The 40th Meeting of the Engineering Deans Council (MDK) hosted by Uşak University was held between May 26-27.

As part of the 100th Anniversary of our Republic, the meeting themed "Development of Engineering from 1923 to the Present" was held at the Uşak University Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Congress and Culture Center with the participation of engineering deans from different universities in Turkey.

The opening speech of the meeting was made by MDK General Secretary Prof. Dr. Berna Dengiz. Prof. Dr. Dengiz talked about the process from the emergence of MDK as an idea in 2001 to its establishment and reaching today. Thanking the management of Uşak University and everyone who contributed to the event, Dengiz said that their aim as MDK is "to be together, to find solutions to problems together, to convey these solution proposals to the relevant units, to seek ways to achieve better."

Expressing their happiness to host the 40th Engineering Deans Council Meeting as Uşak University, Uşak University Engineering Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Idris Kabalci stated that the training to be given while raising the engineers of the future is important. Prof. Dr. Kabalcı said, “While raising the engineers of the future, attention should be paid to the disadvantages as well as the advantages offered by technology. We should not ignore the impact of digitalization on education. Besides, we should teach engineers to think creatively. When we teach engineers to think creatively, they become more productive both in their social and business lives.”

Giving detailed information about the academic studies of Uşak University to the participants, Uşak University Deputy Rector Prof. Dr. Kenan Taş stated that he was happy to host the Engineering Deans Council, of which he was the first, in Uşak, and thanked all the participants and supporting institutions.

After the opening speeches, Coşkun Güngör, the President of the Uşak (Leather) Mixed Organized Industrial Zone, was given a plate of appreciation for his contributions to the 40th Meeting of the Engineering Deans Council (MDK) by Prof. Dr. Kenan Taş.

In the first day session of the meeting, while Boğaziçi University Mechanical Engineering Department Inst. member Prof. Dr. Günay Anlaş was presenting "Engineering Education" and Former Rector of Eskişehir Technical University and Former Secretary General of MDK Prof. Dr. Tuncay Döğeroğlu  was presenting "Engineering Programs and Sustainable Development", new members of MDK were introduced.

In the afternoon session, TED University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Oya Yerin Güneri made a presentation titled "The Benefits and Risks of Chat GPT for Learning and Teaching at Universities", while in the open session moderated by Prof. Dr. Berna Dengiz “Existing Problems, Opinions and Suggestions in Engineering Faculties” were discussed.

In the last session of the day, MÜDEK General Secretary Serhan Başer talked about “New Developments in MÜDEK Promotion and Evaluation Criteria”. On the first day, Uşak University Leather, Textile, Ceramics (DTS) Design Application and Research Center was visited as well.

On the second day of the meeting, guest deans visited Uşak and historical places of Uşak.