The Program of Fashion Design of Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Vocational School achieved significant success this year by earning the right to represent our country internationally. Only four participants from Türkiye — all from the IKU Program of Fashion Design — were accepted to the prestigious seminar titled “Seminar on Female Design Talents in Innovation and Transformation of Clothes as Intangible Cultural Heritage for ‘Belt and Road’ Countries.”

The seminar, titled “Seminar on Female Design Talents in Innovation and Transformation of Clothes as Intangible Cultural Heritage for ‘Belt and Road’ Countries,” hosted by China Women’s University in Beijing and coordinated by the Training Center of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, is taking place between July 16–29, 2025, with participation from Lecturer Neslihan Tokat Ozan (Head of the IKU Program of Fashion Design), Lecturer Merve Kahveci, and our distinguished students Ödül Derya Dikmen and Bükre Yazıcı.

During the seminar, participants received training on the role of intangible cultural heritage in clothing design, innovative approaches and transformation processes in design, and also evaluated opportunities for international collaboration and experience sharing with designers from different countries.

Following the seminar, an exhibition will be held at the Nevşehir Pegasos Cave Hotel on August 2, 2025, as part of the Cappadocia Cultural Road Festival, one of Türkiye's major cultural and artistic events. The exhibition will showcase original clothing designs created in collaboration with the IKU Program of Fashion Design and the Knitwear Industrialists' Association (TRISAD).

IKU and TRISAD are among the invited institutions for the event, and four special clothing designs, designed by students attending the seminar in China and produced in collaboration with TRISAD, will also be exhibited in this exhibition. The opening ceremony of the event, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ankara, will be hosted by Jiang Xuebin, the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Ankara.

This valuable process is crucial not only for Istanbul Kültür University's institutional success but also for representing our country's cultural and design potential on the international stage. Such events, which provide our young designers with global experience, strengthen intercultural interaction and collaboration within the creative industries.

Organized by the Istanbul Kültür University Technology Transfer Office, the event titled “Beyond Borders: From Vision to Impact – Sharing Inspiring Global Project Stories” was held on Monday, July 14, 2025, in the Önder Öztunalı Conference Hall at the Ataköy building, Bakırköy Campus.

With the participation of distinguished speakers who have contributed to internationally successful projects, the event addressed inspiring projects experiences on a global scale, sustainable solutions, and international collaboration opportunities.

At the hybrid event, visionary projects that transcend borders were shared with the participants.

A meeting was held between the Program of Fashion Design of Istanbul Kültür University (IKU) Vocational School and the Knitwear Industrialists Association (TRISAD) regarding the international seminar held in China and the exhibition to be held within the scope of the Cappadocia Culture Road Festival.

The meeting, held on July 16, 2025, was attended by TRISAD President Mustafa Balkuv and TRISAD Education Officer Murat Tataoğlu; the Head of the Program of Fashion Design, Lecturer Neslihan Tokat Ozan; Vocational School Director Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özer; and Vocational School Vice President, Lecturer Kerem Yücesan.

During the meeting, the production and exhibition process in Türkiye of four special clothing designs—created by students participating in the international program titled “Seminar on Female Design Talents in Innovation and Transformation of Clothes as Intangible Cultural Heritage for ‘Belt and Road’ Countries,” held in Beijing, the capital of China, in collaboration with TRISAD—was discussed.

The meeting also addressed internship opportunities for students within the scope of long-term collaborations, as well as industry-integrated projects and applications based on production processes. This collaboration, combining TRISAD's industry experience with IKU's academic strength, aims to significantly contribute to the professional development of young designers.

This strategic partnership between IKU and TRISAD encourages the reinterpretation of cultural heritage with a contemporary fashion approach, while also contributing to the international visibility of students.

The article titled “The Mediator Role of Emotional Awareness and Expression in the Relationship between Childhood Traumas and Post-Traumatic Growth”, written by Assoc. Prof. Burcu Türk, one of our faculty members from the Department of Psychology, has been published in the Cyprus Turkish Journal of Psychiatry & Psychology.