SMEs.
