Research Cente for Education Policy of the ILKE Foundation brought together educators, researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals through its annual Istanbul Education Conference. In its third iteration this year, the conference delved into the theme of vocational and technical education.

The conference featured distinguished speakers, including Ali Karagöz, the General Director of Vocational and Technical Education at the Ministry of National Education (MEB), Mustafa Balcı, the Sector Manager for Education at the European Union Delegation to Turkey, Lida Kita and Georgios Zisimos, experts from the European Education Foundation, Mustafa Necmi İlhan, the President of the Turkish Qualifications Authority (MYK), Feyza Arıcıoğlu, a member of the Higher Education Quality Board, and Murat Hazıroğlu, a Board Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO).

Vocational and technical education is one of the most crucial tools for the economic development and prosperity of nations.

The III. Istanbul Education Conference kicked off with opening remarks from Murat Hazıroğlu, a member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) Board of Directors, and Ümit Güneş, Vice President of the Board of Directors of ILKE (Science Education Culture and Art Research Association). The event proceeded with a warm welcome from Ali Karagöz, the General Director of Vocational and Technical Education at the Ministry of National Education (MEB).

Throughout the presentations, there was a strong emphasis on highlighting the significant role of vocational and technical education in nurturing a skilled workforce, sustaining a strong presence in both production and the market, and upholding economic and social sustainability.

The first session of the conference was held under the theme "Skills and Policies in Vocational Education." Lida Kita, Senior Human Capital Development Expert at the European Education Foundation, discussed the foundation's efforts in Turkey. She highlighted that these initiatives have found resonance in both the public and private sectors, emphasizing significant developments in vocational education in recent years. The second speaker of the session, Georgios Zisimos, Head of Policy Advice and EU programming Unit at the European Education Foundation, highlighted  the importance of an inclusive implementation network for sustainable development, emphasizing the broad stakeholder involvement in vocational education. It was noted that the successful implementation of this network, along with the sustainability of qualified teacher training and excellence in vocational schools, is directly proportional to adequate financial support.