We are inviting you to participate this new program called IEEE Student Branches Industry Relations (ISBIR). This initiative is launched by more than 30 Student Branches in Turkey and is now waiting for participant SBs from all over Region 8. Application is very easy! Just fill the ISBIR ID card of your SB at www.turkieee.org web site and always inform us about any industry related activities of your branch and section.

Main aim of ISBIR is to combine all industry-related activities of SBs in one program and establish a platform that people can share their best-practice or problems and IEEE members can benefit many opportunities that industry offers. Our basic goal is to activate and encourage SBs to become an effective vehicle to introduce advantages of IEEE by forming strong and permanent relations with industry. At this point, SBs play an important role by arranging professional activities and meetings with executives, by establishing their internal formations about industry relations and by bringing several opportunities to IEEE members.

Probably, there are many companies in your region unaware of IEEE and its local and international advantages. Within the ISBIR program, your branch will observe industry needs and report us with the support of your section and university. You can use the ISBIR Corporate ID card (available at www.turkieee.org) so that company managers could easily specify their needs and suggestions. Therefore, you will determine strategic action plans with the company by matching demands and services both your IEEE SB and company can offer.

In addition to the advantages of IEEE, your branch could also offer local advantages to the company. We will guide SBs on how to prove managers that companies can convert the advantages of IEEE to their own advantage by human resources and consultancy means.

ISBIR Program also give support to any kind of professional activities and projects about industry-university collaboration. Your branch could also join to any local initiative promoting this collaboration in the local region like science parks, professional projects and incubation centers.

If local section of your country can assign an Industry Relations Officer, both your section and branch can benefit from the advantages of ISBIR program. Also, we suggest to establish an advisory board consisting of industry, academic, student and IEEE representatives so that your branch or section can consult to advisory board in order to find solutions and offer suggestions to your regional matters and problems you have encountered while forming your network with industry.

In brief, ISBIR program will give your branch the chance of benefiting from many advantages including career opportunities, financial support and common industrial and technical projects. Do not hesitate to contact us about anything related to industry relations!

SBC 2006 WORKSHOP: Industry Relations from SB Aspect

During Student Branches Congress 2006 in Paris, a workshop called Industry Relations from SB aspect will be organized. This workshop will be the first step to achieve IEEE Student Branches Industry Relations (ISBIR) Program goals. SB officers will have the chance to share their best practice and problems about industry relations.

ISBIR network platform established during the congress will be carried after SBC Paris 2006 to online platform. We are now taking the support of Region 8 Student Activities Committee and Industry Relations Committee both for ISBIR program and workshop content. We will get a full ISBIR package prepared for you during the congress. You will get all necessary information and guidance manuals in the congress for your branch and your section related to industry relations.

Also, you can contribute to the workshop and ISBIR program as a branch by offering suggestions about manual contents and subtopics to be discussed during the workshop. We want SBs to make a small preparation before the workshop. Participant branch officers are supposed to give brief information about industry related activities of their branches up to now and describe “What can be a good example for an excellent industry collaboration?” in their point of view considering local demands in their regions so variations between regions and implementation differences about industry relations can be easily observed by workshop participants. (For Further Information: www.turkieee.org)

You can find subtopics to be discussed during the workshop below:

• Best practices of SBs
• Section and Local Support to SBs about IR
• Brief Information about ISBIR Network Platform and ISBIR Package
• Industry related activities for strong and permanent collaboration
• 10 Reasons for the “Why Students?” Question.
• SWOT Analysis of ISBIR Program
• Expectations of SBs from R8SAC, R8IRC and IEEE
• Priorities and Strategic Actions of ISBIR Program for a short and long period
• Future Action Plan and Task Distribution for the achievement of ISBIR goals
• Communication Platform to be used after the workshop

You can contact us for any kind of question and suggestion for ISBIR Program and Workshop

IEEE Student Branches Industry Relations
ISBIR Program Network Platform
www.turkieee.org
Ferhan Ozkan
fozkan@ieee.metu.edu.tr