Muhammet Acar, President of the Konya Shoemakers’ Chamber, stated that Konya places significant importance on education in the field of footwear. He noted, “Selçuk University’s Faculty of Architecture and Design, Department of Footwear Design and Production, has gained considerable attention in Turkey over the past year due to its achievements.”
Acar emphasized that Konya is advancing rapidly towards becoming a central hub for footwear. He highlighted that “Selçuk University’s Faculty of Architecture and Design, which houses Turkey’s first and only 4-year program in footwear design and production, will provide scholarships up to the minimum wage for students who place the footwear design and production program in the top 100,000 of their preferences in the 2024-2025 ÖSYM guide, according to Article Ek-154 of the IDMMIB. Over the past year, this program has led the sector in various areas from innovative designs to AI-based footwear production, with products and designs showcased at international fairs in countries like Italy and Algeria. The Footwear Design and Production Department is making significant contributions to Konya’s leadership in the sector. Additionally, the recent decree published in June 2023 granting teaching rights to graduates and the first appointments this year represent a very important development for our industry. With the scholarship provision for the top 100,000 and the teaching rights, we anticipate a significant increase in demand for the program, potentially reaching hundreds of thousands. The rising interest in the program reflects not only the quality of education in Konya but also has implications for the entire footwear and leather sector in Turkey. In this context, I would like to mention that the Konya Shoemakers’ Chamber has contributed to and supported these developments in the field.”