“From Brain Drain to Brain Power” Workshop Opens Tomorrow in Ankara With 105 Participants
According to the workshop briefing note prepared by the Defence Industry Academy (Savunma Sanayii Akademi, SSA), the “Beyin Göçünden Beyin Gücüne” (From Brain Drain to Brain Power) workshop takes place tomorrow, Tuesday 3 November 2026, at the ASELSAN Çelik Kubbe Conference Hall in Ankara. The note gives 105 as the number of participants. The event is coordinated by SSA under the Milli Yetkinlik Hamlesi (National Competence Initiative).
Last updated: 2 November 2026
The workshop at a glance
| Item | Detail (per the briefing note) |
|---|---|
| Event | “Beyin Göçünden Beyin Gücüne” workshop |
| Date | Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
| Venue | ASELSAN Çelik Kubbe Conference Hall, Ankara |
| Participants | 105 |
| Coordination | Defence Industry Academy |
| Umbrella programme | Milli Yetkinlik Hamlesi |
Who is taking part?
The note describes participants as qualified professionals who returned to Turkey from abroad in 2025–2026. Elsewhere it refers to “105 professionals and the human resources managers of defence industry organisations”. The text therefore does not make clear whether 105 counts only the returnees or returnees plus HR managers. We report the wording as given and will not guess.
Aim of the workshop
The note says the aim is to draw on the experience of qualified professionals who came back from abroad in order to contribute to defence industry human resources policy. That includes assessing the opportunities and difficulties of returning, looking at how people adapt to the sector, and proposing concrete ways to put skills gained abroad to effective use.
Agenda
Prof. Dr. Hakan Karataş opens the day. Thematic table sessions follow, planned for 75 minutes in total. Each table has a moderator chosen from among the participants and a rapporteur from SSA staff. A representative from every table then presents its output. The note expects the results to feed into talent management policy for the defence industry. Because the workshop has not yet taken place, no outcomes or recommendations exist at this point.
Background: the National Competence Initiative
According to the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) project page, Milli Yetkinlik Hamlesi is a “strategic human resources transformation initiative” that aims to define, develop, spread and sustain the technical, behavioural and leadership competencies the sector needs. It was launched by a decision of the Defence Industry Executive Committee, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on 6 August 2024, and SSA runs it. Anadolu Agency reported on 7 August 2026 that the programme had reached about 500,000 people in seven target groups through more than 50 projects, four platforms and 11 programmes.
The Defence Industry Academy
SSB says SSA was founded in 2017 within the Presidency to help train the qualified workforce the defence industry ecosystem needs. It operates from a building on the METU Technopark campus in Ankara, developing and delivering training and technology programmes.
Prof. Dr. Hakan Karataş
SSB’s organisation chart lists Prof. Dr. Hakan Karataş as Deputy Head for Corporate Development and Talent Management; SSA sits under that deputy post. The briefing note names no other speaker.
The “brain power” theme is not new
A talk titled “International Competitiveness: From Brain Drain to Brain Power” appears in the programme of SSA’s second Talent Management Summit, held 14–15 January 2026, in the session “Building Tomorrow: Managing the Talent Ecosystem”. We found no official figure on returnee numbers and therefore cite none. We also could not verify anything about the Çelik Kubbe Conference Hall beyond the name used in the note.
FAQ
When and where is the workshop?
On 3 November 2026 at the ASELSAN Çelik Kubbe Conference Hall in Ankara, per the briefing note.
Who organises it?
The Defence Industry Academy, as part of the Milli Yetkinlik Hamlesi programme.
What is it for?
To use the experience of professionals who returned to Turkey in 2025–2026 to inform defence industry human resources policy.
Sources
- Defence Industry Academy (SSA), workshop briefing note (internal document)
- SSB, National Competence Initiative: ssb.gov.tr/proje/milli-yetkinlik-hamlesi
- SSB, Defence Industry Academy: ssb.gov.tr/savunma-sanayii-akademi
- SSB, Organization Chart: ssb.gov.tr/teskilat-yapisi
- SSA, Talent Management Summit: yetenekzirvesi.ssa.gov.tr
- Anadolu Agency, 7 August 2026: Milli Yetkinlik Hamlesi reaches 500,000 people
