Within the framework of changes in science and technology, production methods and economic systems are transforming with the tools brought by developing technology. The Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century created changes in production methods and economic systems, and this situation caused transformations in every area of life. After the Industrial Revolution, the current institutions in the world were forced to be redefined, and this situation caused the transformation of current institutions in every area from politics to education. It should be expected that the Information Revolution we are experiencing will also cause transformations in every area of life, and this process has already started. Optimization and efficiency continue to increase the transformations in the new period. In this context, the sharing economy is an important tool that has emerged in the new period. UBER, which does not have a taxi, has become the largest taxi company; booking.com, which does not have a hotel, has become the largest hotel operator. Thanks to these initiatives that mean the inclusion of idle capacities in the economy, the sharing economy, which sees that the daily usage hours of the cars owned by individuals do not exceed -for example- two hours per day, enables those who do not own a car to benefit from the 22-hour idle capacity per day with hourly car sharing systems. Discussions on the necessity of owning a car have started in the following years.

One of the transformations forced by the Industrial Revolution was in the field of education which created the education system that dominates the system today and directs young people to schools between the ages of 6-18. In this way, a workforce ready to work during factory working hours was trained when they reached an age where they could contribute to the economy. A similar process is still being experienced, and with the Information Revolution, production methods changed and remote working systems developed, and as a result, a transformation in education should be expected, as in every area of life. Especially during the COVID pandemic, the immediate adaptation to online education was a sign that this transformation will accelerate. In the coming period, the fact that online education will become dominant in the system without the quota problem of the world’s most advanced educational institutions should be perceived as a sign of this and the new eco-system. In the coming years, universities with millions of students are expected to be established thanks to online opportunities. In the scenario regarding these developments in online education, it should not be expected that the need for face-to-face education will disappear in the coming years.

It is expected that some universities with millions of students will emerge thanks to online technologies. In this context, several challenges will arise for students, academics, and higher education institutions:

1. Students who study remotely without leaving their study environments may face difficulties in engaging in social interaction.
2. A significant number of academics may become unemployed due to the shift toward online higher education.
3. Many universities and their courses may struggle to attract students, as student clusters are likely to form around a limited number of universities.

On the other hand, according to current higher education mobility legislation, course, student, and academic mobility is encouraged. Within the scope of the Bologna Process, each student can take six courses from another higher education institution through this mobility. Therefore, while one aspect of the transformation driven by the Information Revolution focuses on online courses, there remains an opportunity for transformation in face-to-face education.

In scenarios where online education becomes dominant, system applications optimized within the sharing economy offer opportunities for face-to-face higher education initiatives to remain competitive. In this context, the higher education platform created by Bodrum Institute aims to address the aforementioned problems.

1. By optimizing costs, the platform encourages students to leave their study environments and engage in face-to-face learning, providing a preferable and cost-effective alternative to traditional higher education institutions.
2. It offers qualified academics who might otherwise be unemployed the opportunity to teach face-to-face courses, thus connecting them with students who choose Bodrum Institute.
3. Universities that struggle to attract students can conduct courses in collaboration with Bodrum Institute through course mobility arrangements.
4. The Bodrum Institute platform leverages existing infrastructure, such as classrooms, dormitories, and social facilities, required for face-to-face education, thereby reducing costs through efficient use of these facilities without ownership.

Bodrum Institute continues to optimize idle usage periods from other sectors for higher education, without bearing the costs of infrastructure, operation, and maintenance. The Institute utilizes the infrastructure of international transportation, accommodation, and meeting venues in Bodrum to facilitate the mobility of lecturers, academics, and students. While higher education infrastructures are used between October and May, tourism sector infrastructure is utilized intensively between July and August. At a macro level, both the tourism sector and higher education institutions need to enhance their capacities in terms of transportation, classrooms, accommodation, and social facilities.

Bodrum Institute creates an ecosystem where these two sectors can share their infrastructures through optimization. Legal regulations, such as the Bologna Process, support this approach. The main goal of Bodrum Institute is to address the challenges of the transformed higher education system of the future by applying optimization systems provided by the sharing economy and developing technologies with an innovative approach.

Bodrum Institute, which seeks to address the global challenges mentioned, brings together experts from all scientific fields in traditional universities and offers a new higher education platform through the opportunities provided by the sharing economy. The Institute aims to organize academic events not only for students in the higher education system but also for Continuing Education Centers and Business Schools within universities.

Aware of the transformation driven by the Information Revolution, Bodrum Institute addresses the global issue of redefining higher education by establishing the higher education ecosystem of the future and positions itself as the leading institution of the decade. Furthermore, the Aegean Region, which historically hosted foundational schools such as the Miletus School, is geographically well-suited to support new initiatives addressing these evolving needs.

Prof. Haldun YALÇINKAYA

Bodrum Institute Coordinator

[1] The Miletus School is a school of thought founded in the sixth century BC in the city of Miletus within the borders of today’s Aydın province. It is accepted that the Miletus School laid the foundations of scientific thought and in this respect, it can be argued that it laid the foundations of today’s educational system.