“As we celebrate our Foundation’s 50th anniversary, I am very proud of the opening of the Koç University Center for Civil Society and Philanthropy Research, which will conduct research, education and professional development activities in the field of civil society. Civil society has a significant role in development of countries, and we have been feeling the lack of research and development activities in this field. As the first private foundation in Turkey, the Vehbi Koç Foundation pioneered the development of philanthropy in our country. In the past 50 years, we have been conducting a great many activities to advance education, culture and healthcare to help the development of our country and its people. The same philosophy underlies the establishment of this research center today. Our center will conduct studies, guide researchers, and undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students working in the field of philanthropy, and host their work. In addition, it will provide certificated training opportunities for professionals working in foundations, associations or wanting to start working in this field, about topics such as leadership, strategic management, fund raising, and impact measurement. It will also work in partnership with pioneer global institutions. Koç University, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, represents our foundation’s most essential core. It provides significant contributions to the development of universal science and our human resource, which is our most precious asset. This research center, as all the others previously established within Koç University, is of great value to us and given its focus, its place within our foundation will always be a special one.”