International Project Management Day 2025 Took Place
The International Project Management Day 2025, organized in collaboration with the School of Applied Sciences (SAS) of Cyprus International University (CIU) and the Cyprus Turkish Computer Engineers Chamber, was held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, simultaneously with events around the world.
The event began with opening speeches and continued with presentations from Medine Albayrak of the Cyprus Turkish Computer Engineers Chamber, Gizem Menteş Muhtaroğlu, Business Development Manager at KMC Consulting, and Nil Zorlu Atai, Corporate Communications Manager at Vodafone Mobile Operations Ltd. (Telsim). In her opening speech, SAS Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Damla Karagözlü emphasized the interdisciplinary importance of project management, highlighting that such events greatly contribute to students' ability to lead successful projects in the future. Representing the Cyprus Turkish Computer Engineers Chamber, Medine Albayrak spoke about the importance of industry-university collaborations for IT professionals. Later, CIU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Cem Tanova discussed the role of project management within the modern education framework and stressed that students should be equipped not only with technical knowledge but also with communication and leadership skills.
One of the guest speakers, Gizem Menteş Muhtaroğlu, Business Development Manager at KMC Consulting, gave a presentation titled “New Generation Project Management,” where she discussed strategic planning in multi-stakeholder development projects, SME competitiveness, and institutional capacity building. Drawing from her experience with EU-funded and international projects, Muhtaroğlu emphasized that new-generation project management is strengthened by agility, data-driven analysis, and human-centered approaches.
The second speaker, Nil Zorlu Atai, Corporate Communications Manager at Vodafone Mobile Operations Ltd. (Telsim), gave a presentation on “Project Management in the Telsim Freezone High School Music Competition.” In her talk, Atai shared her 25 years of experience in corporate communications, touching on the planning, media relations, sponsorships, and societal impact management processes behind large-scale events, and explained the critical role of project management in communication and brand reputation.
Following the presentations, a quiz competition was held, and participants who won received surprise prizes. The speakers were then presented with plaques symbolizing the significance of the day.