The EU Education Forum was held in Kocaeli on 30 May-1 June 2016, bringing together 120 teachers and educators, academicians, journalists and representatives from civil society organisations from 19 provinces all across Turkey. The opening remarks of the forum were realised by IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu on 31 May 2016. Deputy Head of EU Delegation in Turkey Bela Szombati came together with the participants in a panel. IKV EU Information Centre Coordinator Gökhan Kilit and 6 educators from Istanbul also attended the forum.

In the context of the forum, in the first day of the event, teachers and educators participated to workshops where empiric education along with pedagogic issues was discussed.  Following the workshops, a panel was held where the EU and Turkey’s education philosophy, based game education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) were discussed.

On the last day of the forum, many different examples were discussed under the theme “New/Alternative Viewpoints in Education” at the event whose moderation was realised by TV anchor Mesut Yar. Survey results which were realised simultaneously through electronic voting were revealed and assessed during the Forum. Among the discussants were Hürriyet journalist and education expert Nuran Çakmak, representatives from Another School is Possible Association and Nesin Mathematics Village along with teachers using alternative education techniques.

The Forum was established in 1996 and is held with the financial support of the Delegation of the EU in Turkey and organised by EU Information Centre Networks operating in 20 provinces across Turkey. The EU Information Centres are coordinated within the framework of TOBB, providing regular information regarding the EU, EU norms and values along with Turkey’s EU accession process. In that context, conferences, meetings and cultural events such as exhibitions and concerts are performed.