FROM THE FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION AT BAŞKENT UNIVERSITY
“COMMUNICATION PANEL IN TURKEY
COMMUNICATION PANEL IN TURKEY”
As part of the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, the Faculty of Communication at Başkent University, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, organised a series of events on 8 December 2023 at the Bağlıca Campus.
The event, which featured speakers and contributions from the Turkish Public Relations Association, the Journalists’ Association, the Ankara Public Relations Association, the Ankara Advertisers’ Association, and the Brand Council, attracted significant interest from students, academics, industry professionals, and representatives of the profession.
The opening of the exhibition titled ‘Those Who Shape Communication in the 100th Year of the Republic’ was conducted by Minister Işıkhan.
The opening of the exhibition, which features posters designed by students and graduates of the Communication and Design Department of the Faculty of Communication, inspired by communication designers who have left their mark on the history of the Republic, Attendees included Labour and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan, Başkent University Founder and Board of Trustees Chairman Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal, Başkent University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Abdülkadir Varoğlu, Başkent University Health Institutions Director Prof. Dr. Ali Haberal, and Turkish Public Relations Association Board Chairman İpek Özgüden Özen.
Following the exhibition, Prof. Dr. Senem Gençtürk Hızal, Dean of the Faculty of Communication at Başkent University, delivered the opening speech for the four-session panel discussion titled ‘Communication in Turkey in the 100th Year of Our Republic.’ Drawing on the fields and themes they have been teaching communication for 26 years, she to reflect on, remind, and discuss the trajectory of the communication field in Turkey, the structural transformations it has undergone throughout history, and to trace its path from the past to the present and into the future.
‘We are proud to graduate students with free minds and ideas.’
In her speech, Prof. Dr. Hızal said, ‘As we celebrate the 26th anniversary of our university's Faculty of Communication, which has witnessed 30 years of the Republic, we are proud to graduate students with free minds and ideas,’ He also mentioned examples such as ‘Hakimiyet-i Milliye Newspaper, Anadolu Agency, Karadeniz Ship, İzmit Press Conference, Belleten Magazine, Alphabet Book and its cover design, and Gazi Farm films,’ which demonstrate the value, importance, and care that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk gave to communication from the War of Independence onwards during the early years of the Republic.
Prof. Dr. M. Abdülkadir Varoğlu, Acting Rector of Başkent University, emphasised in his speech that Başkent University carries the vision of the Republic, saying, “On the 100th anniversary of our country’s founding, we express our gratitude to Atatürk and his ideological companions for creating the infrastructure that has brought our communication history to where it is today.” Because we are also building on these foundations, and we consider the achievements of our founder, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal, to be a continuation of the vision we see in Atatürk.”
Turkey's Communication History was discussed in four different sessions
The first session of the panel, titled ‘Public Relations in Turkey: From Public Relations to Relationship Management,’ was moderated by Prof. Dr. Andaç Demirtaş Madran, Head of the Public Relations and Promotion Department at Başkent University's Faculty of Communication. The speakers for this session were Ms. Birten Gökyay, Founding Member of the Ankara Public Relations Association; Ms. İpek Özgüden Özen, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Public Relations Association (TÜHİD) and President of On Communication Agency; and Ms. Serap ŞAHİN DURAK, Member of the Board of Directors of TÜHİD and President of Pozitif PR Agency.
The second session, titled ‘From Antennas to Platforms: Broadcasting in Turkey,’ was moderated by Prof. Dr. Şebnem Pala Güzel, Head of the Radio, Television and Cinema Department at Başkent University's Faculty of Communication. Participants in this session included television broadcaster, educator, and sculptor Sedat Örsel; Kanal B Programme Director Ziya Bayraktar; and producer and director Orhan Erkal.
The third session of the panel, titled ‘From Ink to Artificial Intelligence: Communication Design in Turkey,’ was moderated by Dr. Banu Erşanlı Taş, Head of the Department of Communication and Design at Başkent University's Faculty of Communication. The session featured presentations by retired professor Hasan Pekmezci, Vice President of the Brand Council and Founding Partner of Argos Advertising Agency Necdet Kara, and Kerem Ataay, President of Kreş Brand Care Agency.
In the final session titled ‘From Distinctive Feature to Brand: Advertising in Turkey,’ moderated by Prof. Dr. Senem Gençtürk Hızal, Dean of the Faculty of Communication at Başkent University, Nurcan Karagöz Herischi, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ankara Public Relations Association (AHİD), Muharrem Mantar, President of Rüzgar Üstü Advertising Agency, A. Bora Hızal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ankara Advertising Association and President of YönAdam Brand Communication Consultancy Agency, and Aziz Yayla, Member of the Board of Directors of the Ankara Advertising Association and Founding Partner of Kaf Advertising Agency, spoke.
In her closing remarks at the panel, Prof. Dr. Senem Gençtürk Hızal thanked all institutions, speakers, and team members who contributed to this valuable event, which documented milestones in Turkey's communication history, and stated that they would continue to organise such events that support our country's institutional memory.
Click here for the catalogue of the exhibition titled ‘Those Who Shape Communication in the 100th Year of the Republic: A Joint Exhibition by Students and Alumni of the Faculty of Communication and the Department of Communication and Design.’
