At the Edge of New Era: 21st Century Leadership Journey Training Programme, delivered for the second time in collaboration with Zeren Group Holding, CIFAL Istanbul, UNITAR and Bahçeşehir University, celebrated the graduation of its third cohort. Students who successfully completed the six-month learning journey received their certificates during the programme’s graduation ceremony.
The third cohort brought together 436 university students from 93 educational institutions across 45 provinces of Türkiye. Having reached more than 1,000 students to date, the At the Edge of New Era: 21st Century Leadership Journey Training Programme aims to contribute to reducing inequalities by supporting young people’s access to quality learning opportunities. The programme also seeks to raise awareness, encourage participants to translate knowledge into action, and equip students with the skills and confidence they will need throughout their future careers.
Building 21st-Century Skills Through Four Modules
The At the Edge of New Era: 21st Century Leadership Journey Training Programme was structured around four core modules: Communication, Technology, Sustainability, and Leadership. Throughout the programme, distinguished academics and professionals delivered 10 live online sessions, complemented by 19 asynchronous courses designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the topics covered.
The programme opened with the kick-off session delivered by Prof. Dr. Çisil Sohodol, Director of CIFAL Istanbul, titled “At the Edge of New Era: The 21st Century Leadership Journey.” The session explored the changing needs of today’s world, essential 21st-century competencies, and emerging approaches to future-oriented leadership.
The first module focused on strengthening students’ ability to express themselves effectively, establish meaningful relationships with different stakeholders, and develop the communication skills required in both their personal and professional lives. During the live sessions, Prof. Dr. Kemal Süher addressed the fundamental elements of communication through his course titled “Communication Skills.” Erdal Uzunoğlu, in his session titled “Networking,” focused on building professional relationships and managing them effectively and sustainably. The live sessions were supported by asynchronous courses covering effective communication through games and the arts, persuasion and influence skills, negotiation techniques, and personal brand management. Through these courses, students were encouraged to explore communication from different perspectives and apply what they learned to their social and professional lives.
The Technology Module focused on helping students understand digital transformation and the impact of emerging technologies on society, industries, and the world of work. In his live session titled “Technology Trends,” Prof. Dr. Yücel Batu Salman examined current technological developments and their potential implications for the future. Ercüment Büyükşener, through his course “Becoming a Digital Citizen,” discussed rights, responsibilities, and conscious technology use in the digital environment. The asynchronous courses covered sectoral transformation in the age of data, the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and new technology applications. These courses aimed to support students in becoming not only users of technology but also informed individuals capable of evaluating the opportunities and risks associated with technological developments.
The Sustainability Module examined the relationship between individual choices, institutional decisions, and their wider social and environmental consequences. In the live session titled “From Everyday Decisions to Institutional Impact: Why Does Sustainability Begin with Behaviour?” Dr. Yasemin Ülker highlighted the importance of individual awareness and behavioural change in achieving sustainable transformation. Another live session, titled “The Role of Youth in Addressing Social Challenges and the Climate Crisis,” Dr. Nilüfer Geysi focused on the responsibilities and contributions of young people in responding to contemporary social and environmental challenges. The asynchronous courses explored the role of businesses in building a sustainable future, ethical management, corporate social responsibility, corporate sustainability, ESG, and human capital investments. Through these topics, students were encouraged to view sustainability not solely as an environmental issue but as a multidimensional field encompassing social, economic, institutional, and ethical considerations.
The final module focused on the leadership competencies students will need in increasingly digitalised, rapidly changing, and uncertain professional environments. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Erkuş, in his live course titled “New Generation Leadership and Team Management,” discussed evolving leadership approaches and the fundamental principles of effective team management. Prof. Dr. Tunç Bozbura, through his session titled “Youth’s Future Leadership Journey: Will Robots Be Our Leaders in the Future?”, examined the changing relationship between technology and leadership. The module’s final live session was delivered by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Beşkese under the title “Change Management and Turning Crisis into Opportunity.” The accompanying asynchronous courses addressed emotional resilience, creative thinking, success in a VUCA world, coping with uncertainty, and leadership in the age of digital transformation.
A Development Journey from Knowledge to Action
The At the Edge of New Era: 21st Century Leadership Journey Training Programme was designed not merely as a process of transferring knowledge but as a holistic learning experience that encouraged students to connect what they learned with contemporary social, environmental, and technological challenges. Throughout the programme, participants were supported in developing greater awareness, adopting more sustainable behaviours, adapting to changing conditions, and strengthening the competencies required for their future academic and professional lives.
The graduation ceremony was presented by Aslıcan Açık, Coordination and Organization Assistant Specialist at CIFAL Istanbul, who coordinated and followed the implementation of the project throughout the programme. During the ceremony, Seda Zeren Adıgüzel, Member of the Board of Directors of Zeren Group Holding, and Prof. Dr. Çisil Sohodol, Director of CIFAL Istanbul, delivered speeches reflecting on the programme’s objectives, achievements, and contribution to young people’s development. Graduating students Arya Gürses, Barış Yavaş, and Sıla Soylu also took the stage to share their experiences and reflections. The students thanked the partner institutions, academics, and programme team, emphasising that the training had broadened their perspectives, strengthened their personal and professional competencies, and provided valuable guidance for their future academic and career journeys.
By bringing together Bahçeşehir University’s academic expertise, BAUGO’s digital learning infrastructure, the training and capacity-building approach of CIFAL Istanbul and UNITAR, and Zeren Group Holding’s commitment to youth development, the At the Edge of New Era: 21st Century Leadership Journey Training Programme continues to support young people in becoming more informed, capable, and future-ready individuals.
