04/06/2026
Six students selected as part of the Sabancı University & Venice International University Core Curriculum Excellence Program shared their thoughts and expectations before attending the VIU Summer School. Recognized as FDP–VIU Scholars for their outstanding achievement in the Foundations Development Program (FDP), the students reflected on how Sabancı University’s core curriculum will contribute to their experience as they prepare to join VIU’s international and multidisciplinary learning environment.
The students were invited to share what being selected for the program means to them, what they expect from the VIU experience, how Sabancı University’s core curriculum may support them during this journey, and what they have gained from Sabancı University’s distinctive educational model.
Alp Giray Datlar
“My expectation from the VIU experience is to take my perspective to an international level.”
I feel very proud and happy to be part of this program. My expectation from the VIU experience is to discuss issues such as technology, sustainability, global governance, and environmental policies in the same environment with students from different countries, and to take my perspective to an international level. Being in a city like Venice, where history and innovation come together, and having the chance to explore its beauty will also be a wonderful experience for me.
Sabancı University’s core curriculum aims to develop an interdisciplinary way of thinking. Considering that the VIU Summer School courses bring together different disciplines, I believe this flexible way of thinking will help me adapt quickly to the discussions there. I also think the broad perspective gained through the core curriculum will make it easier for me to find common ground with students from different cultural backgrounds in an international classroom.
Thanks to Sabancı University’s freedom to choose a major, I am discovering more consciously what I want to study. The interdisciplinary structure of the core curriculum may also provide me with the intellectual foundation I need if I later choose to focus on topics where two fields intersect.
Baran Çiftçi
“I see this recognition as a reward for the effort I put in throughout the semester.”
For me, being selected for the FDP–VIU Scholars program is, above all, a source of pride. I see this recognition as a reward for the effort I put in throughout the semester. I believe The VIU Summer School offers an international academic environment that brings together students and instructors from different disciplines. I also hope to get to know the history and culture of Venice more closely through the activities organized as part of the program.
The VIU Summer School offers an international academic environment that brings together students and instructors from different disciplines. Through core curriculum courses such as SPS, I had the opportunity to become familiar with different disciplines. I believe I will benefit from this multidisciplinary perspective gained through the core curriculum during the VIU Summer School.
Thanks to Sabancı University’s distinctive educational model, I will be able to deepen my knowledge in the fields of biology and technology, both of which I am interested in, without being restricted to a single path. In particular, experiencing the intersection of these two fields through NS courses helped me plan my academic and career path more consciously. The freedom to choose a major allows me to shape this plan more flexibly according to my interests.
Onur Çongar
“Since this will be my first educational experience abroad, I think it will be an important experience for me.”
Being selected for the FDP–VIU Scholars program is a great source of pride for me. Since this will be my first educational experience abroad, I think it will be an important experience.
Since we have also developed our academic presentation and writing skills through Sabancı University’s core curriculum, I believe this will contribute to my VIU experience. I know that academic presentation and writing activities will also be part of the courses there.
I believe that my education at Sabancı University has improved my critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and research skills. In the future, I think this will help me become a more well-rounded and questioning individual.
Muammer Boran Sakarya
“Being selected for such a valuable program through my achievement in one of the core curriculum courses made this opportunity especially meaningful for me.”
Being selected for the FDP–VIU Scholars program made me feel both proud and excited. Being selected for such a valuable program through my achievement in one of the core curriculum courses made this opportunity especially meaningful for me. I believe the program’s international and interdisciplinary structure will make important contributions to my vision, technical knowledge, and professional network.
Sabancı University’s core curriculum will contribute significantly to my VIU experience, as it helps students develop the ability to evaluate different disciplines together and think in a connected way. Being able to approach directly or indirectly related topics from different perspectives will help me make the most of the gains I will obtain from the FDP–VIU Scholars program.
Sabancı University’s flexible educational model, which allows students to discover their interests and passions, has played an important role in shaping my career path. Through courses, projects, and talks from different disciplines, I had the opportunity to broaden my general knowledge and gain perspectives on different fields. In the future, I believe these experiences will help me become someone who can approach issues from a broader perspective while also developing depth in specific areas.
Kadir Yiğit Erdem
“For me, being selected for this program means having the opportunity to get to know a different city and different cultures.”
For me, being selected for this program means having the opportunity to get to know a different city and different cultures. Through this experience, I hope to learn about different cultures and people’s perspectives, broaden my own outlook on life, and learn to approach issues from different angles.
Because of the multidisciplinary structure of the courses at VIU, I believe that the knowledge and experience I have gained from different fields within the core curriculum will help me approach the topics covered in class from different angles. I also believe this will give me an advantage in problem-solving processes.
Thanks to the broad freedom Sabancı University’s distinctive educational model offers in course selection, I was able to try courses that interested me and identify the areas I wanted to focus on. In the future, I plan to continue expanding my knowledge in other areas that interest me through this freedom of course selection.
Zeynep Gürdal
“This program offers an opportunity to interact with different cultures and develop a global perspective.”
This program offers an opportunity to interact with different cultures and develop a global perspective. I see meeting people from different countries as a very valuable experience for both my academic and personal development.
Sabancı University’s core curriculum taught me how to think and work with people from different disciplines. Thanks to this, I believe I will be able to adapt more easily to VIU’s international and multidisciplinary academic environment.
Sabancı University’s educational model helped me develop interdisciplinary thinking skills and the ability to approach issues from different perspectives. I believe that being able to consider technical and social fields together will be an important advantage both during my VIU experience and when finding solutions to problems I may encounter in the future.
The students’ reflections show that Sabancı University’s core curriculum does more than provide academic knowledge; it also offers a strong foundation that prepares students to encounter different disciplines, cultures, and ways of thinking. As they prepare for VIU, the FDP–VIU Scholars carry both the excitement of joining an international academic environment and the pride of bringing the broad perspective they have gained at Sabancı University to this experience.
