Sopu Academy’s negotiation programme inspires Turkish educators and young leaders

The Negotiation Pioneers program has been a transformative experience for Turkish educators and young leaders. The program is organised by an emerging edtech startup from Finland, Sopu Academy, while Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Embassy of Finland in Ankara provided support. The participants gained essential problem-solving skills to create win-win solutions for their everyday lives.

Sopu Academy is a negotiation skills educator based in one of the most valued places for educators – Helsinki, Finland. Inspired by the Finnish educational model, the organisation has adopted cutting-edge pedagogical techniques and educational approaches that have been successfully applied in Finland. The interactive programmes combine interdisciplinary theories from the fields of psychology, economics and mathematics.

Sopu Academy programmes allow participants to immerse themselves in a dynamic learning environment throughout the program, strengthening their collaboration and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, they gain valuable insights into Finnish culture, business practices and academic life. Drawing inspiration from Finland's renowned negotiation and problem-solving culture, participants engage in exercises and simulations based on real-world situations, enabling them to resolve conflicts effectively.

A recently held 24-hour online program garnered huge interest, attracting 580 applications from 63 cities. Sopu Academy selected diverse aspiring young leaders and educators, ensuring a rich learning experience. 57 individuals successfully completed the programme and earned their certificates. In addition to the program, Sopu Academy organised informative Q&A sessions where participants could learn about Finland and its numerous opportunities. Notably, the participants rated the programme highly – the average score of participants who stated they learned something during this workshop was 4.9/5, showing the programme’s usefulness. Additionally, participants indicated that they would recommend this program to their friends, with a rating of 4.8/5.

Reflecting on the program, Sezin Fins, a board member of the professional learning center at Hisar Schools, shared this sentiment: "I have never received such colorful training in my personal and professional life. It was a program where I performed a different role every day to solve problems in different situations. I discovered areas I need to develop and strengths I already had. I am grateful for this enjoyable two-week process." Ankara law student Muhammed Eren Cansız praised the programme’s ability to develop participant’s self-confidence, reasoning and analytical thinking skills. "The program focused on fundamental negotiation skills such as effective communication, active listening, problem-solving, and strategic thinking,” he said of the programme’s content.

Testimonials like these speak to the transformative impact of the Negotiation Pioneers program. Semih Ersöz, CEO of Sopu Academy, notes that the Finnish example has been especially crucial for the programme’s success. “Finland is a great example of how negotiation skills can shape a society in a sustainable way. Not every culture teaches how to approach conflicts with a win-win mindset as well as Finnish culture does. I feel very lucky to be able to spread this mindset in the country I was born and raised,” he said of Sopu Academy’s involvement in Türkiye.

Sopu Academy will continue its educational activities in Türkiye in the coming months with the "Young Negotiators Türkiye" program. The participants who successfully completed the Negotiation Pioneers program will be joining as the programme leaders of the live-online sessions.

For more information on Sopu Academy’s activities generally, visit: https://sopuacademy.com/our-programs/young-negotiators-turkiye/(Link to another website.). You can also find details about the upcoming programme on under the “Young Negotiators” page.