KIZILTEPE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

A project examining the relationship between education and entrepreneurship was conducted at Mardin Artuklu University (MAU) under the TÜBİTAK 2209/A University Students Research Projects Support Program.

The project, led by Adalet Ergüntali, a student in the Radio, Cinema and Television Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at MAU, is titled "Analysis of the Relationship Between Education Level and Entrepreneurial Courage; The Case of Mardin."

The project, supervised by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Behzat Ekinci, a faculty member in the Economics Department of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at MAU and an academic advisor to TOBB/TEPAV and the Mardin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also included a field study on the education levels and entrepreneurial courage of business people in Mardin.

A field study conducted in collaboration with the Mardin Chambers of Commerce/Exchanges and the Mardin Organized Industrial Zone, and led by Project Coordinator Adalet Ergüntali, involved 100 businesspeople in the Artuklu, Kızıltepe, and Nusaybin districts between June and September 2025. This study reveals significant insights into the level of education and entrepreneurial courage in Mardin.

The field study was conducted using a questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Responses from the open-ended questions were analyzed using an AI-based inductive thematic analysis approach; participants' entrepreneurial motivations, risk perceptions, challenges faced, and contextual assessments specific to Mardin were grouped under main themes. The study aimed to gather businesspeople's knowledge, opinions, and assessments on the subject. The collected data was subjected to quantitative and qualitative (mixed) analysis to draw conclusions. Furthermore, various recommendations were developed alongside the findings.

Some of the findings of the research are as follows:

The most fundamental finding is a positive correlation between education level and entrepreneurial courage in Mardin. In other words, as the education level increases in Mardin, entrepreneurial courage also increases. This situation shares similar results with studies conducted in other fields. When asked, "How would you describe yourself in terms of taking risks?", 78% of participants described themselves as "courageous," while 22% described themselves as "hesitant." The reasons given by those who identified as "courageous" were: knowing the business well, self-confidence, experience, the ability to act quickly when an opportunity arises, and adopting risk-taking as a personality trait. The reasons given by those who identified as "hesitant" were: "lack of financial resources, family responsibilities, fear of debt, market uncertainty, lack of support, and anxiety about failure." When asked, "What is it like to be an entrepreneur in Mardin?", 71% of participants responded "Difficult," and 29% responded "Easy." Some of the reasons cited by those who said it was "difficult" included "Bank loan and collateral conditions, difficulty in accessing capital and financing, and increasing input costs." Those who said it was "easy" listed the following reasons: The region offers opportunities for some sectors that are not yet saturated, tourism and multiculturalism create potential, and human relations are relatively warm and flexible.

Based on the findings, various recommendations have been developed as follows:

Recommendations for Politicians and Local Governments: Access to financing mechanisms should be strengthened, the entrepreneurship ecosystem should be strengthened, and inter-institutional coordination should be increased.
Recommendations for Universities and Educational Institutions: Entrepreneurship education content should be strengthened by adding "applied project development, innovation competitions, mentor-mentee programs," and entrepreneurship centers and incubation units should be supported. Recommendations for Entrepreneurs and the Business World: The strong potential for proactiveness and innovation should be utilized in strategic planning; risk management and financial literacy training should be widespread; and professionalization and generational transition training in family businesses should be prioritized. The project is planned to be repeated with new collaborations, different content, and different audiences. Thus, the aim is to contribute to the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Mardin.