The interest to the MEF Education Institutions Research Projects Competition which is described as the oldest and the most comprehensive cultural and scientific event that contributes to the development of scientific research in Turkey was great this year as well.

The 16th, Interhighschool Research Projects Competition which is implemented by the MEF Education Institutions together with SESRF (Supporting the Education and Scientific Research Foundation) came to a conclusion. The following schools were deemed worthy of receiving the first place awards; in the Physics branch Bolu Science High school, in the Chemistry branch Ankara Science High school and in the Biology branch Istanbul Special Darussafaka High school.

The Research Projects Competition, which is arranged among high school students in Physics, Chemistry and Biology branches with the

intention of supporting the science education in Turkey, directing the intelligent students in this field towards scientific researches and providing them with opportunity to grow as the “Scientists of the Future”, this year received intense participation from Turkey as well as abroad.

In the event in which 19 projects were exhibited from Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Slovenia while Israel and Sweden participated as observer countries. Including the current year, the foreign projects were not subject to elimination, they were directly exhibited. However, next year these projects as well will be able to participate at the competition.

To the MEF-SESRF Research Projects Competition, which now has become an international science fiesta that took place as Ibrahim Arikan, who is the Founder and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of MEF Education Institutions, being the host, Rauf Denktas - the 1st President of Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic, Peczeli Jozsef Arpad – the Hungarian Minister of Education, Safet Keso - Bosnia Herzegovina Minister of Education, Irina Logvinova – Head of Department of the Russian Federal Development of Education Institute, Rupert Dirnberger – Chief Inspector of the Austrian Education Ministry, Bardhyl Tushi – Advisor of the Macedonian Education and Science Ministry, Acer Imetoska – Representative of the Macedonian Education and Science Ministry and Head of Department of the Education of the Minorities and many other senior bureaucrats such as mayors and rectors from other countries participated.

“We are Determined to Direct our Youth towards Scientific Studies!”

Ibrahim Arikan, the Founder and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of MEF Education Institutions, at the MEF Schools Campus where he delivered a speech at a press conference organized with the representatives of the participant countries, while drawing attention to the fact that they began the Research Projects Competition 16 years ago stated that; “Our youth in the 80s diverged from scientific studies and pulled to other directions. So, in those years we aimed at directing our youth towards scientific studies. Now we realize that we made the right decision. Our youth is very enthusiastic and ambitious towards science and scientific studies. This ambition of our youth for science brought us to the point where we wanted to be in the future. On the other hand, similar projects began to be implemented. When you execute a good deed this will be repeated by others and will provide for transformation of the society.”

65 Projects that are worthy of exhibition

The MEF-SESRF Research Projects Competition that provides encouragement for the youth in Turkey to do scientific researches and to expose their creativity received great attention from young inventors this year as in the previous years. 511 projects were prepared for the competition where a total of 133 students and 87 advisor teachers participated and 39 schools made it to the finals from 15 cities throughout Turkey. As a result of the elimination that was conducted by the jury which consists of academics, out of the projects that were all very appealing, a total of 65 projects were chosen as worthy of exhibition: 23 in the physics branch, 22 in chemistry and 20 in biology.

States Discussed the Education Systems at the International Education Platform!

High level education representatives form the partaker countries participated in the “2nd International Education Platform” summit that materialized within the context of organization. The representatives at the summit exchanged views on matters of “common aspects of the education systems in their countries, methods of teacher training, how they persuade the young and intelligent students to do research and to produce projects, whether they participate in competitions that are formed in the international platforms”.