Kordsa Technology and Impact Center Launched at Kocaeli University
Forex - The fifth Technology and Impact Center, established by the Sabancı Group companies across Turkey, has been opened by Kordsa within the Kocaeli University campus. The center aims to illuminate the studies of young people and academics in the field of material technologies, with a target of reaching 1,500 students in the first year through online and face-to-face training programs.
The Sabancı Youth Mobilization, initiated by the Sabancı Group, continues to expand throughout Turkey. As part of this mobilization, which aims to create a new model for social development across Turkey, the fifth Technology and Impact Center has been inaugurated by Kordsa on the Kocaeli University campus.
The opening ceremony of the Kordsa Technology and Impact Center, which will connect young people and academics with future technologies in the field of material technologies, was attended by Kocaeli University Rector Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk, Sabancı Holding Materials Technologies Group President Burak Orhun, Sabancı Holding Corporate Brand Management and Communications Department Head Filiz Karagül Tüzün, Kordsa CEO İbrahim Özgür Yıldırım, Kocaeli University faculty members, and students.
In his speech at the ceremony, Kocaeli University Rector Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk stated, “As Kocaeli University, we take seriously the collaborations that touch the lives of our youth and have made it a part of our management philosophy. We are working with all our strength to spread the infrastructure and research climate that will pave the way for scientific and technological development. Today, we are proud to bring a meaningful project to life with Kordsa, a global brand and an important part of the Sabancı Group.”
“We will create an environment for young people to generate new ideas,” said Burak Orhun, President of Sabancı Holding Materials Technologies Group. “The extensive transformation processes currently taking place in the world necessitate a transition in the field of material technologies. The transition from conventional materials to sustainable materials has now become a requirement for all sectors. Especially for the energy and mobility transformations to provide lasting benefits, we need to offer sustainable materials, which are at the center of these transformations, to the world. We are realizing the Kordsa Technology and Impact Center through such a vision partnership with Kocaeli University. While providing all of Sabancı's technological infrastructure and knowledge to our youth, we will conduct studies that include innovative solutions in material technologies. In this way, we will create an environment for young people to generate new ideas, support them to achieve sustainability and create social impact, contribute to their development as the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and researchers, and transform brain drain into brain gain.”
Kordsa CEO İbrahim Özgür Yıldırım emphasized that successes gained in material technologies will serve the world and humanity: “We were founded in 1973 as a company supplying reinforcement materials to the tire industry. Over the years, we have become a global player in material technologies by adding composite technologies, construction reinforcement, and compounding products to our tire reinforcement products. Today, we have a global innovation network across 4 continents and 7 countries, with 2 R&D centers and 3 technical centers. We will further strengthen this network through the Kordsa Technology and Impact Center. We plan to connect the projects developed in the center and the implementations with Kordsa facilities in different geographies around the world. Our teams have prepared very comprehensive programs. Our youth will be part of our vision to build the future by participating in these programs. Our goal with the Kordsa Technology and Impact Center is to reach a total of 1,500 young people by the end of 2025.”
Kordsa's Technology and Impact Center will provide young people with the opportunity to gain experience through 5 different models.
Project-Based Participation: Projects will be carried out with students in specialized areas such as sustainable advanced materials. Training: In addition to technical training on advanced materials, operational excellence and personal development training will be provided to equip young people with the knowledge and leadership skills they will need in the future. Mentoring Programs: Kordsa employees will share their knowledge and experience in the industry by mentoring young people. Innovation Programs: Innovation programs will be launched to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of young people. Mechanisms will be designed to support the commercialization and productization processes of ideas developed by students and academics in the field of material technologies. Campus IT: Young people studying computer engineering and software development will be offered collaboration and experience opportunities in relevant Kordsa projects.