Bursa Uludağ University launches 3+1 IME vocational training model

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has approved a 3+1 "İşletmede Mesleki Eğitim" (IME) model for associate‑degree programmes, and Bursa Uludağ University (BUÜ) will implement it in the 2026‑2027 academic year. Under the scheme, three semesters are taught theoretically and the fourth semester is spent full‑time in a company or industrial setting, giving students practical experience and employers a low‑cost source of qualified staff.

BUÜ’s Vocational School Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Çağatan Taşkın, explained that the university will cover students’ insurance, while host firms will pay at least 30 % of the net minimum wage, part of which is reimbursed by the state. The university has already signed IME protocols with more than 400 corporate partners and aims to double that number by the end of 2026. As Taşkın said, "Öğrenciler için en büyük faydası ise mezun olmadan önce bir işletmede uzun süreli çalışma fırsatı bularak, istihdam edilme yönünde önemli bir aşama kaydetmiş olacak olmalarıdır."