School of Politics Hosts Esko Aho

The 9th week of the School of Politics, organized by the School of Government and Leadership (HLO), took place with the participation of expert guests in their fields.

In the first session, former Prime Minister of Finland and Nokia Advisory Partner Esko Aho opened with his talk "On Politics, Business and Education" . He discussed the dynamics underlying success in politics. Stating that Nokia's investments were made at the right time and were future-oriented, he noted that the same applies to politics. He emphasized that the five characteristics in Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers are necessary for success, listing them as the right timing, the right talent, risk-taking capacity, the right technology and the right ecosystem.

In the second session, former Minister of State and former Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye Ertuğrul Yalçınbayır assessed "Good Governance" . He stated that good governance is everyone's right and that it is an important factor not only in politics but also in the private sector. He noted that the concept of governance also encompasses transparency, openness, participation, accountability and decentralization.

"Capital Markets in Türkiye" was assessed in the third session with the participation of Borsa İstanbul Chair Dr. Mustafa İbrahim Turhan. He stated that the aim of politics is to increase the welfare of society, and that the level of welfare can be determined by education, level of development and economic conditions. He also emphasized that the rule of law, democracy and human rights are important elements in this regard, adding that national income must increase in order to raise the level of welfare.

"A Look at the World and Turkish Economy at the Beginning of 2014" was the topic of the fourth session, which continued with the participation of Manisa Member of Parliament and former Minister of Finance and of Labor and Social Security Sümer Oral. He stated that Türkiye is a civilized member of the modern world, and emphasized that this civilization is one in which democracy and the rule of law prevail. He noted that the goal is to shape the modern era of the 21st century and to operate effectively within it. He stated that the main goal is the EU, that negotiation chapters are now being opened and that this situation must be maintained. He also added that the Turkish economy is important for the EU.

The final session featured Bahçeşehir University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Çelikassessing "Fortyfold, Words and Things". He began his talk by stating that our civilization has its own perception of language. He concluded by emphasizing that in a country that still cannot resolve the difference between majoritarianism and pluralism, a political environment flourishes in which criticism, opposition and insult are intertwined, resulting in a sharp polarization.