We have strengthened links with our counterparts in Turkey following the success of our first seminar in the region for business graduates.

We teamed up with the British Council and Turkish agent, Edcon, to stage a one-day event for delegates interested in extending their study of operations management.

Held at the Grand Hyatt in Istanbul, the free seminar attracted 57 attendees from universities across Turkey, including Okan, Kadir Has, Koç and Istanbul Technical University. It aimed to give students insight into our masters degree course in strategic operations management and provide an opportunity for professional development.

The event was opened by Michael Charlton, Sheffield Hallam Business School's senior lecturer in business systems, who discussed managing operations in turbulent times. He was followed by guest speaker, Dr Meltem Çalli from Okan University, who delivered a lecture entitled Making Decisions about Capacity Strategy.

Delegates were given a group task and asked to present the results to the two visiting lecturers. The speakers then chose a winning team whose members - Anil Sural, Humeyra erparu, Isilay Sonmez, Buse Erdem, Deniz Altay - were rewarded with iPod Nanos. Certificates of attendance were provided to all students for their records.

Sheffield Hallam's senior international developer Rebecca Crookes said, 'Attendance at this inaugural event in Turkey exceeded our expectations and we were very impressed with the students who took part in the presentations and competition. We received fantastic feedback from attendees and we are confident it will translate into increased recruitment in this area of study during the next six months.'

The MSc in Strategic Operations Management prepares students for future study of systems applications and products (SAP). It provides practical work experience, up-to-date technical expertise and advanced business skills to improve employability, giving graduates an internationally recognised masters degree and SAP consultant certificates.

Fulya Akcil from Edcon Education Consultants added, 'We were very happy with the Sheffield Hallam seminar. Good students, a good venue and good presentations ensured it was by far the best event of its type in which we have been involved.'

For further information about our MSc in Strategic Operations Management, or to find out more about its Business School's international seminar programme, visit the Sheffield Business School website.