At TercihFest 2025, TÜRGEV President Yılmaz presented a vision of “education that transcends geographical boundaries” to young people, emphasizing that the choices they make shape the future.
28 July 2025
As TÜRGEV, we believe that investing in youth goes beyond individual achievements and makes a strategic contribution to Türkiye’s development vision. With this perspective, we took an active role in TercihFest 2025, organized through a collaboration between Ibn Haldun University—of which we are among the founding partners—and Istanbul Technical University.
Held in Istanbul from July 25–27, 2025, TercihFest 2025 was one of the most comprehensive events where TÜRGEV’s vision met with young people. Through workshops, talks, and advisory programs attended by our Chair of the Board, Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz, we brought together prospective university students from all across Türkiye with academics, decision-makers, and leaders from the private sector under one roof.
Under the theme “Tomorrow’s Türkiye”, TercihFest 2025 not only provided guidance for those who succeeded in the university entrance exam, but also offered a value-based, visionary, and strategic roadmap for young people making decisions during the 2025 ÖSYM YKS preference process. By uniting our commitment to equal opportunities in education with TÜRGEV’s trust in youth, the event clearly demonstrated that university choices are not merely selections, but decisions that shape the direction of the future.
Chair of the Board Yılmaz stated:
“A total of 114 students from our TÜRGEV dormitories who prepared for their exams achieved remarkable results. The fact that 33 of our students from the Kartal dorm ranked nationally, and that students from Silopi placed among the top 10,000 once again proves that the decisive factor in success is the opportunities provided.”
Yılmaz went on to say:
“As Ibn Haldun wrote in his Muqaddimah, geographical conditions can influence the development of societies. However, for individuals, the real determining factors are education, culture, values, and personal effort.”
With this understanding, TÜRGEV believes that with the right support mechanisms, fair opportunities, and a values-based educational approach, our young women can go beyond the limitations of their surroundings. This is why our core philosophy is that “a university choice is not the result of an exam, but a decision that sets the course of the future.”
In her speech, Chair Yılmaz emphasized that TÜRGEV goes far beyond being merely a housing provider, offering instead a multi-layered educational model that prepares young women for life beyond academic success:
“Education is the will to determine a nation’s course. Every young person we invest in is not only a success story but also a bearer of vision. Our priority is to nurture individuals who, in times of crisis, can produce solutions, contribute to society, and uphold moral integrity. Through leadership workshops, values education, and mentoring systems, we advance this vision every day.”
At the event, leading figures such as Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, BAYKAR Chairman of the Board Selçuk Bayraktar, President of Defense Industries Haluk Görgün, journalist Mehmet Akif Ersoy, and scientist Burcu Özsoy met with young people. Their presence was one of the strongest indicators of Türkiye’s trust in its younger generations.
These meetings provided not only career guidance but also invaluable value-based inspiration.
TÜRGEV operates with a vision that will guide the educational journeys of young women not only in Türkiye but across the Islamic world, helping them transform their potential into value creation on a global scale.
As Chair of the Board Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz expressed:
“Believing in young people is investing in Türkiye. Every opportunity we provide them is a step toward the Türkiye of the future.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did TÜRGEV participate in TercihFest 2025?
TÜRGEV actively joined TercihFest 2025 as part of its mission not only to provide accommodation for young women, but also to offer equal opportunities in education and a vision for the future. This event served as a strategic platform to help young women make informed university choices.
What was Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz’s message at TercihFest 2025?
TÜRGEV Chair Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz stated, “Investment in youth transcends geographical barriers,” emphasizing that equal opportunities can overcome regional differences and that youth are the key to development.
How did students in TÜRGEV dormitories perform in the 2025 YKS exam?
A total of 114 young women from TÜRGEV dormitories achieved various successes, with 33 students from the Kartal dorm ranking nationally and students from Silopi placing in the top 10,000.
What does the phrase “Is geography destiny?” mean?
The phrase refers to the sociological observation that a community’s or individual’s geographic conditions—such as climate, terrain, natural resources, neighboring regions, and transportation access—affect living conditions and societal structures. Its roots lie in the 14th-century thinker Ibn Haldun’s Muqaddimah. However, here “destiny” does not imply divine fate; rather, it points to geography’s influential but not singularly determining role. Factors such as education, social support, personal effort, and cultural capital can overcome or transform these effects.
Why is a university choice not just the result of an exam?
According to Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz, a university choice is not simply the result of an exam but a strategic decision that shapes an individual’s future. The right choices can have lifelong impact.
How did TercihFest 2025 contribute to YKS preferences?
TercihFest 2025 went beyond merely providing information, offering a values-oriented vision that influenced students’ choices. Direct interaction with academics and industry representatives helped students make well-informed decisions.
