Gülseren Özdemir Special Education Practice School
“Gülseren Özdemir Special Education Practice School” was built by the Limak Foundation in order to ensure that children with mental and physical disabilities with special education requirements have equal opportunities in the society and the school had an opening a ceremony in November 5, 2018 which was attended by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the First Lady Emine Erdoğan and it was donated to the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Education.
Gülseren Özdemir Special Education Practice School is Turkey’s largest special educational institution with five thousand square meters of indoor space. At the same time, it is qualified as being the only school among special educational institutions that includes 3 levels namely primary, secondary and high school. The school, which consists of 27 classrooms and has a total capacity of 300 students, is designed to provide education and training in the best conditions for students with moderate and severe disabilities, students with moderate and severe autism, and students with multiple disabilities (mental and physical).
In addition to the classrooms, the school is equipped with a library, computer room, parent waiting lounge, parentteachers association room, physical therapy and speech therapy hall, infirmary, dining hall, conference hall for 100 persons, with backstage and foyer, 2 elevators (of dimensions to accommodate a stretcher), plus training and game stations and outdoor classrooms in the garden. Currently, the school accommodates 174 students, including those enrolled in lifelong education programs, with a total of 89 educators, including five administrators, one PDR specialist, one nurse, and special education and subject teachers.
Since the 2021-2022 academic year, occupational therapy sessions, exclusively offered at the Gülseren Özdemir Special Education Practice School in Türkiye, have been conducted in collaboration with Medipol University. In sports activities such as athletics, swimming, and students achieved remarkable success, winning 45 medals in the 2021-2022 academic year and 49 medals in the 2022- 2023 academic year.
The school, awarded the “Sports Friendly School” certificate, stood out as one of the top educational institutions in Istanbul’s “Good Examples in Education” competitions. Moreover, its students made history by participating in the International Jewelry Fair, making it the first private education institution worldwide to partake in such an event.
In 2023, the school hosted intern trainees from various universities. Health Sciences University interns received training in Child Development, while Medipol University interns specialized in Special Education, Nursing, and Occupational Therapy. Additionally, Bezmialem University interns focused on Nursing.
KEDS Academy
The Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company, established KEDS Academy in 2014 to address unemployment in Kosovo and to cultivate a qualified workforce for the energy sector. To date, 11 cohorts have successfully graduated from the program, and the 12th cohort-comprising students from the University of Pristina-is currently enrolled in the Energy, Environment, and Leadership Program. In addition, a separate educational program for students from electrical and technical vocational high schools is ongoing.
The Energy, Environment, and Leadership Program offers students valuable professional development opportunities by enabling them to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired at university through hands-on projects in the workplace.
The program is conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Education, and Technology of Kosovo, the University of Pristina, the Boğaziçi University Lifelong Education Center, and the Energy and Sustainability Center at the University of Pristina. To date, 800 high school and university students have benefited from the program. The program also provides internship and employment opportunities, with more than half of its graduates currently employed at KEDS and KESCO.
LimakASI
Within the scope of the Limak ASI (Limak Airport Services Institute), established in 2014 at the Pristina Adem Jashari International Airport, operated by Limak, trainings on airport management are provided for senior students, and internships and job opportunities are provided to those who successfully complete the program.
150 students have graduated from the Limak ASI project, which was implemented with the cooperation of Pristina University and Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Center. While 60 percent of the participants were female students, 96 of the students who successfully completed the program were employed at Pristina Adem Jashari International Airport. At Pristina Adem Jashari International Airport, which has a Carbon Neutral Certificate, efforts are underway to restructure the current program on the axis of sustainability.
LAS Academie
LAS Academie produced first graduates which was initiated in order to increase the number of the equipped young people in the country and contribute to their easier access to business opportunities in airport management by Blaise- Diagne International Airport that is completed in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and operated with the partnership of Limak, Summa and the Senegal State.
LAS Academy shall provide career opportunities to youth people in the field of airport management in the world, particularly in Blaise-Diagne International Airport, in collaboration of Thies University, Ecole Nationale de L’aviation Civile and Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Center.
In the first period of the project, 30 students selected from 300 candidates completed their training program created by Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Center, ERNAM and LAS experts in 6 months and received their certificates.
Global Engineer Girls
The Engineer Girls of Türkiye project, which has completed nine years of successful operation, has expanded beyond national boundaries, acquiring an international presence. The international expansion begun in 2017 with the Engineer Girls of Kuwait, at which point the initiative was subsequently rebranded as Global Engineer Girls. It has since been effectively implemented in Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Saudi Arabia, where it continues to thrive. Efforts are currently underway to introduce Global Engineer Girls in countries where the Limak Group of Companies operates. The overarching goal of Global Engineer Girls is to make a global impact, advocating for and empowering women in the field of engineering.
The Limak Foundation’s Engineer Girls of Türkiye project has grown into an international social impact movement, now operating in Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Saudi Arabia under the name “Global Engineer Girls.
In 2024, the traditional İstanbul Gathering brought together engineering students from Kosovo, North Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye. Under the theme “Bold Ideas, Bright Futures,” the event offered young engineering candidates opportunities to meet inspiring role models and share experiences. Hosted by Ebru Özdemir, Chair of the Limak Foundation and Limak Group of Companies, the gathering was attended by Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Türkiye’s Minister of Family and Social Services; Fahad Assaad Abualnasr, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Ankara; and leading industry figures. The event featured panels, mentor-mentee meetings, workshops, and welcomed 71 engineering students from the earthquake zone incorporated into GEG Türkiye. Global Engineer Girls continues to grow yearly, inspiring qualified and empowered female engineers to pursue STEM careers.
GEG Kosovo provides its students with scholarships and opportunities such as certificate programs, mentoring support, internships, and professional networking events aimed at fostering their personal and professional growth. The program currently supports 67 students.
As part of the program, GEG North Macedonia provides its students with scholarships and opportunities such as certificate programs, mentoring support, internships, and professional networking events that contribute to their personal and professional development. It currently supports 55 students.
GEG Saudi Arabia provides its students with scholarships and opportunities such as certificate programs, mentoring support, internships, and professional networking events aimed at fostering their personal and professional growth. The program currently supports 53 students.