The FEM-Up project final event and local dissemination meeting were held in person on September 29, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM at one of Istanbul University’s historic buildings. A total of 42 participants attended, including representatives from Istanbul-based civil society organizations focused on women’s empowerment, as well as research centers, universities, employment offices, municipalities, and other public institutions.
The full-day event covered the following topics:
1. Sharing the results of field research conducted in six countries as part of the FEM-Up project.
2. Information was provided about the FEM-Up Academy platform, its modules, courses, and certification structure. This enabled dissemination of the project’s outputs even after the funding period.
3. Information and promotion were provided about the presentations of business ideas by FEM-Up Academy learners in Turkey.
4. Discussion of the project’s sustainability goals, areas for future collaboration, and development of new partnerships for upcoming Erasmus+ projects.
The event was attended by representatives from various women’s associations, including KADEM (Women and Democracy Association), the Social Equality Association, the Social Cohesion Association, Adalar Women’s Labor Initiative and Cooperative. The event also drew significant interest from representatives of public institutions. Participants included the Istanbul STEM coordination office, employees of the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) affiliated with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye, the Women’s Research Center directorate, representatives of district municipalities in Istanbul, and university researchers. Additionally, participants offered suggestions for future work to enhance the sustainability of the FEM-Up project. The associations, in particular, expressed their support for continuing the project’s activities, such as mentoring support and organizing educational workshops.
The data from the FEM-Up project’s field research, especially concerning the rural-urban divide, caught the participants’ attention. Consequently, the participating institutions agreed that efforts should be made to support women in rural areas in the near future, and also found opportunities to network among themselves during the event. As a result, significant gains were achieved at the closing event of the FEM-Up project in terms of its objectives of networking, empowering women, and raising awareness.
Another highlight of the event was a presentation by Hilal Karaer, a participant from the FEM-Up Academy. Hilal Karaer, one of the Turkish finalists, gave a brief elevator pitch and introduced her business model to the attendees. At the event, a participant who is a member of Women Entrepreneurs Council of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye was impressed by her business idea and expressed interest in supporting Hilal Karaer’s venture. We wish them success on this new journey.
The event concluded with thank-you speeches.
