IKV attended an event which was organised by Turkey-European Union Association (TURABDER) and Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TURKONFED) with the aim of bringing the students of Anadolu University and Eskişehir Osmangazi University, relevant faculty members and other stakeholders together to discuss Turkey-EU relations in Eskişehir on 16 October 2017. IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, IKV Research Director Çisel İleri and IKV Junior Researchers Selvi Eren and Merve Özcan attended the event.

EU and Migration, Customs Union and Economic Relations, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, Justice, Freedom and Security, Women and Their Future were the main themes of the morning session and addressed at roundtable discussions correspondingly. During lunch, Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Büyükerşen shared his thoughts regarding the future of the EU and the state of affairs between Turkey and the EU as keynote speaker.

In the afternoon session, panel entitled “Scenarios on the Future of the Turkey-EU Relations” was organised and the opening speech was delivered by TURABDER President Prof. Dr. H. Gül Günver Turan. Panelists of the session were IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, Political Science Professor at İstanbul Bilgi University and President of International Political Science Association Prof. Dr. İlter Turan, former Ambassador of Turkey to Qatar and the OECD Mithat Rende and Assoc. Prof. Deniz Şenol Sert from Özyeğin University. The session chair was the Board Member of TURKONFED Aydın Bandırma. Firstly, Prof. Dr. Turan explained the authorities and structural changes of the EP since its establishment. Afterwards, Ambassador Rende evaluated the current developments in Turkey-EU relations and emphasised that Turkey should make no concessions from the membership prospect.

Subsequently, IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas expressed the possible future scenarios for the EU which is currently in an existential change and reform process. Finally, Assoc. Prof. Deniz Şenol Sert informed participants regarding the latest situation of Syrian population under temporary protection in Turkey and refugees in the EU by making a presentation on the sustainability of readmission mechanisms. The panel continued with the Q&A session and came to conclusion with collective photo shooting and certificate distribution to the students.