Bağlarbaşı Retail and Marketing Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School

Located in the Üsküdar district of İstanbul, Bağlarbaşı Retail and Marketing Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School consists of three buildings with a total capacity of approximately 700 students. The first building comprises 16 classrooms, two computer workshops and three practice stores. The number of these practice stores is expected to reach five next year. The second building has 14 classrooms, while the third contains a sports hall with a spectator capacity of 150.

With the transfer of the Bağlarbaşı Retail and Marketing Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School to MÜSİAD, the MÜSİAD Retail Sector Board began work towards making it a project school so that the school’s curriculum system may be revised in line with the conditions of the future.

With the transfer of the Bağlarbaşı Retail and Marketing Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School to MÜSİAD, the MÜSİAD Retail Sector Board began work towards making it a project school so that the school’s curriculum system may be revised in line with the conditions of the future. MÜSİAD also aims to continue its cooperation with the İstanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education on various matters relating to vocational high schools and, as far as possible, to organize weekly meetings bringing students together with leading figures of the sector. In addition, MÜSİAD has adopted as its mission the role of pioneering the opening of similar schools by the other sector boards operating within the institution and by other non-governmental organizations.

Furthermore, alongside the Provincial Directorate of National Education, MÜSİAD also carries out work with leading non-governmental organizations of the sector such as the United Brands Association (BMD) and the Association of Durable Consumer Goods and White Goods Retailers (BEYPER). From time to time meetings are held with the executives of these non-governmental organizations to exchange ideas. Project practice classrooms in a shopping-mall concept are being prepared by companies such as Armine, Gencallar and Karaca Züccaciye.

Goals:

• As MÜSİAD, to be a pioneer in the high-quality education Türkiye needs

• To raise the qualities that are necessary and sought after by the business world

• To provide education of a quality that can be an alternative to university

• To ensure that educational conditions are always at a contemporary level

• To ensure that MÜSİAD sets an example and provides inspiration to other non-governmental organizations and various institutions

With the technology developing today, advances and innovations are also occurring in various professions. Alongside the necessity of an education system integrated with technological developments, the increase in the need for a qualified workforce has made vocational and technical education imperative today. The İstanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education has also launched a project on this matter.

An Employment-Oriented Project

Within the framework of the “Thematic Vocational and Technical Anatolian High Schools” project launched by the İstanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, talks were held with various institutions and organizations such as the İstanbul Chamber of Industry, the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association. Following these talks it was determined that there was a need for brand schools specialized in a single field. After the talks held with sector representatives, the framework of the project was determined and the opportunity arose to open thematic vocational high schools directed towards a single sector. Across Türkiye, 18 thematic high schools providing education in this way were opened, 7 of them in İstanbul.

Through this project, both the schools’ access to knowledge and technology and the sharing of experience by sector representatives in these high schools are ensured. In addition, students graduating from these high schools, which maintain close relations with the sectors, are given employment opportunities. As an employment-oriented undertaking, this project also lays the groundwork for sectors to build their human resources infrastructure.

Alongside its work directed towards the students of the Retail and Marketing Department, MÜSİAD also supported the School-Industry Cooperation Model project of Serkan Gür, Deputy Provincial Director of National Education for İstanbul. Subsequently, when Ömer Faruk Yelkenci, Provincial Director of National Education for İstanbul, developed the School-Industry Cooperation Model through the Thematic High School Project in consideration of the importance of vocational high schools in the development of Türkiye, MÜSİAD decided to take part in this undertaking as well. MÜSİAD thus signed a protocol with the İstanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education. With this protocol, the Bağlarbaşı Retail and Marketing Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School was transferred to MÜSİAD.