Haliç University Startup and Entrepreneurship Programs — Overview

Haliç University has built an entrepreneurial ecosystem centered on a dedicated Incubation Unit, long-standing student initiatives such as the Entrepreneurship and Marketing Club (HUGIP), career and continuing education services, and curriculum integration in business programs. Together, these elements create a pipeline from classroom learning to market-ready ventures.

Key Benefits of the Ecosystem at a Glance:

• Structured incubation and mentorship for student-led startups.
• Regular events and workshops to build entrepreneurial culture on campus.
• Academic programs that combine theory with applied entrepreneurial training.
• Career Center and Continuing Education support for professional development.
• Holistic student services including mentoring and psychological counseling.

Incubation Unit — The Engine of Student Startups

Haliç University’s Incubation Unit is explicitly positioned to integrate the university into the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem. It functions as the primary resource hub for students and alumni who want to launch businesses.

What the Incubation Unit Provides:

• Mentorship and coaching from academics and industry professionals.
• Access to co-working and prototyping resources.
• Business development support: market validation, investor pitch preparation, legal and IP guidance.
• Networking introductions to investors, corporates, and sector specialists.

How Recruiters and Admissions Teams Can Leverage the Incubation Unit:

• Source projects and capstone collaborations for corporate innovation teams.
• Build internship and placement programs that engage incubated startups.
• Partner on entrepreneurship-focused recruitment campaigns to attract students who aim to launch ventures post-graduation.

Student-Led Initiative — HUGIP (Entrepreneurship and Marketing Club)

The Entrepreneurship and Marketing Club (HUGIP), active since 2012, is a focal point for student-driven entrepreneurial activity. HUGIP organizes workshops, seminars, mentorship events, and networking activities on a quarterly and annual basis to build entrepreneurial culture.

What HUGIP Delivers:

• Practical workshops on lean startup, customer discovery, and growth hacking.
• Speaker series connecting students with founders and marketing practitioners.
• Cross-disciplinary events that bring together business, engineering, and design students.

How Agencies and HR Professionals Can Collaborate:

• Sponsor or co-run workshops to align talent pipelines with market needs.
• Use HUGIP events as recruitment platforms for internships and entry-level roles.
• Co-create short experiential modules (e.g., 4-week industry projects) that serve both curricular and recruitment outcomes.

Academic Integration — Programs That Teach Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship at Haliç University is not an afterthought; it is woven into business-related programs, notably Business Administration and International Trade and Business Administration. These programs emphasize strategic planning, leadership, innovation management, and project-based learning.

Key Academic Features:

• Coursework combining theory with applied projects and industry engagement.
• Faculty with industry experience who mentor startup projects.
• Opportunities for students to integrate incubator activities with course credit.

For Recruiters: Why Curriculum Integration Matters

• Students graduate with both conceptual knowledge and demonstrable project experience.
• Candidates are typically prepared for roles in corporate innovation, product management, and startup operations.
• Academic-industry projects create a ready pool of vetted talent for early hires.

Career Center and Continuing Education — Practical Skilling and Employer Connections

Haliç University’s Career Center plays an essential role in turning entrepreneurial ambition into careers. It offers career counseling, workshops, employer outreach, and connections to investors. The Continuing Education Center complements these services by offering professional development courses relevant to entrepreneurs and corporate partners.

Services That Matter to Partners:

• Employer branding and recruitment events on campus.
• Skills bootcamps (e.g., digital marketing, financial modeling, UX basics) that can be tailored for corporate needs.
• Executive education and short courses through the Continuing Education Center — ideal for upskilling hires and alumni founders.

Practical Partnership Ideas with the Career Center:

• Co-design learning modules to fast-track internships into full-time hires.
• Sponsor recruitment days focused on innovation roles.
• Offer mentoring hours or office hours for incubator startups to strengthen employer-startup relationships.

Student Support Services — Sustaining Founder Wellbeing and Resilience

Beyond technical and business training, Haliç University places emphasis on holistic student support. Mentoring, psychological counseling, and academic advising help ensure that students can navigate the stresses of entrepreneurship while maintaining academic performance.

Why This is Important for Recruiters and HR:

• Students who have access to strong support services demonstrate greater resilience, higher completion rates, and stronger leadership potential.
• Early-stage ventures backed by comprehensive student services are more likely to survive initial growth phases.

How International Recruiters and Institutions Can Partner Effectively

Haliç University’s ecosystem presents multiple entry points for international recruitment agencies, admissions teams, HR, and edtech firms. The most effective partnerships align with Haliç’s mission and create measurable outcomes for student employability and venture success.

Priority Partnership Models:

• Talent pipelines: Formalize internship-to-hire tracks focused on innovation, product, or business development roles.
• Sponsored incubator cohorts: Fund or co-run specialized cohorts (e.g., healthtech, edtech, sustainable design) to attract niche talent.
• Curriculum co-creation: Collaborate on modules that provide credit and direct employer exposure.
• Placement automation: Work with Study in Turkiye to implement automated application screening, scheduling, and onboarding flows to scale recruitment.

Recommended Engagement Roadmap:

1. Discovery: Map strategic priorities with Haliç University’s Incubation Unit and Career Center.
2. Pilot: Launch a 3–6 month pilot (internship cohort, sponsored challenge, or guest lecture series).
3. Scale: Integrate successful pilots into a standardized talent pipeline with measurable KPIs (placement rate, conversion rate, retention).
4. Automate: Use Study in Turkiye’s tools and processes to automate applications, communications, and reporting.

Take the Next Step with Study in Turkiye

Haliç University startup and entrepreneurship programs combine a formal Incubation Unit, a vibrant student entrepreneurship club (HUGIP), curriculum-level integration, career and continuing education services, and comprehensive student support. These elements make Haliç an attractive partner for international recruiters, admissions teams, HR and marketing professionals, and placement agencies seeking entrepreneurial talent across Turkiye.