Within the scope of the seminar organized by our Coordination Office, informative presentations were delivered by SME Specialist Doğukan Özgüç Akdemir and EU Project Specialist Furkan Uçar to students and local tradespeople operating in Nusaybin.

The seminar addressed the enhancement of SMEs’ institutional capacity, the dissemination of an entrepreneurship culture, access to financial resources, and grant/support mechanisms provided under EU projects. Participants were also informed about project preparation processes, business development strategies, and practices that can contribute to local economic development.

This event enabled students to relate theoretical knowledge to practice, while helping local tradespeople build awareness of current support mechanisms.

Organized in cooperation with our Coordination Office and the Mardin Businesswomen’s Association, the seminar explored in depth the significance of women’s entrepreneurship for economic development. Meeting with women entrepreneurs, our Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Ömer Fazıl Emek presented—supported by statistical data—how women’s success in education and entrepreneurship reduces unemployment, increases economic efficiency, and supports social development.

Our University’s Nusaybin Neriman ve Celal Özel Vocational School organized a panel and tourism workshop under the theme “A Destination Beyond Borders.”

Held in cooperation with our University, the Governorship of Mardin, the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, and the District Governorship of Nusaybin, the program examined Nusaybin’s tourism potential from a multidimensional perspective.

At the end of the event, under the leadership of Dietitian Elvan Odabaşı, a hands-on workshop was conducted together with students from MAU’s Faculty of Tourism, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Nusaybin Neriman ve Celal Özel Vocational School.

Academic and sectoral visits were made by our Coordination Office to Harran University OIZ Vocational School and Bera Textile.

Within the scope of the visit, production processes were examined on site and information was gathered on sectoral operations. The importance of strengthening cooperation between vocational education institutions and industrial organizations was emphasized, and assessments were made regarding education–industry integration.

The ‘Nisibis Tuesday Seminars’ series—jointly organized by our University’s Nusaybin Neriman ve Celal Özel Vocational School, MAÜKÖK, the Nusaybin Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen, and the Nisibis Academy student community—concluded with a seminar delivered by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Behzat Ekinci titled “Mardin’s Foreign Trade Potential and the Nusaybin Border Gate.”

The seminar discussed in detail Mardin’s strategic position in regional and international trade, opportunities to increase foreign trade volume, and the economic function of the Nusaybin Border Gate. Participants received comprehensive information on regional development policies, enhancing export potential, the effects of border trade on the local economy, and logistical advantages.

This seminar made a significant contribution to knowledge sharing and cooperation opportunities for both the academic community and local stakeholders.

Within the scope of the University Student Communities Cooperation and Support Program (ÜNİDES) carried out by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the project “From Theory to Practice: Collaboration from University to Industry,” implemented by the Nisibis Academy Student Community, was successfully completed.

Through technical visits organized in cooperation with our Coordination Office, students experienced the advantages of on-site learning in industrial settings and reinforced their theoretical knowledge with real production processes. The companies visited included Ekol Un, Akkuş Tekstil, Dr. Dads Cakes, and Lody Baby.

As the United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives, the event series “Stronger Together: Tribute and Vision for the Year of Cooperatives,” organized in cooperation with the Mardin Provincial Directorate of Trade and the MAU Public–Private–Mixed Sector Collaboration Coordination Office (MAÜKÖK), was held with great interest.

The Leap Natural Women’s Cooperative was examined on site. During the visit, comprehensive information was obtained about the cooperative’s exemplary practices, production processes, and organizational structure.

It was observed that this women-led structure constitutes an important example for local development. The cooperative model not only supports women’s active participation in the economy but also strengthens social solidarity, increases production capacity, and contributes to sustainable local development.

During the review, solidarity, production, and collective strength were identified as the cooperative’s core principles.