A delegation from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) visited Yıldız Technical University. During the meeting with YTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik and faculty members, discussions focused on potential dual-degree programs in engineering, student and faculty exchanges, and opportunities for joint research.

Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) hosted a delegation from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to explore opportunities for international collaboration in the fields of education and research. During the meeting, attended by YTÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik and university faculty members, the discussion focused on potential joint projects that could be developed by leveraging the academic expertise of both institutions in the field of engineering.

The visit was attended by Prof. Dr. Lola Eniola, Dean of the College of Engineering and Faculty Member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UIC,-Adefeso, Dean of the College of Engineering and a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Prof. Dr. Besma Smida, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the same college and a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The delegation also included Prof. Dr. Constantine Dino Megaridis, Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Stakeholder Relations at the Faculty of Engineering and a faculty member of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Dual degree and student exchange opportunities were discussed

In the educational aspect of the meeting, potential dual degree programs and student exchange opportunities in the field of engineering were evaluated. Discussions focused on how both universities could mutually benefit from each other’s educational resources and enhance students’ international academic experiences.

In this context, the discussion focused on collaboration options that could support students in receiving education in different academic environments. The contributions that dual-degree and exchange programs could make to the development of educational relations between the two institutions were discussed.

Faculty mobility and joint research were on the agenda

In the research segment of the meeting, faculty exchange, the sharing of scientific knowledge and experience, and joint research projects were evaluated. Discussions were held on potential research areas where the two universities could collaborate, based on their respective expertise in engineering.

Increasing interaction among faculty members and supporting participation in international research projects were other key topics of the meeting. Opportunities for mutual benefit from the educational and research capacities of YTÜ and UIC were discussed within this framework.

Yıldız Technical University and the University of Illinois at Chicago—ranked 370th in the QS 2027 World University Rankings—already have an Erasmus+ inter-institutional agreement in place that includes staff mobility. The agreement, whose signing process was completed on July 22, 2026, covers the 2026–2027 Erasmus+ call years.