Near East University Faculty of Theology, 2021-2022 academic year spring term graduation ceremony was held at the Near East University Atatürk Culture and Congress Center. At the ceremony, which started with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, a recitation of the Holy Quran was performed by graduate Adil Furkan Aksoy. Then Vice-Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan, Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez, the top graduate of the faculty, Burhanettin Öden gave speeches on behalf of the graduates. After the speeches, medals and diplomas were presented to the top graduates. Later, other graduates were presented their diplomas. The ceremony ended with the cap throwing event. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan: “Your aim and duty is not only to lead religious rituals, but also to be a good example and guide for a social life based on virtues such as morality and goodness.” Vice Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan said that with this philosophy, Near East University always felt the responsibility of raising professional people with the awareness that the time spent in education has an important place in human life. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan said, “As Near East University, we contribute to social values ​​with our esteemed graduates, whom we have trained in our Faculty of Theology, and on the other hand, we are continuing the construction of the Dr. Suat Günsel Mosque. This building activity can also be seen as a symbol of the effort to build a highly spiritual society. Right here, the biggest role and responsibility falls on you, our esteemed graduates. Your purpose and duty is not only to lead religious rituals, but also to be a good example and guide for a social life based on virtues such as morality and goodness. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez: “As a theologian, you will both represent and convey our faith, values ​​and wisdom wherever you go.” Near East University Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Söylemez reminding that this is the eighth graduation ceremony of the faculty, Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez said, “Hundreds of our students graduated in the last eight years continue to work in the religious and educational life in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey.” Prof. Dr. Söylemez, “Dear young colleagues, you are graduating today. Now, as a theologian, you will both represent and convey our beliefs, values ​​and wisdom wherever you go. I wish success to you, our esteemed graduates, in your new lives.” Burhanettin Öden: “No matter what profession we do, our theologian identity will always remain with us.” Burhanettin Öden, top graduate of the faculty, said that they had great responsibilities as theologians upon graduation. Öden said, “When we graduate from here, some of us will be academics, some of us will be teachers, some of us will be religious officials, and some of us will be practicing different professions. However, no matter what profession we do, our theologian identity will always remain with us.” Öden said, “I would like to thank the Near East University for supporting our education with its educational seminars, the wide information network in its library and the facilities it provides on campus, to our teachers, who have provided us with new information for five years and helped us both in the course and in extracurricular matters, and to our families, who have not spared us their financial and moral support and love, during this period of our education.”

The 2021-2022 academic year graduates of the Near East University Faculty of Architecture received their diplomas at a ceremony. In the ceremony, which started with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur made a speech. Abdullah Saleem Khalel, who graduated from the Department of Architecture top graduate student on behalf of international graduate students, and Sinan Laçin on behalf of Turkish graduate students expressed their feelings, too. At the ceremony, Near East University Faculty of Architecture graduate İrem Sena also gave a violin concert for all guests. After the speeches, the graduates who received their diplomas threw their caps off with great enthusiasm. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt: “Architecture should reflect the time and space in which it was built, and at the same time aim for timelessness.” Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt, at the beginning of his speech, referred to the saying of American architect and thinker Richard Buckminster Fuller’s regarding architectural design: “When I work on a problem, I never think about its beauty, I just focus on how to solve it. However, when I finish, if the solution is not good, I know it is wrong”. Stating that the architectural design process should have three basic qualities, namely usability, durability and beauty, Prof. Dr. Kurt said, “Architects trained by architecture schools should focus on the functionality, durability, permanence, satisfaction and aesthetic pleasure of their designs. First of all, designers need to be equipped with very good knowledge. They need to read a lot, do a lot of research, get a lot of practice experience and work hard.” Concluding his speech with the words of Frank Gehry, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt said, “Architecture should reflect the time and space in which it was built, and at the same time aim for timelessness.” Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur: “We are proud to have graduates from 12 different countries.” Near East University Faculty of Architecture Dean Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur, on the other hand, touched on the COVID-19 pandemic in her speech and said that they were happy to hold a face-to-face graduation ceremony for the first time since the spring term of 2020. Stating that they graduated from twelve different countries, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur said, “Today, we bid farewell to future architects and interior architects from many different countries, including Syria, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Palestine, Iraq, Netherlands, Cyprus, Turkey, Zambia and Libya.” Pointing out that there are difficulties in the profession of architecture, as in every profession, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Onur said, “Not everyone does their job lovingly. Most people do it for the sake of doing it, but do your job lovingly and willingly. As a designer, your responsibility on earth is to add your own differences, sensitivities and thoughts to this world. Wishing you all to be space artists; May your path be clear”. Abdullah Saleem Khalel: “I am happy to keep the promise I made to myself and my family to graduate as the top student.” Abdullah Saleem Khalel, who said that he had a great interest in architecture since his high school years, said that he promised himself and his family that he would graduate as the top student when he started his education at the Faculty of Architecture at Near East University. “Today, I am happy to have kept this promise,” said Khalel, and congratulated all of his friends who succeeded in graduating after four years of hard study and effort. Saying that today is not the end but the beginning for them, Abdullah Saleem Khalel said that they are now ready to leave their mark on the world with the buildings they will design. Khalel ended his speech by thanking all his teachers who made great contributions to them. Sinan Laçin: “We will continue to progress successfully and steadily on the path of science, which our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk calls my spiritual heritage.” Near East University Faculty of Architecture graduate Sinan Laçin started his speech on behalf of all graduates by expressing his excitement and pride. Sinan Laçin said, “I would like to thank all of our teachers, who did their best in every way, loved us, made us love architecture much more than usual, and provided us with a lot of information about life, not just academic knowledge.” Sinan Laçin said, “After four years of hard and long training, including face-to-face and online education, we are proud of the point we have reached today. As Near East University Faculty of Architecture, we have gained a lot of knowledge and experience during our undergraduate education. We will continue to progress successfully and steadily on the path of science, which our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk calls my spiritual heritage.”

Near East University Fine Arts and Design Faculty Plastic Arts Department Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Yazgın represented the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus at five different international congresses and group exhibitions held in June and July. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Yazgın and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eda Yazgın presented an oral paper titled “Authentic Handmade Toys and Natural Learning in Cyprus” at the 2nd International Informal Learning Congress held in Ankara. Then, Yücel Yazgın attended the 9th International Social Sciences and Applied Sciences Congresses held in Diyarbakır and participated in the group exhibition titled “3rd International Art Adventure from Traditional to Contemporary” with two print painting works named “Germasogia” and “Panağra”. As part of the 2nd International Communication and Art Symposium held in Bayburt, his solo exhibition titled “A Cross-section of Cyprus Ponds” was opened. In July, he participated in the “4th International Art Adventure from Traditional to Contemporary” group exhibition, which was held simultaneously with the “AVRASIA 6th International Congress of Social Sciences and Applied Sciences” held in Tbilisi, with his print painting works named “Cyprus Dwarf Hippopotamus” and “Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) Cypriotes”. Lastly, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Yazgın presented the oral presentation produced from his student Selçuk Yalovalı’s master’s thesis titled “Visual and Cultural Analysis of the Human Figures of the Archaic Period of Cyprus” at the “8th International Zeugma Scientific Research Conference” held between 15-17 July in Gaziantep. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Yazgın: “We bring together the artistic and scientific production, which always goes hand in hand at the Near East University, with the world through the international congresses we attend, and we represent the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.” Stating that a wide spectrum of art has been created by the Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with the support of Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Yazgın said, “We continue to share the scientific studies we have carried out individually or together with the young academicians we are consulting with the scientific world at international congresses.” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yazgın emphasized that they are happy to represent the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus by sharing the artistic and scientific production, which always goes hand in hand at the Near East University, with the world at the international congresses they attended.

Near East University and the University of Sharjah, one of the leading universities of the United Arab Emirates, signed a protocol to cooperate in academic and research fields. In accordance with the protocol signed by Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Tamer Şanlıdağ and Sharjah University Vice Rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies Prof. Dr. Maamar Bettayeb, cooperation will be made between the two universities in academic studies and research. With more than 1,600 scientific articles published in 2021, Near East University ranks 552th among 15,175 universities in the AD Scientific Index’s “Best Universities 2022” list, while Sharjah University is in the top thousand in the same list. With the signed cooperation protocol, the number of institutions and universities with which Near East University cooperates has approached 150. In line with the cooperation protocol, the two universities will cooperate to organize exchange of students, scientific resources, researchers, faculty members and administrative members, bilateral academic programs, joint international workshops, conferences and seminars as well as joint research activities. At the same time, Near East University will provide infrastructure support to establish joint infrastructure/research centers, research laboratories and working groups. The first steps of joint work were also taken. Joint efforts have started for the establishment of the Center for Operations in Health, which was opened in January within the body of Near East University and which is the first center in the world to apply the artificial intelligence-supported “multi-criteria decision-making” model to health processes, in Sharjah University as well. Near East University Health Operations Center Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dilber Uzun Özşahin has been working in the United Arab Emirates for a while to coordinate the studies. Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “In scientific studies carried out for a better world and service to humanity, the main thing is cooperation, not competition.” Emphasizing the importance of research carried out in cooperation by researchers from different cultures and regions, Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “The main thing in scientific studies carried out for a better world and service to humanity is cooperation, not competition.” Pointing out that Near East University has been shown as one of the best universities in the world in different fields by many international higher education evaluation institutions, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “While the Near East University, which is ranked 552nd among 15,175 universities in the AD Scientific Index’s ‘Best Universities 2022’ list, is ranked among the top 10 in the world in terms of education quality by Times Higher Education, is also among the top 250 universities in the world in the fields of ‘Computer Sciences’ and ‘Engineering’. In addition, in the ranking announced by Shanghai Ranking last week, it was in the 301-400 band as the only university from the TRNC to be included in the list in the field of “Electrical and Electronics Engineering”. Stating that Near East University aims to increase scientific productivity and efficiency by collaborating with universities and institutes from many regions and countries of the world, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said that they believe they will carry out many researches together with the University of Sharjah, one of the distinguished universities of the United Arab Emirates. Prof. Dr. Maamar Bettayeb: “We welcome joint scientific research with prestigious international institutions to produce high-quality research.” Saying that the University of Sharjah has a distinguished position in the field of scientific research in terms of the number and quality of published research, Sharjah University Vice Rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies Prof. Dr. Maamar Bettayeb said that he welcomes joint scientific research with prestigious international institutions to produce high-quality research, and that the cooperation agreement they have made with the Near East University is an important part of this. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dilber Uzun Özşahin: “As Near East University Health Operations Center, we are leading the way to create an international network in this field.” Near East University Health Operations Center Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dilber Uzun Özşahin, on the other hand, stated that they are leading to create an international network in order to popularize operations research in health and emphasized that the studies to be carried out with the University of Sharjah will be one of the strong steps taken in this direction. Reminding that the Near East University Center for Operations in Health is the first center in the world to apply the “Multi-Criteria Decision Making” model to health processes, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dilber Uzun Özşahin said, “Multi-criteria decision-making method is based on the analysis and comparison of all options over many criteria in order to make the most appropriate decision in many areas. We evaluate many criteria such as cost, effectiveness, accessibility, and practicality in our studies at the Health Operations Center and ensure that the most appropriate decision is made in diagnosis and treatment. From deciding which nuclear medicine imaging device is best for brain cancer to determining which drug is most appropriate for an AIDS patient; We can perform a wide range of analyzes, from which COVID-19 antigen or PCR test is more appropriate to use.”

Tanzanian Maryam Mohammad Mizingi, who graduated from the Near East University Faculty of Medicine as the top student, put her name on the graduation log. Hazal Erdoğan graduated as the second top graduate and Cemre Terzi as the third top graduate. The spring semester of 2021-2022 academic year graduates of the Near East University Faculty of Medicine took their first steps into the profession by receiving their diplomas at the ceremony. The ceremony, which started with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, was held with intense participation. At the ceremony where Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ and Near East University Faculty of Medicine Founding Dean Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan gave a speech, on behalf of the graduate students, the top graduate of the faculty, Maryam Mohammad Mizingi, expressed her feelings. Before her speech, Mizingi nailed his name to the graduation log. Maryam Mohammad Mizingi from the Near East University Faculty of Medicine graduated as the top graduate, Hazal Erdoğan graduated second and Cemre Terzi was the third top graduate. After the speeches, accompanied by Founding Dean Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan, all graduating students of the Near East University Faculty of Medicine took the Hippocratic oath and received their diplomas. Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “As the doctors of the future, be open to dialogue without prejudice and have the courage to change your ideas.” Addressing the graduates, Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “Each of you represents a different country, a different culture and a different past in the world. You are here as representatives of a rapidly changing and globalizing world. And now, a new life awaits you as the doctors of the future.” Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ reminded the graduates that they will face many difficulties in the future professionally and said, “As the doctors of the future, be open to dialogue without prejudice and have the courage to change your ideas. Conduct research, question, interpret and produce solutions. Develop vision, improve yourself, change the world. I know that each of you has this potential. I trust each of you and I am proud of you.” Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan: “As a doctor, you must adopt the concepts of stress, empathy, patience and understanding in your daily life. Believe me, these concepts will always be a light for you.” Speaking at the ceremony, Near East University Faculty of Medicine Founding Dean Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan said, “You are leaving this road you started six years ago as adults and as doctors. Today, 275 of our graduates are ready to join the health army. This is a great pride for us.” Stating that the Near East University Faculty of Medicine was founded in 2008, Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan said, “Near East University Faculty of Medicine is a respected faculty that has taken its place in the list of world medical faculties. You, my young colleagues, are graduating from a well-equipped medical school. You have been trained by esteemed faculty members who have their names written in the world literature of a university equipped with the latest technology, which also has its own hospital. Addressing all graduates, she said, “One of the elements that will help you the most, both for your professional life and for your lifelong success, is the communication skills. You need to keep your communication skills at a high level, especially in the patient-physician relationship. As a doctor, you must adopt the concepts of stress, empathy, patience and understanding in your daily life. Believe me, these concepts will always be a light for you.” Maryam Mohammad Mizingi: “We learned that medicine is not just a science, but an art that requires physical, mental and emotional strength.” Maryam Mohammad Mizingi, the top graduate of the Near East University Faculty of Medicine, said, “We have completed a long and difficult road with patience and great effort. We are very happy with this success”. Maryam Mohammad Mizingi, who stated that their six-year education life has passed with hard study and sleepless nights, said, “We learned that medicine is not just a science, but an art that requires physical, mental and emotional strength. In addition to the theoretical knowledge we have learned throughout our education life, we have also learned to be resilient, empathize and take the patient as the basis.” Maryam Mohammad Mizingi addressed the faculty members of the Near East University Faculty of Medicine and said, “By believing in us, you have provided us with your support and knowledge. We will honor you by using all the knowledge we have gained and we will come to good places in the field of medicine.”

In the ranking announced by Shanghai Ranking, Near East University was included in the 301-400 band as the only university from the TRNC to be included in the list in the field of “Electrical and Electronics Engineering”. The “2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects – Global Ranking in Academic Titles” list, created by Shanghai Ranking by evaluating 5 thousand universities from 196 countries around the world, has been announced. Near East University took place in the 301-400 band in the field of “Electrical and Electronics Engineering” and, together with Koç University and Bilkent University, became one of the three Turkish universities to be included in the list in this field. Near East University was also the only university in the TRNC to be included in the list in this field. Near East University ranked 201-250 among world universities in the field of “Engineering” and “Computer Sciences” in the “2022 World University Rankings” published by the London-based international higher education rating agency Times Higher Education (THE), and ranked 201-250 among universities in Turkey and Cyprus. was ranked first among them. Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel: “This success is the result of our university vision based on research, development, and producing projects.” Reminding that Near East University was recently ranked among the top 250 universities in the world in the fields of “Engineering” and “Computer Sciences” by Times Higher Education, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Near East University Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel pointed out his remarks; “Our position in the 301-400 band in the field of Electrical and Electronics Engineering by China-based Shanghai Ranking is a result of the vision of the Near East University, which is based on research, development and producing projects.” Prof. Dr. Günsel said, “We will continue to raise our country to the top of the scientific world by continuing to research, publish and produce.”

Graduating from a good university is one of the most important expectations for many young people who dream of a good future. Just like Miracle Gosioha Chizaram and Divine Gosioha Chiamaka, who came to the Near East University for their education from Aba, one of the small towns of Nigeria. The Nigerian twins, who came to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus four years ago, received their diplomas this year. Miracle Gosioha Chizaram graduated from the Near East University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism, as the top graduate of the faculty. Her twin sister, Divine Gosioha Chiamaka, showed the same success in the International Law Department of the Near East University Faculty of Law. The twins, who also gave a speech on behalf of all international students who graduated from their faculties, now want to take one more step towards their future dreams by pursuing their master’s and doctorate degrees. My father sent us off to Northern Cyprus with crutches in his hands. Saying that the most important motivation for their academic success is their family’s sacrifices, Miracle Gosioha Chizaram mentioned about her life before university and said, “Before coming to Near East University in 2018, we used to live in a small town in Nigeria, Aba. My father used to retail and wholesale agricultural chemicals. At home, he seldom stayed longer than two weeks. He had to work constantly and travel by road constantly to support our lives and save money for our future.” Miracle Gosioha Chizaram, who said that she and her sister have dreams in different fields even though they are twins, said, “I always wanted to study journalism at a reputable university. My sister wanted to study law.” Stating that with the suggestion of a family friend, they found out the Northern Cyprus and the Near East University. “Our family friend said that Northern Cyprus and Near East University are great places to realize our goals. We reviewed it on our own and decided it was a great option, so we applied, got accepted, and started studying law and journalism, respectively.” Miracle Gosioha Chizaram said, “Shortly before I applied to study at the Near East University, my only supporter, my father, had a tragically fatal car accident,” said Miracle Gosioha Chizaram. His legs were broken and he could not work. Still, his pain and wounds did not stop him. He sent us off with crutches at the airport to further our education in Northern Cyprus, and that’s how we came here four years ago.” We embraced our education as if it were “life or death” Recalling that people made fun of their father’s efforts to educate them abroad, Divine Gosioha Chiamaka said, “They made fun of my father by saying that he wasted the little money he had to educate ‘daughters’. Most of the people around us thought we wouldn’t mean anything and that my father’s efforts and investments would be in vain.” Gosioha Chiamaka said with pride, “For this reason, my twin and I took our education seriously, as if it were a “life or death”. We have never forgotten our past, the pains and sacrifices that have brought us to this point. We studied hard to be successful. We did it to refute the skeptics, to validate our own vision, and to make my father proud, and we’re having a celebration today.” We have grown into well-rounded adults who can create a world our children can be proud of. Now, the Gosioha brothers want to complete their master’s degrees in their fields and take their first steps in their profession. Miracle Gosioha Chizaram aspires to be a successful journalist and TV personality. Divine Gosioha Chiamaka, on the other hand, aspires to become a licensed lawyer in the UK after her master’s degree. We gained the equipment we needed at Near East University, says Miracle Gosioha Chizaram: “We have had many positive and negative experiences throughout our lives. All of this has made us the people we are today. The last four years we spent at the Near East University tell us; development gave us the chance to learn from our mistakes and to improve. We’ve developed incredible relations, fresh perspectives, values ​​and ideals, and been inspired to go beyond our wildest expectations. Admittedly, we have gained a lot of academic value. I gained significant experience in my field in Near East TV. We have grown into well-rounded adults who can make meaningful contributions to society and create a world that our children and our generation can be proud of.”