The Marketing Program at Mersin University's Vocational School of Social Sciences organized an event titled "Next Generation Approaches in Retail" to enable students to meet with industry representatives, learn about current developments in the retail sector, and strengthen industry-university collaboration.

The event featured presentations by Ayhan Çalışkan, Migros Eastern Mediterranean Regional Director; Koray Özdemir, Migros Eastern Mediterranean Regional HR Head; Hasan Dedekargınoğlu, Migros Eastern Mediterranean Regional Academy Lead; and Ömer Fırat Çetin, Migros Eastern Mediterranean Regional HR Lead. The program provided comprehensive information on digital transformation in the retail sector, next-generation retail practices, customer experience management, human resources processes, and career opportunities.

Students actively participated in the event, sharing their industry experiences and answering questions from the speakers. Lecturers Dr. Mehmet Acar and Hasan Özbek from the Marketing Program also attended. Throughout the program, the importance of practical training and industry experience for professional development was emphasized. Students had the opportunity to hear about current industry practices directly from industry representatives, gaining significant insights into their career planning.

The event was evaluated as having made significant contributions to the program in terms of external stakeholder involvement, industry-university collaboration, applied education approach, and quality assurance efforts. It was also noted that the event was supportive in terms of stakeholder participation and professional development activities within the scope of MEDEK accreditation processes.

Associate Professor Dr. Cevat Ercik, Director of the Vocational School of Social Sciences, thanked the speakers for sharing their field experiences, knowledge, and professional contributions with the students. At the end of the program, certificates of appreciation were presented to the speakers by Lecturer Dr. Sedef Şahin Geçgel for their contributions and participation.