Institute for Turkish Studies, Integration and Research

Institute for Turkish Studies, Integration and Research (S&R, Original Name- Instituut voor Turkse Studies Integratie en Onderzoek) is a non-profit organization recognized by Federal Public Service Justice of Belgium, was founded on 26/6/2019 in Antwerp, Belgium. Institute for Turkish Studies, Integration and Research’ (S&R) contributes to the integration, adaptation of immigrants in Belgium through research and education. For children and adults living in a multi-cultural society, our institute supports their belonging, aspirations, identity, academic success, self-development, self-esteem, and their adaptation into these multi cultures. In an immigrant context, we do research and make projects for the social and educational inclusion of multicultural societies in Belgium. We aim to empower all immigrant groups in Belgium by means of inclusive and innovative projects. We invest on the mutual understanding among all immigrant communities and the host community through intercultural dialogue. Our mission is to make a sustainable cooperation with institutional environments (parents, students, youths, schools, stakeholders, NGOs, institutions, universities, municipalities etc.) through scientific and institutional partnerships, Erasmus+ partnership, internship. Regarding the needs and expectations of our stakeholders, we develop and implement educational programmes and scientific research process for children and youth in order to support their 21st century skills. Within the framework of 21st Century Learning, we provide learning & innovative skills, information, media, and ICT (Information, Communications, and Technology) skills, life & career skills. Our activities are based on educational and societal dimensions. For educational dimensions, we develop and implement educational programmes, curriculum, and instruction for students/youth within the 21st Century Learning environment. We promote an understanding of academic content at much higher levels by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes like global awareness and world citizenship, civic literacy and intercultural cooperation and social inclusion, entrepreneurial literacy and networking, and environmental literacy and sustainability. We supervise the exchange students and staff coming through Erasmus+ partnership, internship and we provide supervising service to students with immigrant background for their further educational trajectory. We organize workshops in different cities in Belgium through interactive drama-based or scientific-based activities and online workshops through virtual network tools. We give seminars to the youths/students about the sociological, psychological, educational needs of them such as social inclusion, integration, cultural heritage, bilingual upbringing, youth-rearing practices in immigrant contexts, 21st century skills, multiculturalism, school adaptation, personnel development of youth/students etc. Also, in our institution through Erasmus+ projects, we had Learning, Teaching and Training Activities (LLT) on these issues. For societal dimension, we do local/national/international projects for the social integration/inclusion of students/youths through scientific and institutional partnerships/exchanges (schools, stakeholders, NGOs, institutions, universities, municipalities etc.). In our projects, we encourage skills like Creativity and Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Collaboration, Social and Cross-Cultural Skills, Project Management, Leadership and Responsibility.