E-Commerce Training Cooperation Between BAU and Alibaba.com

Alibaba.com, the world's leading e-commerce platform, and Bahçeşehir University, Türkiye's top exporting institution in the field of education, are joining forces to train Türkiye's 'Electronic Foreign Trade Specialists.' 

Through their Electronic Foreign Trade Training Program cooperation, Alibaba.com, the world's leading e-commerce platform, and Bahçeşehir University, Türkiye's export champion in education for the past two years, will train the 'Electronic Foreign Trade Specialists' that companies need in many different cities across Türkiye.

THE FAVORITE TRADE METHOD OF THE NEW ERA: E-COMMERCE IS REPLACING TRADITIONAL TRADE

With the training, which will start in February 2018 at the Bahçeşehir University Continuing Education Center (BAUSEM) and last three weekends, participants will receive the 'Electronic Foreign Trade Specialist' certificate. The training sessions, to be held in Istanbul and other leading industrial cities of Türkiye, will be aimed both at specialists working in companies' export departments and at young people who want to specialize in electronic foreign trade and provide consultancy to companies. Participants will be entitled to a certificate after completing the 42-hour program and practical training on active accounts on Alibaba.com.

Dr. Selçuk Tuzcuoğlu, academic coordinator of the training program, said: "E-foreign trade has become one of the most popular trade methods of the new era. It is now possible to sell to the whole world from where you sit, without printing catalogs or opening stands at trade fairs. The joint training program of Bahçeşehir University and Alibaba.com will teach Turkish entrepreneurs both how to manage the right marketing communication and the ins and outs of opening up to new international markets through electronic foreign trade."

Alibaba.com Türkiye Country Manager Cüneyt Erpolatsaid that, through their cooperation with Bahçeşehir University, they have expanded their goal of building an e-commerce ecosystem in Türkiye by supporting the training of both students and SMEs that want to turn to e-commerce. He continued: "The purpose of Alibaba.com is to facilitate and develop SMEs' international business. With the e-commerce training we offer as part of our cooperation with Bahçeşehir University, we will support not only SMEs but also students in this field. Trainers from our headquarters in China and the distinguished faculty members of Bahçeşehir University have created a comprehensive training program. In this sense, we believe that our training program is a first and will also be very beneficial."

Stating that, according to a report published by Frost & Sullivan, international e-commerce volume is expected to reach 10 trillion dollars in 2020, Cüneyt Erpolat said: "About 6.7 trillion dollars of this figure is expected to be on the B2B side. Therefore, we expect major changes in the ecosystem growing along with world e-commerce volume within about 2 years. During this process, I believe we will witness the 'e' of trade disappearing as it becomes trade itself. Within this framework, great opportunities are emerging in Türkiye as well. We recommend that Turkish SMEs closely follow these developments, implement innovations in both trade and e-commerce, and make the most of the opportunities. As digitalization grows in importance, developments in the digital field must be followed closely, and one must adapt to change by updating every day. As Alibaba.com, together with our business partner in Türkiye, E-Glober, we will continue to visit provinces across Türkiye to explain the future of e-commerce and the advantages SMEs will gain by opening up to international trade, and, most importantly, we will continue our new initiatives to integrate Turkish SMEs and their workforce into the digital world and help them take an active part in e-commerce."

For detailed information on the content and registration conditions of the training program, which will be held at the Bahçeşehir University Continuing Education Center (BAUSEM) and start on 17 February, please call 212 381 59 37 or write tobausem@cec.bau.edu.tr.