Akdeniz University Euromed Youth Center

National Network
Türkiye
Address

Akdeniz University International Relations Office
Rectorate
07068 Antalya/
Turkey

Telephone
+902423102195
E-Mail
nbuyukkalay@akdeniz.edu.tr
E-Mail (2)
nurgulbuyukkalay@gmail.com
Mobile Phone
+905327282114
Organisation Type
Public Institution
Year of Establishment
1982
Fields of Activity
  1. International/Cultural relations
  2. Research
  3. Youth and education
General Information
Akdeniz University was founded in Antalya in 1982, and provides education and training leading to internationally recognised qualifications in 20 Faculties, 7 Graduate Schools, 3 Schools, 14 Vocational Schools and 1 Conservatory which together provide 457 separate programmes at the level of associate degree, master’s degree, doctorate degree, as well as specialisation in medicine, for approximately 60,000 students. Akdeniz University has been working in the field of youth work since 2007, when the first steps were taken towards founding a European-Mediterranean Youth Centre in the region. As a result of cooperation with the European Commission, the Council of Europe, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, a decision was reached and conveyed to the Council of Higher Education which gave approval for the establishment of the EuroMed Youth Centre under the authority of Akdeniz University. The Education and Application Centre, which had been founded in Adrasan in 2009, was then converted to become the EuroMed Youth Centre, which launched its first official international activities in 2012. The first training course held was in conjunction with the MOSAIC group from the Council of Europe, and the SALTO-YOUTH Research Centre.
Mission and Objectives

Our mission is to organize activities which contribute to the personal development, social inclusion and active citizenship of young people, and which encompass the priorities of the Council of Europe including human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The activities should promote social cohesion and cultural diversity by supporting the participation of young people in the life of the community, promote youth employability, and support creative, innovative and sustainable projects in the youth sector.
Our vision is that the EuroMed Youth Center will become a national leader, and a model for the effective application of youth work. We aim to encourage young people to respect human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and to create a community where young people feel empowered to make healthy decisions. We foresee a society where all people value young people, where young people value and respect every member of the community, and where young people become a productive part of society.

Main Projects / Activities

Akdeniz University, which is a member of the European Universities Association (EUA) and the International Association of Universities (IAU), attaches the greatest importance to internationalisation. The International Relations Office, which shares the vision of Akdeniz University, is responsible for Erasmus+ Programme, International Cooperation and Publicity, the Bologna Process, as well as the IAESTE, Farabi and Mevlana Exchange Programmes.
To make a contribution to a general increase in the quality of youth work,
To organize activities and produce resources designed to increase public awareness of young people and youth work through sustainable development and ecology, and through the development of an eco-friendly approach,
To make a contribution to the public debate on the development of youth policy,
To promote the use of non-formal education methods in youth work, and to contribute to the development of a non-formal education approach in formal education,
To work towards greater inclusion of disadvantaged young people into youth work,
To conduct research, and to prepare publications and informative tools in the field of youth matters and youth work,
To contribute to intercultural dialogue, and to encourage cultural cooperation between young people from different cultures.To establish an electronic communications network in cooperation with national and international academic units working in the field of youth matters and youth organizations,
To encourage young people to behave in a way which is beneficial to humanity; to be investigative, creative and integrative, and to work towards an improvement in their capacity to participate voluntarily in the life of the community,

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

As we are leading university and have Euromed Youth Center within the university structure, we can use the benefits of being a university and public institution in the area. We are running a wide range of European Union projects and international cooperations with the countries from all over the world.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

As AFL aims to bring people together from across the Mediterranean to improve mutual respect between cultures and to support civil society, we would like to be a part of such a leading foundation which we believe contribute to our development.

Contact (1) Full Name
Nurgul Buyukkalay
Job Title
Coordinator
Head of the organisation
Prof.Dr. Israfil Kurtcephe