BAHÇEŞEHİR UNIVERSİTY CO-OP EDUCATION MODEL

“CO-OP Education Model” has been applied by Bahçeşehir University since 2008 and aims to merge higher education with business life and fill the gaps between business world and university. The university students who do internship with CO-OP, get work experience by participating in the work life actively while they continue their university educations

The most important advantage of the CO-OP Education Model is giving opportunity for work experience to students and getting easier transition to business world. The students who are working in the business world while they continue university education are called COOPER. COOPERs have advantages like being a part of the decision making processes in the business world, taking initiative, and being integrated to business life completely. The students who do internships with CO-OP, have the opportunity to find the proper sector and field/department for themselves while they are still studying. Also they can show their performance and after their graduation they can be employed directly in the CO-OP company. The partner companies also have the opportunity to select their employees among the COOPERs.

The 3rd and 4th grade students of the university who apply for CO-OP program, are placed in the partner companies for a long term internship in a changing period from 3 to 9 months and have the chance to get work experience while they are still studying. If the student and the company have a mutual agreement, these periods can be shortened and extended with the written document which is shared by the company.

COOPER Search&Selection

COOPER-Long-term internship selection and placement process is carried out in one-to-one communication/correspondence with the Human Resources (HR) departments of the companies and the companies are provided an HR modeling similar to their employees’ recruitment process (announcement to the related faculties – get applications – CO-OP interview – send short-list to the company). The students who apply for the internship advertisement of the CO-OP Directorate, are invited for the CO-OP interviews and they get both an evaluation and a mentoring for the preparation of the companies’ interview. With the HR modeling applied in the long term internship process, the students find the opportunity to full rehearsal and simulation of the environment they will be faced following their graduation.

COOPER Evaluation and On-site Visits

COOPERs are visited by the CO-OP Directorate in the workplace within the period of their working times. In these visits, the workplace environment, working conditions are observed and feedbacks are taken from the students and the company about the internship process.

At the end of the CO-OP period, a written evaluation survey is applied to the partner companies and students.