Efser Rana Coskun, Assistant Professor at Social Sciences University of Ankara “Bilkent IR provides such an enthusiastic academic environment to develop various research skills and areas. In order to understand “how the world works”, Bilkent IR is the best place to offer diverse angles and methods to expand traditional imaginations.”
Evgeniia Shahin, Independent Researcher “Bilkent International Relations Department is the place where students can get high quality education and invaluable research skills. I am glad to be a part of the department, bringing together academics from such a broad range of specializations. Bilkent IR provides its students an opportunity to meet world-class scholars coming to various seminars at the department while department’s faculty members are always ready to consult their students on the topics of academic and career development.”
İsmail Erkam Sula, Associate Professor at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University “I joined the Department of International Relations in 2009; an occasion which I consider as a huge step for my academic career. The four years that I have spent at the department have been full of enthusiasm, self-fulfillment, and great future expectations. The academic environment enables us to believe in our own potential. It teaches us to study with passion, to develop personal intellectual abilities, to become philosophers, and to become social scientists as well. The variety of research areas and scholarly approaches among the faculty is like a bench full of a variety of delicious fruits out of which one can select what he/she desires. In this regard, the department offers a large number of research specializations to its graduate students on the theory and practice of international relations.”
Anastassia Boitsova-Bugday, PhD Candidate “I have been at the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University for five and a half years now and the aspect of studying here that amazes me every time is its incredible learning environment. Starting from the courses provided, to multiple seminar series, to out of class discussion with professors and colleagues, Bilkent IR is one of the best places to constantly learn, debate, exchange views on IR theories and international politics, as well as produce and share one’s research and experience.”
Uluc Karakas, Business Development Specialist at BİTES “After ending my undergraduate education by having many questions in my mind, I needed a graduate education combining skills on analytical-critical thinking with research enthusiasm and conducting decent research. In this sense, “Master of Arts in International Relations” provided me with this opportunity through systematic academic cultivation by taking courses on international relations theory, research methods, security studies and foreign policy. What’s more, through this sort of academic cultivation, I had a distinctive imagination on academic culture involving many scholars from different schools of thoughts and research skills. These were what a graduate student could expect from a graduate institution for me.”
Nigarhan Gurpınar, MA student “Amerika’dan Avrupa’ya, Orta Doğu’dan Rusya’ya birçok coğrafyanın yanı sıra, dış politika, diplomasi, güvenlik, çevre, enerji, uluslararası hukuk, uluslararası siyasi ekonomi gibi konularındaki derslerin bolluğu ve bu bağlamda mevcut olan derslerin çeşitliliği öğrencilerin ilgi duydukları alanları keşfetmesi, bu alanlarda ders alıp bu alanlara dair teorik ve pratik anlamda farklı pencerelerden bakma fırsatına sahip olması olanağını sunuyor. Gerek bu tip derslerin çeşitliliği, gerekse hocaların öğrencileriyle yakından ilgilenip onları yönlendirmesi ve hatta gerektiği yerlerde cesaret vermesi sayesinde ben de ilgi duyduğum alanı keşfetme fırsatı buldum ve bu alan hakkında var olan çeşitli görüşleri, teorik bilgileri daha detaylı tanıma ve inceleme fırsatım oldu. Bu sayede öğrenciler sadece ders almakla yükümlü oldukları bir programla kısıtlı kalmayıp yeteneklerini keşfedecekleri, ileriye dönük planlar yapabilecekleri ve destek bulabilecekleri bir ortamda kendilerini geliştirme fırsatı buluyorlar.”
Sercan Canbolat, Post-Doctoral Research Associate at University of Connecticut “Bilkent Üniversitesi Uluslararası İlişkiler Master Programında aldığım derslerin niteliği ve ayrıca danışman hocalarının teşvik etmesiyle lisansüstü öğrencilerinin tez çalışmalarında yaptıkları araştırmaların bilimsel anlamda evrenselliği ve genellenebilir olmasını birlikte düşündüğümde Uluslararası İlişkiler bölümünün sunduğu lisansüstü programlarının bizleri Türkiye’nin diğer birçok üniversitesinde bu alanda eğitim alan öğrencilerden çok daha ayrıcalıklı kıldığına inanıyorum. Yurt içinde düzenlenen birçok lisansüstü düzeyde konferans, çalıştay vb. organizasyonlarda Bilkent Üniversitesi lisansüstü öğrencileri sunduğu çalışmalar ile fark yarattığını ve bu çalışmaların Türkiye genelinde diğer kurumlar ve akademisyenler tarafından takdir edildiğini defalarca gözlemledim. Son olarak, Bilkent Üniversitesi Uluslararası İlişkiler bölümünün önerdiği lisansüstü programlarının bizleri yurt içinde daha ayrıcalıklı ve saygın bir yere taşımasının yanında uluslararası alanda da Uluslararası İlişkiler alanında faaliyet gösteren diğer üniversite ve lisansüstü öğrencilerle tam anlamıyla rekabet edebilir duruma getirdiğini belirtmek isterim. Bilkent Üniversitesi’nde verilen lisansüstü eğitimin dünya standartlarında olduğunu ve özellikle Uluslararası İlişkiler disiplinin temellerinin atıldığı Kuzey Amerika ve Avrupa kıtalarında bulunan iyi üniversitelerin sunduğu programlar ile eşdeğer olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Ali Oguz Dirioz, Assistant Professor at TOBB University of Economics and Technology “The department of International Relations at Bilkent University is highly selective and expects its graduate students to be amongst the best in Turkey and internationally. One could conduct research in one of the best libraries in Turkey, get TUBITAK funding for conferences, publish good papers or gain experiences while teaching undergraduates. My Best memories, however, are those with my friends during MA studies in the MIAPP program, as well as the PhD classes. Our classmates and Professors made us feel as if we were members of a privileged fellowship rather than mere graduate students. Maybe that was in my cohort, but over the years I’ve had the privilege to meet and work with wonderful students, faculty and staff. And had friendships that I hope will last a lifetime.”
Burak Toygar Halistoprak, Assistant Professor at Antalya Bilim University “Bilkent IR Department consists of faculty members with very diversified research profiles. Structure of the department is pluralist both in theoretical and methodological manners. This provides a unique opportunity to the graduate students who are willing to be engaged with different research techniques, cases and theoretical stances.”
Mine Nur Kucuk, Assistant Professor at Yeditepe University “Bilkent IR provides its students the ability to analyze different international issues from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Therefore, while you are becoming aware of the vital global subject matters, you are also acquiring critical lenses through which you make sense of these matters.”