U.S. TDA: Press Release: Turkey 05/25/04 - USTDA AWARDS GRANT ON MBA POWERPAK PROGRAM IN TURKEY

USTDA AWARDS GRANT ON MBA POWERPAK PROGRAM IN TURKEY

For Immediate Release

ANKARA, TURKEY (May 25, 2004) – Earlier today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $568,744 grant to Meteksan Sistem, a Turkish systems integration company, to fund a feasibility study and pilot project related to the implementation of the MBA PowerPak program in Turkey. The grant was conferred during a signing ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman signed the grant on behalf of the U.S. Government. Mr. Mustafa Atilla, General Manager for Information Technology Education Programs at Meteksan Sistem, signed the agreement on behalf of the grantee.

The MBA PowerPak program is an eight-day mini-Master of Business Administration (MBA) program designed for technical working professionals who need management education, but may not need the full content of a two-year MBA program. The USTDA-funded feasibility study will evaluate the market for MBA PowerPak in Turkey. The pilot project provides an opportunity for Turkish managers to learn MBA skills while determining how MBA PowerPak needs to be adapted for the Turkish market.

The pilot program will be implemented through Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey’s first private university, which is providing infrastructure for the project. Meteksan Sistem, the recipient of the USTDA grant award today, is part of the Bilkent University umbrella group of companies. The grant will also pay for a separate pilot project of the MBA PowerPak program planned for Turk Telecom, the state-owned telecom company. The U.S. contractor that will conduct the feasibility study and implement both USTDA-funded pilot projects is Global Resources, Inc. of Irvine, California.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

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