Gebze Technical University (GTU) hosted UFEST – the Transportation Festival, one of Türkiye’s largest organizations in the field of transportation technologies, on October 30–31, 2025, at the GTU Congress and Cultural Center. The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Osman Boyraz, Deputy Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Hasan Soba, GTU Rector Prof. Dr. Hacı Ali Mantar, District Governor of Dilovası Metin Kubilay, Mayor of Darıca Muzaffer Bıyık, President of the Gebze Chamber of Commerce Abdurrahman Aslantaş, ministry officials, academics, students, and members of the press. The ceremony began with a moment of silence followed by the Turkish National Anthem.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Osman Boyraz drew attention to Türkiye’s strategic location and the role of transportation projects in national development. Boyraz stated, “Türkiye is a unique bridge located at the intersection of East and West. All corridors must pass through Türkiye.” Emphasizing his strong confidence in young people, he said, “You, the youth, are the ones truly deserving of the main prize. Our duty is to pave the way for you and listen to your ideas.”

Boyraz also addressed environmentally friendly and technology-oriented projects, noting that major transportation initiatives such as the Development Road Project and the Zangezur Corridor would transform Türkiye into a regional logistics hub. He further emphasized that sustainability and efficiency have come to the forefront of infrastructure investments through smart transportation systems and 5G technology. Reminding the audience that he is a GTU graduate, Boyraz concluded his speech by saying, “This place is my home. The future of Türkiye will rise in the hands of the young people educated here.”

In his opening remarks, GTU Rector Prof. Dr. Hacı Ali Mantar stated that the festival held special significance for him and shared insights from his personal experience in the transportation sector. Drawing attention to the progress Türkiye has made in transportation technologies over the past 20–25 years, Rector Mantar emphasized that systems once developed only by foreign countries are now being produced with domestic capabilities:

“In the 1990s, signaling systems could only be developed by Russia and Japan. At that time, we were not able to engineer these systems; we could only operate them. Today, however, domestic signaling systems, electric locomotives, and radar technologies are being successfully produced. This represents a major transformation in Türkiye’s transportation ecosystem.”

Rector Mantar also noted that transportation projects contribute not only technically but also by strengthening the country’s overall technology ecosystem. “Technology gained in one field can be applied to others. Experience obtained from radar systems contributes to signaling, while knowledge accumulated in transportation is reflected in defense and communication technologies,” he said.

As the GTU Institute of Transportation Technologies, we provided information about our institute’s research and educational activities at our promotional booth. At the booth, where Prof. Dr. Arif Çağdaş Aydınoğlu (Director), Res. Asst. Tansu Çetin, and Res. Asst. Ali Doğan Gümüşsoy were present, we informed students and institutional representatives about the interdisciplinary Master’s Program in "Smart Cities and Transportation Technologies". In addition, awareness was raised about multidisciplinary research projects conducted on smart cities and intelligent transportation systems. Solutions developed to contribute to the sector—such as passenger demand forecasting, facility location selection, and traffic engineering—were also shared.

Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Türkmen, Lecturer Alparslan Gözel, and Institute Secretary Uğur Mercan also attended the UFEST event.

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