Istanbul Teknik Universitesi MezunlarI DerneGi UluslararasI KuruluSu is started about four years ago with the idea of uniting the ITU Alumni working around the globe. The idea was born during private meeting of Kaya Buyukataman (Vice President of FTAA, &ATAA, President SNE-TACA), Cahit Idil (President of ITU MD, TUrkiye),Mete UnUgUr(Vice President of ITU MD),Osman Simav(Secretay General of ITU MD), and Gazanfer Ugural of ITU VAKFI. It was soon evident that formation of the association as part of the existing one in Istanbul Turkey was impossible under the Turkish Judicial systems. Thus, a new Association was formed about six moths later June, 3 1993 in the United States of America. The Association membership did spread out very quickly across the States, and jump to Canada, Australia, Japan, England, Germany within the first year of formation. Today region covers from South Africa To Sweden, and from Australia to Hongkong, and from Saudi Arabia to Malasia, 18 countries have their voice in the UluslararasI KuruluSu (International Assembly).
Together we have established 16 branch offices in USA alone, 34 Across the Globe. Alumni interactions grossly improved, so thus support to Our University which created this environment to us to reach excellence in our fields. Within the last four years we the association took major steps forwards to our goals being Unity among Alumni, and Support to ITU, and few backward steps in two of the regions. The backward steps were primarily not communicating of our purpose to the local associations clearly. The reason for small backward steps were both of the associations (Australian, and one of the North American Branch) expected that they are there and University should support their activities, and expect nothing. We all wish this could be true, and our University or "Devlet Baba" were rich and capable to do that. Today corrective measures were taken, by laws revisited and improved upon, Australia is growing again, so thus the other region. Dear Alumni, above problem might surface again in your regions and might be enforced by individuals with strong believe in "Devlet Baba" syndrome, and in those region there may not yet be a strong ITU Alumni Association, it is your duty as Alumni of ITU to enlighten them, try to overcome misconception, and gain them as active members of our, ITU family. During the 1997 beginning of the 224 Th academical year of ITU, its new and First Women President Rector, Prof Dr. GUlsUn SaGlamer addressed to Alumni with following statement.
Sevgili Mezunlar;
Universitemizin eski gUzel gUnlerdeki gibi en Cok tercih edilen bir Universite olmasI hepimizin ortak hedefidir. Universiteniz sizin eviniz, ITU camiasi ise ailenizdir. Evinizin ve ailenizin her iSine karISInIz, Universitenizi sahiplenerek geliSmesine katkIda bulununuz. YaSadIGInIz "AltIn CaGI" bizden sonrakilere yaSatacak yeni atIlImlarI gercekleStirmek iCin Universitenizi yalnIz BIrakmayInIz
Prof Dr GUlsUn SaGlamer,RektOr ISTANBUL TEKNIK UNIVERSITESI
The 2001 Renaissance Project for ITU is now outlined by the "Rector" is given in the second page. Your board of directors are now working toward accomplishment of the project outline and supporting it with all the possible means. We have already provided several opening for education of Ph.D. students and associate professors in Texas, Ohio, Missouri, British Columbia,... etc . We are also trying to self finance them by using our award winning web pages as very efficient advertising medium. The next meeting of ITU alumni will take place during AMERICAN TURKISH COUNCIL (ATC) Meeting in Washington DC. On February 21 St. Friday , With Prof Dr. Gulsun Saglamer being present Afternoon will be opened with a reception for US and Turkish industry representatives and attending alumni, and will follow with Alumni reunion and later on Dinner with Rector at Topkapi Restaurant. Reception and Reunion will be in "Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000th H Street, NW Washington, D.C." complete meeting details could be obtained from ATC by calling (202 783 0483) or e mailing ([email protected]).
As part of the convention a reception and dinner will be held in Turkish Embassy on Thursday the 20th. Follow on meetings of the Alumni with Prof Dr GUlsUn SaGlamer are being organized in New York, NY, and Dallas, Texas within the month of February. Information about those could be obtained by calling (860 282-0251, or 817 283-0179) or e-mail: ([email protected]).
Kaya BUyUkataman, President ITU_MD UlUSLARARASI KURULUSU