Alibaba.com and Yeditepe University held a launch meeting for the collaboration at the University's Fine Arts Faculty Conference Hall. At the launch meeting hosted by renowned journalist and economy program host Aslı Şafak, Yeditepe University Rector Prof. Dr. Canan Aykut Bingöl, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce Prof. Dr. Ömer Gökay, Head of the Department of E-Commerce and Technology Management Assoc. Prof. Altan Kar, Director of the Continuing Education Center Assoc. Prof. Can Tansel Kaya, Alibaba.com Turkey Country Manager Cüneyt Erpolat and E-Globe's CEO Orkan Aytulu came together with students.
"A Project Useful for Both Students and SMEs"
Pointing out that e-commerce will become the norm, Alibaba.com Turkey Country Manager Cüneyt Erpolat said:
"The purpose of Alibaba.com is to facilitate and improve the businesses of SMEs on the international scene. In cooperation with Yeditepe University, we will continue to support students who want to improve themselves in the field of e-commerce while supporting our SMEs. We will provide training opportunities for all Yeditepe University students who want to take part in the project, and also provide internship opportunities to provide technical infrastructure support to our Alibaba.com Global Gold Supplier members. In this respect, we believe that our project will be beneficial for both students and SMEs who are platform members."
"Become an Entrepreneur"
In his speech, E-Glober CEO Orkan Aytulun recommended students to become entrepreneurs. Stating that within 20 years at least fifty percent of today's professions will no longer exist, Aytulun said that the game "Candy Crush" which was developed by using a simple software was sold for $ 5 billion and that we possess such innovative and creative intelligence in our country, but lack the necessary promotion and marketing.
"E-Commerce is going to Grow"
E-Commerce and Technology Management Head of Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Altan Kar also emphasized that Yeditepe University is an institution with a vision and one that can read the needs of the future and said that e-commerce will grow when our country combines its dynamism in social media, intense use of credit cards and rapid development of its logistics infrastructure.
"Business Opportunities Before Graduation"
Yeditepe University Continuous Education Center Director Assoc. Dr. Can Tansel Kaya stated that the project has two main objectives:
"Our first goal is to adapt Alibaba.com's know-how of the sector to the curriculum and feed this together with cases from the sector to Turkey’s only Department of E-Commerce at Yeditepe University. Our other important goal is to select students regardless of their majors and make them solution partners of SMEs operating on Alibaba.com by giving them comprehensive trainings including web site design and foreign trade. In this context, the students who gain these employment opportunities will start their business lives before graduating."
