The Five Dimensional Future

Greetings! I am Professor Faruk BAL, a lecturer at the Department of Economics in Istanbul Medeniyet University's Faculty of Political Sciences. Additionally, I hold the position of director at the sociopark, our university's pioneering social cooperation zone and research center in Turkey. Sociopark serves as a platform for collaborative efforts with the public sector, local administrations, universities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to address social issues and challenges. We are actively engaged in numerous projects within this framework.
One of our notable initiatives is the five-dimensional future project, which we are implementing across five districts on the Anatolian side of Istanbul: Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Ümraniye, Sancaktepe, and Sultanbeyli. Supported by the Istanbul Development Agency, this project aims to make significant contributions to high school students and young individuals aged 15 to 18 in five key areas. Our approach involves a holistic ecosystem that considers the family, neighborhood, and school environment of each young person involved.The project focuses on five fundamental areas, as its name suggests: personality and character development, academic and professional development, social development, consciousness development, and physical well-being. Under each of these domains, there exist various sub-domains that we actively support. Our activities comprise three main components. Firstly, we conduct seminars in 17 high schools across the five districts. Our seminars feature experienced and knowledgeable teachers who are experts in their respective fields. They visit these high schools on a weekly basis, engaging with students in interactive sessions. Secondly, we organize workshops at our university to foster growth in these five fundamental areas for our young participants. These workshops encompass a wide range of subjects, including digital design, writing, wood painting, traditional painting techniques, marbling, calligraphy, and musical instruments such as the baglama and guitar. Our aim is to enhance their overall well-being. Lastly, we arrange camps where we bring together our youth. These camps, affiliated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, provide a supportive environment for their personal, academic, and social development, with particular emphasis on physical activities. Through engaging and dynamic activities, we nurture their growth in these areas. Our project commenced in February 2022 and will conclude in August 2023. This phase serves as a pilot implementation, and in subsequent phases, we envision expanding its reach throughout Istanbul. I extend my best wishes to all the young individuals preparing for university entrance exams, and I eagerly anticipate welcoming them to Istanbul Medeniyet University.