METU SOCIAL SCIENCES WINTER SCHOOL X DESIGN FACTORY

ODTÜ Tasarım Fabrikası instructors Prof. Dr. Arzu Gönenç Sorguç and Dr. Serkan Alkan delivered a Design Thinking course to high school students within the scope of the ODTÜ Social Sciences Winter School. Throughout the course, students developed creative solutions to real-world problems using a human-centered approach; they had the opportunity to test and refine their ideas through prototyping. Conducted through both individual and team-based activities, the process strengthened students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative production skills.

A Collaboration between ODTÜ Design Factory and RÜZGEM

EEN SG Cultural & Creative Industries Meeting 2025 & METUCrea Matchmaking Event

As an active member of the EEN Sector Group Cultural & Creative Industries and co-chair of the Study Group, we were delighted to host the EEN SG Cultural & Creative Industries Meeting 2025, alongside the METUCrea Matchmaking Event, bringing together creative professionals, innovators, researchers, and ecosystem actors from across Europe.The meeting also served as a dissemination platform for CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment), where its principles, commitments, and ongoing activities were presented and discussed with key stakeholders from the cultural and creative industries.

A big thank you to all speakers, partners, and participants for making this event such a valuable and inspiring experience.

Looking forward to new collaborations ahead!

METU Design Factory × TUSAŞ | Design Thinking Workshops

As METU Design Factory, we successfully completed a two-phase Design Thinking workshop series in collaboration with TUSAŞ, a leading company in the aerospace industry, on November 18–19 and 25–26. Conducted with two different groups, the workshops provided a highly productive and engaging environment centered on collaboration and shared learning.

Throughout the process, participants demonstrated strong motivation, open-mindedness, and active engagement, enabling an in-depth exploration of user-centered problem definition, rapid prototyping, and creative solution development. The outcomes highlighted the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and the potential of design thinking approaches within high-technology and aerospace-driven contexts.

We would like to thank the TUSAŞ team for their valuable contributions and collaboration throughout this inspiring and rewarding process.

Design Factory at METU Engineering Summer School

As part of the Engineering Summer School organized by Middle East Technical University for high school students, the course titled “BIYOESIN 101: Nature-Inspired Designs” was successfully completed after an intensive and creative two-day educational program. Drawing inspiration from structures and systems in nature, the course introduced high school students to the innovative and inspiring world of engineering.

Held at the METU Design Factory under the coordination of Faculty of Architecture professor Prof. Dr. Arzu Gönenç Sorguç and the Design Factory team, the course allowed participants to explore nature-inspired design principles and apply them to develop creative solutions to engineering problems.

During the hands-on sessions, students developed their own designs based on claws, joints, bones, and skeletal systems found in nature. Using 3D printers, they turned their ideas into physical prototypes. At the end of the course, a competition was held among these designs under the theme of “maximum load-bearing capacity.” The competition provided both fun and educational moments.

The “BIYOESIN 101” course not only increased young participants’ interest in engineering and design but also helped them enhance their teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

IDS Fall 2025-2026 Applications Are Now Open!

The Interdisciplinary Design Studio (DTS) is a series of events consisting of seminars, workshops, and studios that support collaboration among participants from different disciplines. Coordinated by the METU Design Factory and carried out under the mentorship of professors from various departments, DTS is designed as a course in partnership with industry and civil society organizations operating in different sectors, primarily METU Technopolis.

DTS will be offered as an elective course at METU under the name Interdisciplinary Problem Solving (BA148), open to students from all departments, and will take place on Fridays at 16:40.

Students who wish to participate in the course are required to fill out the application form via the link below:

👉 [Application Form Link]

METU Design Factory Joins the European Innovation Ecosystem with TECH2X Project

We are proud to share that our project “TECH2X – Technology for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Excellence,” in which ODTÜ Design Factory is a partner, has been selected for funding under the @EIT Higher Education Initiative 2024 Call!

The project aims to enhance the innovation and entrepreneurship capacities of higher education institutions, strengthen deep-tech competencies, and support the transition toward the 4th generation university model in Europe.

In addition to METU from Türkiye, TECH2X brings together leading universities and research institutions including Fundación Esade (Spain), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO) and the innovation center Almacube (Italy), Hochschule Mannheim (HSMA – Germany), and CERN (Switzerland). Through application-based collaborations focusing on climate and mobility, TECH2X seeks to build a science-driven innovation and entrepreneurship platform across Europe.

Within the scope of the project, new curricula, challenge-based learning methodologies, and dedicated support programs for women entrepreneurs will be developed, while strengthening collaboration between higher education, research, and industry.

With TECH2X, ODTÜ Design Factory aims to expand its international partnerships and contribute significantly to the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

A Strategic Move for Creative Industries at METU: Opening Ceremony of METU Crea

Middle East Technical University hosted the launch of two significant new projects in the fields of creative industries and digital transformation. During a ceremony held at the METU Culture and Convention Center, METU Crea and the METU-DTX were officially inaugurated.

Established under the "Economic Development through Creative Industries (ECITE)" Project, which is co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye and managed by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, METU Crea aims to provide technical infrastructure, training, and collaboration opportunities to SMEs, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals working in areas such as gaming, wearable technologies, and next-generation filmmaking.

Developed with the contributions of METU Design Factory, GİSAM, and ATOM, METU Crea creates a multi-stakeholder ecosystem to support the growth of the creative sectors. With its interdisciplinary production culture and practice-based design approach, the METU Design Factory stands out as a cornerstone of METU Crea. It plays a key role in enhancing the competitiveness of Türkiye’s creative industries through its infrastructure that enables the transformation of creative ideas into prototypes and its mentoring processes.

Design Factory at METU Engineering Summer School

Middle East Technical University (METU) brings high school students together with the creative and dynamic world of engineering through its Engineering Summer School. Launched with the slogan “Code Your Future at METU,” the program offers students the opportunity to learn the basic principles of fields such as space technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and earthquake engineering, while also gaining hands-on experience in advanced technology laboratories.

One of the courses in the program, “BIOINSPIRED 101: Nature-Inspired Designs,” will have its practical component conducted at the METU Design Factory. In this course, students will develop an innovative perspective on engineering and design by drawing inspiration from the perfect systems and forms found in nature. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Arzu Gönenç Sorguç, participants will have the chance to produce their own nature-inspired models using 3D printers.

At the end of the two-week summer school, students will receive a METU-certified certificate of participation. The program offers a unique experience for young people interested in engineering, providing both knowledge and skills development as well as social interaction.

For high school students who want to build the future of their dreams, the METU Summer School is an inspiring starting point.

More information and applications:
https://metusummerschool.org/

ECITE Pitching Event: Creative Projects Took the Stage

As part of the project “Games, Wearable Technologies, and Next-Generation Films: Economic Development through Creative Industries (ECITE),” creative projects took the stage following a gathering held at the METU Design Factory.

At the ECITE Pitching Event, project developers working in the fields of film, games, and wearable technologies had the opportunity to present their ideas to industry professionals, representatives from the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and members of the creative community. Organized under the leadership of METU Crea, participants introduced their projects, received feedback, and took the first steps toward potential collaborations.

The event was not limited to the sharing of creative ideas; it also provided a platform that fostered cross-sectoral interaction and a culture of multidisciplinary production. METU Crea continues to support creative industries and host projects that bring together technology and art.