Can Arıkan and Cenker Karagöz, who graduated from Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Faculty of Business, Department of Political Science and International Relations this year, have been awarded the ‘Jean Monnet’ scholarship, given to a select number of young individuals by the European Union. Arıkan and Karagöz will pursue master's degrees for one year at Spain’s and the Netherlands’ most prestigious universities. Of the successful students, Arıkan will specialize in sustainability management at Esade University, while Karagöz will specialize in sustainability science, policy, and society at Maastricht University.
These young people will have the opportunity to work with some of the world's most renowned academics and expand their networks, building new career paths. Arıkan and Karagöz, whose high academic performance, successful projects, and strong references caught the attention of the scholarship committee, will also have their education and living expenses covered by the scholarship. Can Arıkan expressed his excitement about studying in Spain and said, “Esade University is one of Europe's most well-known and respected business schools. I will be pursuing a master's degree in sustainability management there for one year. I had previously been an Erasmus student in Barcelona thanks to my department's opportunities. This time, I'm going to further strengthen my connections there.”
“WILL PROVIDE A GLOBAL VISION”
Stating that he believes the Jean Monnet scholarship will provide him with a global vision, Arıkan said, “The medium of instruction in my department being 100% English was beneficial for both winning the scholarship and being accepted into the master's program. After graduating from my master's, I want to become a sustainability consultant. Sustainability is a field whose importance and urgency have significantly increased in recent years with climate change, and there's a need for knowledgeable individuals in this area. I aim to contribute to sustainability practices developing every day and pursue a career abroad. Spain is one of the countries I'm considering working in.”
“ONE OF EUROPE'S SELECT UNIVERSITIES”
Cenker Karagöz, who enrolled to IUE Department of English Translation and Interpreting and also double-majored in Political Science and International Relations, stated that this provided a great advantage in winning the Jean Monnet scholarship. He said, “I chose the Netherlands due to job opportunities, its physical proximity to Brussels, and its meeting my criteria for the master's field, and Maastricht University, which is among the top 1% globally for its quality education. The University holds important quality standards such as AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA certifications. These certifications are given to a select few universities that have achieved accreditation in the business field in the US, UK, and Europe. This was one of the most important criteria that led me to choose this university.
“MY GOAL IS A CAREER ABROAD”
Expressing his wish to continue his career in Europe after his master's degree, Karagöz said, “There's an internship program called the Blue Book offered by the European Commission. After being accepted, it involves a 5-month period of training and work. I aim to enter that program, emerge victorious from that competition, and pursue a career working within the EU in my field or bridging the private sector and the EU. Karagöz stated that his academics' support played a significant role in him winning the scholarship. He said, “Especially Asst. Prof. Dr. Umut Can Adısönmez and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seçkin Barış Gülmez provided me with a lot of support. I am grateful to all my professors who contributed and to my University, which prepared me for today with its quality education.”
WHAT IS THE JEAN MONNET SCHOLARSHIP?
The Jean Monnet Scholarship Program is managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate for EU Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU), and the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey. Launched in 1989 through an agreement between the Republic of Turkey and the European Commission, the scholarship program grants selected scholars the right to conduct research or pursue postgraduate education for a period of at least 3 and at most 12 months at a university or equivalent institution in an EU member state. The scholarships are allocated for studies related to the EU acquis within the scope of Turkey’s EU accession process.
