The Kale Group sponsored the 3rd National Design Congress organised by Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) Department of Industrial Product Design. The Congress was held throughout 19-22 June 2006 and the selected theme was “Discussing Design in Turkey”.

The very first of these congresses had been held at İTÜ back in1982. The second one was held in 1996 under the title of “Universalization of Design”. At the time, Customs Union agreement had just been signed with the EU and the objective was to investigate the role and the importance of design with respect to the nation’s economy. It provided a very productive context for a “wholesale discussion” of the topic in light of the economic, cultural, political and social developments that had taken place in the field of design in the world and in Turkey over the intervening ten years with respect to its role and the visibility. During this process, the absence of a national academic platform where the issue of design could be discussed in “Turkish” made itself felt as a serious shortcoming. Departing from this need, the Industrial Product Design Department of İTÜ selected the theme “Discussing Design in Turkey” as the theme for the third of those National Design Congresses, while the Çanakkale Seramik & Kalebodur, RocaKale and Kalekim brands of the Kale Group actively supported the event.

Apart from the academic programme which was held at the Taşkışla campus of İTÜ throughout June 19-21, an “Industry Programme” was organised at the Lütfi Kırdar Congress and Exhibition Centre on June 22 to expressly discuss the importance of design with respect to the competitive power of the Turkish industry. It was decided that a platform should be created in order to introduce the concept of design to Turkish industry and share in the experiences of successful companies so as to meet the ever increasing needs of innovation and differentiation. Professor John Heskett (Hong Kong Polytecnic University), an internationally renowned authority in the field of design management and policies, participated in the industry programme as speaker.