Medipol TÖMER Meets International Students at the Optimistic Future Science Festival

Istanbul Medipol University Turkish Language Teaching Application and Research Center (TÖMER) made academic and societal contributions to the “Optimistic Future Science Festival,” organized within the scope of TÜBİTAK’s 4007 Science Festivals Support Program.

Held at the Beykoz Coast Event Area on October 22–24, 2026, under the coordination of Istanbul Medipol University, the festival brought scientific knowledge together with different segments of society through workshops, practical activities, talks, and exhibitions. Its interdisciplinary activities—ranging from artificial intelligence and astronomy to sustainability and the arts—aimed to support participants’ scientific thinking, problem-solving, and productive skills.
Dr. Yasemin Çiçekçisoy Kaya, Director of Medipol TÖMER, contributed to the festival’s science and society activities as a workshop leader on the official TÜBİTAK project team. The activity emphasized relating scientific knowledge to everyday life, adopting solution-oriented approaches to societal challenges, and encouraging students from different cultural backgrounds to participate actively in interactions between the university and society.

International Students’ Opinions Were Collected
International students attending the festival experienced its scientific and community-oriented activities under the guidance of the Director and instructors of Medipol TÖMER. Following the activity, the students completed a survey assessing its contributions to learning outcomes, intercultural interaction, community engagement, scientific awareness, and personal development.
The survey aimed not only to involve students in the activity but also to enable them to evaluate their experiences and contribute to improving future initiatives through their feedback. In this way, international students became active stakeholders in planning and improvement processes rather than passive participants in community engagement activities.

Community Engagement and Quality Assurance Were Addressed Together
Medipol TÖMER’s participation in the Science Festival was significant in extending Turkish language learning beyond the classroom, enabling students to use Turkish in real-life contexts, supporting their access to scientific and cultural activities, and strengthening interaction between the university and society.
Medipol TÖMER aims to continue organizing activities that support the academic, social, and cultural development of international students while bringing together scientific curiosity, Turkish language use, and community engagement.