Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) is hosting academics and researchers from around the world in the field of social sciences. The 13th International Conference on Economics and Social Sciences (E&SS 2025)officially began with an opening ceremony held on June 30, 2025, at the ARUCAD Campus.
This significant event, hosted by ARUCAD, marks the university’s first large-scale international academic conference. With participants from 15 different countries, the conference features a total of 108 presentations delivered both online and in-person. Covering a wide range of disciplines—including economics, communication, political science, sociology, educational sciences, psychology, cultural studies, arts, and design—these presentations highlight how diverse cultures and perspectives come together to foster intellectual development. E&SS 2025 places a strong emphasis on encouraging the active participation of young researchers and aims to promote knowledge sharing and international academic collaboration.
In her opening remarks, ARUCAD Vice-Rector and Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee, Prof. Dr. Burcu Toker, stated: “It is both an honor and a great pleasure to welcome you to our university for the 13th International Conference on Economics and Social Sciences. We are excited to bring together academics and researchers from various countries here on our campus. Our conference aims to serve as an inclusive and high-quality platform that promotes academic exchange. This year, a total of 108 papers will be presented across both online and in-person sessions. This rich program provides a multidimensional environment for discussion across various areas of the social sciences.”
ARUCAD Rector Prof. Dr. Asım Vehbi, in his address, noted: “We are delighted to welcome you to our university, where creativity and interdisciplinary thinking are at the core of academic inquiry. We take pride in bringing together researchers, academics, and professionals from around the globe under one roof.”
He continued: “Through the diverse perspectives and cultures presented in these papers, this conference once again demonstrates the powerful potential of knowledge sharing and intellectual development.” Emphasizing ARUCAD’s awareness of the role of social sciences in sustainable societal development, Vehbi added, “Scientific knowledge gains true meaning only when it is shared,” and underlined the importance of uniting interdisciplinary approaches, particularly in human-centered fields like economics and the social sciences.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Hasan Karacan, referring to the long-standing academic significance of the E&SS conferences, expressed his thoughts before beginning his session. He emphasized that while the conference has been hosted by various institutions in the past, the experience at ARUCAD was distinctively different. Highlighting the university’s creative and interdisciplinary atmosphere, Karacan stated that this environment significantly enriched the interactions among participants and expressed his appreciation for being at ARUCAD.
The opening session of the conference continued with keynote addresses from two internationally renowned scholars. Prof. Dr. Osman M. Karatepe, known for his work in tourism and marketing, presented on "Internal Green Marketing: A Tool for Environmental Sustainability Performance," where he discussed how environmental sustainability can be integrated into internal business practices and human resource management. Following him, Prof. Dr. Aytekin İşman, whose expertise lies in educational technologies and artificial intelligence, delivered a presentation titled "AI Across Disciplines: Redefining Human Expertise in the 21st Century," examining the interdisciplinary impacts, ethical considerations, and transformative role of AI in knowledge fields.
Throughout the first day of the conference, parallel sessions were held both online and in-person, featuring presentations from a wide array of social science disciplines. Academics and researchers shared their original studies in fields such as economics, communication, political science, sociology, educational sciences, psychology, cultural studies, art, and design.
With a strong focus on strengthening international academic networks, E&SS 2025 also actively supports the participation of young researchers. The conference provides emerging scholars with valuable opportunities to present their work on a global stage, engage with experienced academics, and explore potential collaborations.
E&SS 2025 will continue at the ARUCAD Campus until July 2. For more information, please visit www.eclss.org/kyrenia.
