GTU Academic Joins the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Network

March 3, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
 

Assoc. Prof. Göker Aksoy from Gebze Technical University (GTU) Institute of Transportation Technologies is selected to join the international COST Action BOPALiM working group, which focuses on enhancing the social engagement of older adults.

Gebze Technical University (GTU) continues to expand its active role in international scientific networks. Assoc. Prof. Göker Aksoy, a faculty member of the Institute of Transportation Technologies, has been selected for the working group of CA23101 – BOPALiM, an action carried out under the framework of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), earning the right to represent GTU in a strategically significant international initiative.

Evidence-Based Solutions To Close the “Mobility Gap”

The project titled “Building Opportunities for Participation and Accessibility Through Lifelong Community Mobility (BOPALiM)” aims to address the “mobility gap” experienced by older adults and to strengthen ageing-in-place strategies across Europe. Running until 2028, the action brings together multiple disciplines, including medicine, psychology, engineering, and urban planning, to develop evidence-based policy recommendations at the European level.

International Career Opportunities for Young Researchers

The working group in which Assoc. Prof. Göker Aksoy is participating is not limited to top-tier research activities; it also creates significant opportunities for graduate students and early-career researchers at GTU. Through Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) and Training Schools to be organized within the scope of the action, GTU researchers will have the opportunity to engage in knowledge exchange at leading European institutions and to become part of international research networks.

Comprehensive Driving and Mobility Guides to Be Developed

Key focus areas of the action include the assessment of older drivers’ competencies, planning for driving retirement, and the adaptation of alternative transport modes, such as public transportation, to an increasingly digitalized world. Through the development of global toolkits and implementation guidelines, GTU will directly contribute to shaping European transportation policies within this process.