Boğaziçi University provides a wide range of vocational and professional training activities for those who do not attend university, supporting lifelong learning, employability, and skills development beyond formal degree programmes. These activities are delivered through complementary institutional structures, primarily BULLC (Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Centre) and the Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Research and Application Centre (BRIGHT).

Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Center (BULLC)

BULLC Information Brochure

The Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Center (BULLC) offers a wide range of educational programs by leveraging Boğaziçi University’s academic expertise and innovative educational approach, with the aim of addressing the lifelong learning needs of individuals, institutions, and society.

Programme Features

• Personal and Organisational Development: Programmes prepared to contribute to the development of employees consist of the adaptation of the programmes offered in open training to the needs of that institution or completely tailored to that institution.
• Original Training Programmes: With the academic background and experience of Boğaziçi University, unique training programmes are created for the needs of private and public institutions.
• Flexible Implementation: Programmes can be implemented both on the university campus and at the location deemed appropriate by the institution.
• Executive Education Programmes: Executive education programmes such as MBA and other vocational training courses are offered for those who do not attend university.

Open Educational Programmes

The main categories of educational programs offered by BULLC are outlined below:

1. Certificate Programs

Certificate programs are designed for university graduates seeking specialization in core and interdisciplinary fields. These programs include:

Institutionalization in Family Businesses, Digital Marketing and Social Media, Training of Trainers, Industry 4.0, Human Resources Management, Construction Project Management, Corporate Sustainability, Mechatronics, Supply Chain Management, Applied Financial Management, Visionary Marketing, and Store and Product Management in the Retail Sector.

2. Executive Education Programs

Executive education programs focus on professional development for managers, emphasizing leadership, creativity, innovation, and management skills. These programs include:

Design Thinking, Corporate Sustainability, Leadership Academy in Business (LAB), International Executive Education Programs, Board Membership Training, Executive Leadership, Professional Development Seminars, and the Sustainable Development Goals Academy (SDG Academy).

3. Vocational Training Programs

Vocational training programs are designed for individuals who wish to acquire a new profession or who have not had the opportunity to pursue a university education, and who hold at least a high school diploma. Program areas include:

Banking, Event Management, Real Estate Consultancy, Public Relations, Hotel Management, Marketing, Travel Agency Operations, Web Application Design and Development, and Software Development.

4. Skills Development Programs

Skills development programs are offered to both high school and university graduates, aiming to enhance practical and professional competencies. These programs include:

Digital Transformation, Digital Marketing Communication, GMAT Preparation, Project Development, TOEFL Preparation, and Foreign Language Education (English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Ottoman Turkish, and Italian).

5. Refresher and Short-Term Training Programs

These programs are organized to help university graduates update and strengthen their knowledge in specific fields. Examples include:

Five Weeks, Five Novels; BOUN 101: Winter and Summer Schools; Autumn and Spring Workshops; Philosophy for Children; Financial Mathematics; Money, Foreign Exchange and Capital Markets; Sustainable Brand Management; and Applied Entrepreneurship.

6. e-BULLC Online Programs

e-BULLC programs are interactive online courses delivered through the e-BULLC digital learning platform. These include:

Online English, Online Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Turkey’s Energy Academy, Human Resources, Innovative Management, and Engineering.

7. Second Spring Academy

The Second Spring Academy offers specially designed programs for individuals who wish to return to university life, developed with the support of the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement (HILR). These programs provide lifelong learning opportunities in a campus environment with distinguished Boğaziçi University instructors, covering areas such as:

Perspectives on Turkey and the World, Social Sciences, Fine Arts and Literature, History, and Archaeology.

8. Teacher Academy

The Teacher Academy provides specialized training programs aimed at enhancing 21st-century teaching skills for K–12 teachers. These programs can be delivered as short-term seminars and workshops or as modular programs lasting longer than one year. In addition, innovative methodologies developed within the scope of EU-funded projects are adapted to the Turkish education system and integrated into these trainings.

Corporate Services

• Customized Trainings for Institutions: Training programmes designed specifically for each institution in line with the needs of the institution.
• Consultancy Services: Training needs are determined in line with the requests from institutions and training ‘check-up’ services are provided.
• Examination Centre: In order to support the exam practices of the institutions, services such as preparation of exam questions, provision of the exam venue, implementation and evaluation of the exam are provided.
  
  

Click here to visit the BULLC homepage.

BRIGHT - Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center

BRIGHT – Boğaziçi University Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center is a center operating under the leadership of Boğaziçi Teknopark, dedicated to translating Boğaziçi University’s entrepreneurship vision into practice. With a strong focus on innovation, sustainability, and social impact, the Center aims to foster and disseminate an entrepreneurial culture.

The Center contributes to the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem by providing training, mentoring, consultancy, and project support services for entrepreneurs, students, and academics. To this end, BRIGHT:

• Organizes conferences, seminars, training programs, and workshops that raise awareness in the fields of entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship.
• Establishes an ecosystem that enables entrepreneurs to access the knowledge, skills, networks, and resources they need
• Develops collaborations with centers, research groups, and units within the University, as well as with entrepreneurship centers in Türkiye and abroad.
• Encourages entrepreneurship-oriented academic research and supports its transformation into applied projects.
• Conducts joint projects and mentoring programs in cooperation with private sector actors and key stakeholders of the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
  
  

Training Programs Organized by the Center in 2025

Online Educational Content Provided to Entrepreneurs by the Cente

Click here to visit the BRIGHT homepage.

Vocational Training on Cybersecurity at the Istanbul Transparency Center

The Istanbul Transparency Centre has been established through a collaboration between Boğaziçi University and global cyber security company Kaspersky. The centre was inaugurated at the 12th Boğaziçi Cyber Security Summit with the participation of Boğaziçi University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci, Head of the Management Information Systems Department Prof. Dr. Bilgin Metin, and Kaspersky Founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky.

The centre will provide Kaspersky's partners, customers, and cybersecurity regulators with transparent access to the source code of all the company's products, software updates, and threat detection rules. Visitors will be able to review independent audit results and lists of software components.

Additionally, a Transparency Laboratory will be established within the Istanbul Transparency Centre. The laboratory will provide hands-on training to students on methods and techniques for evaluating the quality and reliability of solutions in the supply chain. The training will be conducted both on-site and online by Kaspersky experts, aiming to enhance the ability to identify cyber threats.

Boğaziçi University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci stated that national and international cooperation in technological fields is increasing and that this centre will contribute to young talents. İnci emphasised that, within the scope of the national technology initiative, Turkey should go beyond the technology market and become one of the countries that produce and invest in technology. He emphasised that the collaboration with Kaspersky demonstrates the country's determination to invest and will pioneer new cyber security initiatives.

Kaspersky CEO Eugene Kaspersky said that they are strengthening their long-standing collaboration with Turkey, that Turkey is a regional leader in the digitalisation process, and that they aim to increase expertise and knowledge sharing through this collaboration.

Prof. Dr. Bilgin Metin stated that the summit organised by the Boğaziçi University Cyber Security Centre (BÜSİBER) is a pioneer in the sector and that such collaborations will support developments in the field of cyber security.

This collaboration is seen as an important step for Turkey in the areas of transparency, education, and technology development in cybersecurity, and is expected to contribute to the development of young talent and the strengthening of national cybersecurity capabilities.

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Turkey's Largest Cyber Security Camp Held at Boğaziçi University

Boğaziçi University Cyber Security Centre (BÜSİBER) hosted one of Turkey's largest and most comprehensive cyber security camps on 20-23 August 2024. This year's camp, the 14th of its kind, also marked the 8th anniversary of BÜSİBER. The event brought together cyber security enthusiasts from universities across Turkey and was organised in collaboration with the Cyber Clubs Union. Despite receiving nearly 1,000 applications, approximately 800 students actively participated in the entire training programme.

Participants underwent a comprehensive training programme in cyber security, both theoretical and practical, over the course of four days. The training sessions were conducted by experts in their respective fields across 13 separate classes. Topics covered included Penetration Testing and Defence Systems, Web Application Security and Bug Bounty, IT Governance, Information Security Management, Incident Response, Blue Team activities, Machine Learning and Data Science, GNU/Linux systems, Smart Contract Security, Web Development with Django, Mobile and Web3 Security, and Reverse Engineering.

The main sponsor of the camp was Kaspersky, while leading Turkish technology and cybersecurity companies such as THY Turkish Technology, Turkcell, and Acklog also provided support. Participants had the opportunity to not only receive technical training but also meet industry experts and network.

The sessions held during the event addressed current developments in the field of cyber security. BÜSİBER Project Manager Prof. Dr. Bilgin Metin emphasised Boğaziçi University's leadership in this field and its mission to train qualified experts, while also highlighting the contribution of the collaboration with the Cyber Clubs Union to the development of young talent in the sector.

The ‘Women in Technology’ panel, held on the last day of the camp and attracting great interest, provided an in-depth discussion on gender equality in the sector and women's contribution to technology. The panel, moderated by Kaspersky Turkey Manager İlkem Özar, featured prominent figures in the field such as Prof. Dr. Bilgin Metin, Ayşim Niksarlı, Feridun Aktaş, and Sema Erkan as speakers.

This camp provided a significant opportunity for young people to gain technical knowledge and establish connections within the industry, while also marking an important step toward raising cyber security awareness in Turkey.

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