“likeminds – german-turkish junior expert initiative”, launched by Robert Bosch Stiftung, European Academy of Berlin (EAB) and Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) at Sabanci University, is a binational exchange program in Germany and Turkey. The program aims to strengthen ties between young German and Turkish top performers, also to intensify practical and topic-oriented exchange of ideas, experience, and understanding. In addition, it aims to contribute towards creating a professional and personal network, bringing together young experts, the deciders of the future.
In practical terms, the program is designed to address German and Turkish future experts, ‘high fliers’, young or junior experts, opinion formers, and disseminators from all sectors of society. Participants will enter into current social and political debates and confront cutting-edge issues. “likeminds” consists of three components: a preparatory workshop, held simultaneously in Turkey and Germany, followed by two tours d’horizon in both countries.
At the workshop, participants choose different aspects of the year’s focus topic to be elaborated during the program year. At the tours d’horizon, they get the opportunity to discuss their chosen issues with German and Turkish leading experts from politics, economy, academia, and media.
focus topic for 2012 Ausschreibung 2012 hier
► Mobility today
Mobility is a very diverse and highly topical subject in our times and one which needs 'young', progressive dialogue and debate. On the one hand, mobility may be understood as movement or motion and dynamism as applied to individuals and their respective ways of life or lifestyle; on the other hand, topics such as transport, traffic and 'smart' infrastructure systems in metropolises and greater-area regions may also be subsumed under the heading. Linked thus into the over-arching concept there could also possibly be questions of social mobility, that is, shifts or movements in the social spectrum, demographic change, structures in towns and cities (human settlements) or also demands on and challenges to modern societies and urban life or living in general (in major conurbations / agglomerations such as for example Berlin or Istanbul).
In Germany, both physical (spatial) and social aspects of mobility or movement play a major part in political, economic and in general or overall social debate. On the Turkish side, too, it may also be contended that in view of a number of urban development and infrastructure projects - which have in some cases a model or exemplary character for German programmes and designs - mobility is seen just as much as a requirement for economic growth and innovation as it is in this country / in Europe. In the next few years there are gigantic construction projects in the planning pipe-line: In order to relieve pressure on the Bosphorus or Istanbul Strait, the Turkish government is planning to construct a second canal. Also on the drawing board are a third bridge crossing the Bosphorus and a third airport serving Istanbul.
Thus it may be said that there are common challenges: these lie in elaborating or working out modern or contemporary mobility provision services and concepts, in intelligent designs with the aim of sustainable mobility, appropriate or suitable security and environmental standards, workable organisational forms designed with the needs of people in mind for urban societies and communities and heterogeneous regional / human settlement structures for a country. Also of mutual interest would be opportunities and latitudes in social mobility (for example, societal hierarchies, economic and commercial structures, mentalities, educational opportunities, sexual orrientation etc.), as well as how these aspects may be influenced and regulated.
Dates