PIONEERING TURKIYE’S EU INTEGRATION AND DEMOCRATIC FUTURE BY BUILDING BRIDGES FOR YOUNG LEADERS

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TUREU-BRIDGE aims to provide undergraduate students at Biga Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Türkiye, with a comprehensive understanding of the European Union (EU) and enhance awareness of Türkiye-EU relations. Despite the availability of elective courses on EU-related topics, student engagement remains low, leading to a lack of knowledge and misconceptions about the EU. This project addresses the gap in EU-focused education by offering an interactive, multidisciplinary, and research-based learning experience. The three-year module is designed to examine the correlation between knowledge and perceptions of the EU, demonstrating how education can influence students’ views on Türkiye-EU relations. The module covers historical, political, economic, cultural, and contemporary aspects of the EU, aligned with the European Commission’s 2025-2029 priorities, such as democracy, the Green Deal, digitalization, and security. The project consists of three interrelated phases: 1. Pre-Educational Phase: A pre-test survey among 340 randomly selected students to assess their baseline perceptions of the EU. 2. Educational Phase: Participants engage in lectures, workshops, simulations, and research projects, guided by faculty experts, culminating in a student conference on Türkiye-EU relations. 3. Post-Educational Phase: A post-test survey evaluates changes in students’ EU perceptions, with findings compiled into an educational kit for broader dissemination and replication in other universities. This project contributes to youth engagement in EU studies, bridging academic and policy gaps, and developing evidence-based recommendations for Türkiye-EU relations. By fostering long-term academic discourse and cultural interaction, TUREU-BRIDGE ensures a sustainable impact on EU awareness among Turkish youth.