Projects Supported

We aim to provide support to transform the education in Turkey over 50 years

Vehbi Koç Foundation has been supporting educational projects with the awareness of the importance of education for sustainable development.

Projects Supported
Model School (2010-ongoing): Vehbi Koç Foundation Model School Project aims to provide a new model for an exemplary middle school that focuses on the reframing and redesign of the entire learning environment. Acknowledging the learning environment as a “third teacher”, the project incorporates the physical with the social environments so that students establish dynamic relationships with each other as well as with surroundings that respond to their 21st century needs. Within the scope of the project, the Beykoz Ziya Ünsel Middle School was rebuilt and renamed “Beykoz Koç Middle School” and handed over to the Ministry of Education on 17 December 2019.Also activities organized by the Vehbi Koç Foundation since 2014 for the school’s teachers, students, parents and the school administration continue to support the school culture. VKV aims that this model school will also inspire other donors to replicate this model.
modelokul.vkv.org.tr/en/
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Teachers Network (2014-ongoing): A project aims to create an environment of sharing and cooperation in which teachers gather with their colleagues, persons or institutions from different disciplines to empower. With the awareness that teachers have a significant impact on quality education and student success, the Vehbi Koç Foundation carried out the “Teachers Research” in collaboration with ATÖLYE and the Education Reform Initiative (ERG) between September 2014 and April 2015. As a result of this research, Teachers Network was established that teachers develop solutions both using face to face and digital platforms. As the Education Reform Initiative is the project facilitator, the project is supported by the VKV, together with the following five leading foundations in Turkey: AÇEV, Aydın Doğan Foundation, Enka Foundation, Mehmet Zorlu Foundation and the Sabancı Foundation.
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Vocational Education: A Crucial Matter for the Nation Project-Vocational High Schools Coaching Program (2006-ongoing): The Vocational High Schools Coaching Program (MLK), recognized as one of the best examples of volunteering in passing on the private sector’s experiences, was transferred to the Association of Private Sector Volunteers (ÖSGD) in 2012 to expand the reach of the program with the participation of volunteers from all member organizations. The program had previously reached 8,000 students at 264 schools in 81 provinces through the ‘Vocational Education: A Crucial Matter for the Nation’ project and the voluntary efforts of 600 employees from 20 Koç Group companies.
osgd.org

Whole School Support Project for the Integration of Refugee Children (2016): The project aims to facilitate the integration of refugee children into the hosting communities through education. The Association for Positive Behavior Development (ODGEDER) executed the project and the Vehbi Koç Foundation acted as a local facilitator providing help with communication and delivery. Counseling support was provided with a model that includes strengthening of students, teachers, parents, administrators.
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Mirekoç Fellowship Program (2016): A support project to increase research, activities and coordination at MiReKoç was initiated by the VKV. Based in the Koç University Forced Migration Research Center (FMRC), it brings together all reliable sources relating to migration, particularly Syrian refugees, storing the information in an open access online database for all researchers and academic institutions.
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Soma Underground Training Pit Project (2015): The training pit was opened in cooperation with Demir Export AŞ, a Koç Holding company, the Celal Bayar University (CBU) and the Vehbi Koç Foundation due to the mining disaster of May 13, 2014, in Soma, Manisa. Located in the land allocated on the CBU Soma Vocational College grounds, students in the relevant departments of the college, novice miners and other workers who are about to take up jobs in mines, receive training.
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UNHCR Syrian Refugee Educational Program (2015): The Vehbi Koç Foundation, as part of a protocol signed with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in 2014, donated educational materials in Turkish and Arabic, as well as supplied to refugee camps in Turkey. Educational materials for children that include alphabets, maps, anatomy images, abacus, cell diagrams, periodic tables, etc., were now being used in the temporary facilities, where 8 to 10 thousand refugee children received education.
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Dreamstalk (2014-2015): Dreamstalk is a social enterprise platform encouraging and helping young people to realize their dreams, supporting user projects selected on criteria such as being innovative, fun, problem-solving, inspirational and bold. The Vehbi Koç Foundation supported Dreamstalk in bringing their activities to nine universities in different regions of Turkey.
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Fisherwomen of the Aegean (2013-ongoing): The project objectives are identifying the needs of fisherwomen in the Datça-Bozburun area to continue in their profession, and also raising fisherwomen’s awareness of the principles of sustainable fishing issues. The project, started by the Mediterranean Protection Association with support from the United Nations Development Program, was also supported by the Vehbi Koç Foundation.
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Science Academy’s Young Scientist Awards Program (BAGEP) (2013-ongoing): The Young Scientist Awards Program (BAGEP), first launched by the Science Academy, were presented with the aim of rewarding, supporting, promoting outstanding young scholars, and enabling them to be informed about their colleagues’ works. The Vehbi Koç Foundation has been supporting the BAGEP Awards program since the program’s inception.
bilimakademisi.org
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Kocaeli University Vehbi Koç Foundation Ford Otosan İhsaniye Vocational College for Automotive Technologies (2013): The college applies a practical educational concept implemented in Turkish higher education for the first time and aims to train a qualified work force for the automotive sector. It was opened by the VKV and Ford Otosan, as part of Kocaeli University.
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Ford Otosan - Van Teachers’ Housing Complex (2012): Following the earthquake disaster that hit Van in 2011, Vehbi Koç Foundation, supported by Ford Otosan, moved into action to help heal the wounds of educators serving in Van and built a modern housing complex that can accommodate 128 teachers with their families.   
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Anatolia is Reading (2011-ongoing): The VKV has been donating sets of books, selected from among prominent Turkish and world literary works appropriate for young readers, to the libraries of all the middle and high schools in a chosen city each year. The program was begun in reply to the great demand for books from numerous schools across Turkey.
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Sivas Kangal Koç Anatolian High School (2010): The high school founded by the VKV in Kangal, Sivas.
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Vocational Education: A Crucial Matter for the Nation (2006-2013): The project, launched by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Education, Koç Group and Vehbi Koç Foundation, became an exemplary model in the field of vocational education, backed by 20 Koç Group Companies and the voluntary contributions of 579 Koç Group employees. Within the scope of the project, 8,000 students from 264 vocational colleges benefited from scholarships.    
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Adıyaman University Education Faculty Vehbi Koç Building (2006): VKV assumed the construction of the Adıyaman University’s Faculty of Education. The late Mustafa V. Koç had led the efforts for the construction and support of the building.   
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Arçelik - Standing United for Education Project (2004-2012): The "Standing United for Education Project" was carried out with the help of a fund established under the roof of the VKV. The ultimate goal of the project is to improve the education and development standards of 200 thousand children, who study at 300 regional primary boarding schools, as well as to ensure that these children become exemplary members of society.    
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TEGV Educational Parks (2001-ongoing): The Vehbi Koç Foundation continues to fund the start-up and administrative costs of the Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation’s Educational Parks in Ankara, Antalya and Şanlıurfa and the İpek Kıraç Learning Unit in Istanbul.
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Galatasaray University Suna Kıraç Library (1999): Galatasaray University Suna Kıraç Library was built with the contributions of the Vehbi Koç Foundation. 
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Harvard University Vehbi Koç Chair of Turkish Studies (1997-ongoing): The Vehbi Koç professorship of Turkish Studies was created in the Department of History at Harvard University, and history professor Cemal Kafadar was appointed as the first “Vehbi Koç Professor”. 
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Boğaziçi University Superdorm Student Dormitory (1995): Boğaziçi University Superdorm Student Dormitory’s construction was completed with the contributions of the Vehbi Koç Foundation.
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Robert College Suna Kıraç Hall (1989): Construction costs of the additional laboratory and multi-purpose hall at Robert College were funded on condition that "at least two students with lesser financial means will be given the opportunity to study without paying the tuition”. One of these new buildings was named the "Suna Kıraç Hall".
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Atatürk Library (1976):Also known by Taksim Atatürk Library, the library building was constructed by the Vehbi Koç Foundation on behalf of the Koç Group and to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic and was transferred to the Istanbul Municipality. It was chosen as Turkey’s best library in 2007 and 2011.
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Sarıyer Vehbi Koç Foundation High School (1976): The high school building of the school was built with the support of Vehbi Koç.
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Eskişehir Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences Vehbi Koç Library and Research Center Building (1968): Vehbi Koç commissioned the library at Eskişehir Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences, which today forms the nucleus of the Anatolia University.
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METU Vehbi Koç Student Dormitory (1968): Construction of the 3rd dormitory building at the Middle East Technical University was funded by Vehbi Koç, and donated to the university. 
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Ankara University Vehbi Koç Student Dormitory (1951): The construction of the Koç Student Dormitory at the Ankara University was Vehbi Koç’s first major social charitable giving.
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For further information about the educational projects that VKV conducted or supported, you can visit the Vehbi Koç Foundation Encyclopedia from the following link https://encyclopedia.vkv.org.tr/