BEST Ankara

BEST in METU & METU in BEST
Before joining to BEST, one of the subjects to mention in this report in detail is how BEST is introduced to METU. Structuring of BEST started in February 2006, by Mr. Mustafa Tokyay, who was the dean of the faculty of engineering at that time, after hearing about BEST in one of the meetings of SEFI and transferring this information to the faculty representative. Mr. Mustafa Tokyay sent our friends to BACo (BEST Academics and Companies Forum) which was held in Istanbul as observers and charged them with transferring obtained knowledge and experience to their counterparts in METU. Regarding this subject, necessary attempts are made and a group is formed with voluntary students from several departments of faculty of engineering in order to include METU in this organization.
The group continuing to their working during the summer in order to include METU to BEST organization fulfilled the necessary Observer Application Form and presented METU to BEST in all details. The application form consisting of 47 pages (80 pages with the appendices) is examined by the international board of directors of BEST in August 2006 and elected to be one of the two applications among 8 applications from 8 technical universities from Europe. Consequently BEST Ankara is officially invited to Presidents Meeting which was going to be held in November 2006.


RELATIONS with LBG Istanbul
Our relations with LBG Istanbul enabled us to be known better during this semester. Their hospitality shown in BACo and efforts for our adaptation into BEST are extremely valuable for us. In June 2006, a team of 10 individuals from Istanbul came to METU for the weekend as our guests in order to introduce us BEST and shared their experiences for actively making progress as a member an associated our studies. They put us up in the motivation programs and in the cultural exchange programs organized with LBG Barcelona during our adaptation and working period. As the students of the most successful 2 technical universities in Turkey, our efficiency is increased pretty much after this motivation. LBG Istanbul transferred the necessary instructions in Ankara as our guests and helped us to keep up with this large organization.


BEST SOUTH-EASTERN REGIONAL MEETING – ISTANBUL, NOVEMBER 2006
BEST is divided into 8 regions in order to work efficiently and to provide socializing between the groups. (Alpine Region, Central Region, Central-East Region, South-East Region, Iberian Region, Lowlands Region, Nordic Region, North-East Region). One of the important activities for LBG Ankara which takes part in South-eastern region is regional meetings (RMs) which are arranged 2 times annually before general meetings (GMs). South-eastern region meeting, which was arranged before the general meeting (GM), was held between 3-6 November and 4 members attended to this meeting under the name of BEST Observer Group Ankara. Via this meeting, BEST Observer Group Ankara had a chance to introduce them better and took supportance of Balkan countries. One of the important criterias in BEST observed during Balkan meetings is the true working atmosphere and never-ending social life integrity. The main goal of these meetings are designated as observing working of LBG’s regionally and preparing to general meetings by evaluating proposal texts which are given before GMs.


BEST XII. Presidents’ Meeting – Ghent, November 2006
Presidents’ Meeting, which is the meeting held in autumn and which is one of the two general meetings arranged annually, was held in Ghent, Belgium during 13 -19 November 2006. We attended to this meeting in order to have our Observer Member approved and to keep our existence going in BEST as invited. We were put up for one week in this professionally organized meeting and took part actively in studies inside BEST. As METU representative members, we had an opportunity to explain ourselves in a conference where Prince of Belgium, Prof. Claudio Borri (President of SEFI), and authorities from sponsor companies attended on the opening day. In order to introduce ourselves, we made two presentations to a group of 150 people consisting of LBG presidents and committee members on the following days. In the first presentation, as an Observer member, we introduced our country, city, university and group whereas in the second presentation we explained conditions supporting the proposal for Baby Member position and our group’s activity.


Promotion from BEST Observer Membership to BEST Baby Membership & First in BEST: METU
For us, becoming a first in BEST is one of the most important parts of the presidents’ meeting which we made an effort for inside the new membership system which was recently changed in Zagreb 2006. For the first time, an observer member came to the general meeting with the proposal of membership promotion. By the proposal of LBG Istanbul, our proposal for promotion from Observer Member to Baby Member took part within the votings presented on the last day. We were the first member to promote from Observer Membership to Baby Membership in the same general meeting (GM), by Receiving 42 “yes” and 15 “no” out of 64 delegates. Our actual studies and organization programming is going to start hereafter. Shortly after the Presidents’ Meeting (PM), in order to supply motivation of the group, we had a great day with our 32 great members and laid future plans on the table on November 25th, 2006.


RM BELGRADE (30 March- 2 April 2008 )
GA France (12 -21 April 2007)
300 BESTies were hosted in GA France which was the second GA of BEST Ankara. There were members from all local BEST groups, committees and working groups. Problems in BEST, the decisions and the changes that will be made during the next year were discussed with the new International Board. LBG’s which are going to be a Baby or Full Member were voted.


RM BRASOV (19-22 October 2007)
In the regional meeting there were members all over the local groups in Balkans. In three days we were given education about the vision of BEST, history of BEST and so on. The working groups (FR, PR, HR) had their own meeting and we talked about the problems or improvements we had during the season and all the local groups had a chance to meet each other before GA Talinn. the LBG’s also had presentations about their local groups. We learnt and understood BEST better with this Regional meeting and we share our experiences with the members of LBG Ankara.

PM Valladolid (5-11 November 2007)
We improve our relations with the other LBG's in the second president meeting that BESR Ankara attended. There were programs and educations related to the next GA and its procedures. The observer and baby LBGs’ again presented theirselves, their groups, works and the events that they are planning to do. Our members share their experiences there and we started to work for the next GA with their feedbacks.


REGIONAL MEETING (RM) CHANIA , GREECE 04.04.2008 – 07.04.2008
It is South-east Regional Meeting that was arranged by Local BEST Group Chania at Technical University of Crete from April 4, 2008 to April 7,2008. In Greece. Members of thirteen Local BEST groups in south-east region came together. They were taken lectures by BEST Trainers. Lectures included information about BEST, personal development and fund raising. Each group made presentation about improvements of their local group. One of the biggest target of regional meetings is that join together the local groups in the same region. In the content of the event, international evening was arranged and every country presented their cuisine, folk dance and music. Elçin EVRAN, Özlem Bayraktar, Murat BAKİ were the participants from Local BEST Group Ankara.


GA Tallin 28- April / 7 May 2007
Erkan F. Özkan and A. Çağan Yıldırım participated in this GA which was very important for BEST Ankara. Full Membership of LBG Ankara was voted in this meeting and with 69 acclamation LBG Ankara became a Full member=) It was a very good motivation for LBG Ankara so we started to plan bigger events with this motivation immediately.


RM Yıldız 16-20 October 2007
South Region which includes LBG’s from Macedonia, Greece and Turkey had their first RM which was organized by Baby LBG Yıldız. The official opening started with BEST presentations by Tassos Natsakis who is the board member of BEST International. Professors and Companies attended this opening. With LBG presentations, Committee Rally and trainings it was an effective meeting for us. Trainings were about FR, Motivation, Project Management and Recruitment. Erkan Özkan, Mert Gürbüz, Sanem Çelimli, Özge Yaraşan and Burcu Okur participated this RM from our LBG. And also Gizem Koç attended this meeting as a Committee Delegate of Marketeam.