While 34 prestigious universities from 16 Mediterranean countries came together with a wide participation hosted by the Polytechnic University of Bari (Politecnico di Bari) in Italy and signed a memorandum of cooperation under the name of Mediterranean Community Resilience (MediCoRe), our University became the third university from Turkey to join this great agreement together with Dokuz Eylül University and Mersin University. In addition to the memorandum, which was realized through the representation of our Corporate Communication Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ümit Yıldırım, a new one was added to the Erasmus agreements of our University and a 4-year agreement was reached with the Polytechnic University of Bari on student and staff mobility. 

We Signed One of the Biggest Sustainability Agreements Among Mediterranean Countries

MediCoRe memorandum signed with the participation of 34 universities from 16 Mediterranean countries: Italy (2), Algeria (2), Albania (1), Croatia (1), Egypt (3), Greece (4), Lebanon (3), Libya (1), Malta (2), Montenegro (1), Morocco (2), Serbia (4), Slovenia (1), Syria (2), Tunisia (2) and Turkey (3), It is designed to realize the aim of "establishing a great partnership between Mediterranean universities through a stimulating and innovative network called "Mediterranean Community Resilience" coordinated by the Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Structural Engineering and Chemistry of the Polytechnic University of Bari". 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ümit Yıldırım, who signed the agreement on behalf of our University, stated the importance of the memorandum by saying, "We have implemented a wide-ranging cooperation that includes but is not limited to the departments of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning, Engineering Geology, Geotechnics, Hydraulics and Chemistry. We have signed one of the largest sustainability agreements among Mediterranean universities with the cooperation to be established under the titles of research cooperation; student, researcher and teacher exchanges; development of new joint educational activities and technological transfer initiatives." 

MediCoRe stands for "Partnerships for Purposes"

Speaking about the Memorandum's 7 main contributions spread across themes and sub-themes, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yıldırım said: "The Memorandum primarily aims to create a stimulating and innovative research environment for the sharing and exchange of knowledge, experience and resources and to make them a common heritage for the promotion of joint initiatives. We will also work to promote MediCoRe as a Mediterranean Community Resilience. Partnerships for the Goals, the last and most important item in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, constitutes the basic founding principle of MediCoRe. At the same time, we will establish a wide network of collective work, including student, researcher and staff mobility, joint R&D projects, joint initiatives for knowledge transfer and orientation for retention/sustainability."

Rector Türkmen: "Our pasts may be different, but we will make the future common"

Stating that they have signed perhaps the largest sustainability partnership among Mediterranean countries, our Rector Prof. Dr. Mutlu Türkmen said, "We care about contributing to all sensitive institutions that are concerned about the future of the world and want to do something good, within the framework of our country's heritage of values and humanity mission. However, this is such a memorandum that only 3 universities from our country are stakeholders; it has a diversity of participation covering almost all Mediterranean countries. Although we have not partnered with a significant part of these countries in our past, we will work together in solving global problems in order to make our future common." 

One Visit, Two Agreements

Stating that in addition to the memorandum, they also signed an Erasmus comprehensive student and staff exchange agreement with the Polytechnic University of Bari to increase the efficiency of the visit, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yıldırım said, "In accordance with the agreement, in which both universities mutually signed 6 students and 3 staff exchanges in the Fall and Spring semesters, we have determined an exchange period of 12 months for students and 21 days for staff in the fields of electronics, mechanical engineering and civil engineering. Thus, we have expanded the areas where our students and staff can develop Erasmus cooperation and developed new quota opportunities. I would like to sincerely thank our Rector Prof. Dr. Mutlu Türkmen, who has brought new horizons to our university with his encouragement, support and mediation in the development of this vision."