In the 2nd Golden Caretta Awards, while Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat İrfan Günsel was awarded the “Lifetime Honor and Achievement Award”, the “Research University with the Most International Scientific Publications” award granted to Near East University, the Near East Enterprises Hospitals received the “Health Brand of the Year” award and the TRNC’s domestic car GÜNSEL received the “Project of the Year” award.

The 2nd Golden Caretta Awards, granted by the Cyprus Turkish Businessmen Association (İŞAD) together with Saygın Medya, found their owners. At the award ceremony, 4 awards were presented to the Near East Enterprises. Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat İrfan Günsel was awarded the “Lifetime Honor and Achievement Award”, Near East University received the “Research University with the Most International Scientific Publications” award, the Near East Enterprises Hospitals received the “Health Brand of the Year” award and the TRNC domestic car GÜNSEL was awarded the “Project of the Year”.

The awards were given to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises and Chairman of the Hospitals Executive Board Mehmet Soykurt and Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ.

Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel: “We are striving for our country and want to raise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus even higher. It is our duty to raise the flag of success.”
At the award ceremony, receiving the “Lifetime Honor and Success” given to Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat İrfan Günsel from İŞAD Chairman of the Executive Board Enver Mamülcü, Near East Enterprises Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said, “It is a great pleasure to be here with people who have dedicated their hearts and lives to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It is a great honor to receive this award on behalf of my father.” Reminding that Near East University, the winner of the “Research University with the Most International Scientific Publications” award, has transformed the TRNC into one of the countries that produce its own vaccine and the PCR Diagnostic Kit, Prof. Dr. Günsel said, “We are striving for our country and we want to raise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus even higher levels in the world. It is our duty to raise the flag of success. We have a highly esteemed and successful team. We have precious Turkish Cypriot and Turkish scientists in our team. Together, we continue to work and produce for our country in harmony.”

At the event where the TRNC’s domestic car GÜNSEL received the “Project of the Year” award, Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said, “We are expecting to host everyone who is curious about GÜNSEL, the domestic car of our country, which we will start mass production in the near future, to test drives. Let them not just see it, come and feel it by touching it.”

Mehmet Soykurt: “As the Near East Enterprises, we work hard to establish the future with strong investments that will shape the future of the country.”
Mehmet Soykurt, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises and Chairman of the Hospitals Executive Board, who received the “Health Brand of the Year” award, said, “It is very important to remember the values ​​of Northern Cyprus and the people who worked hard for the country and put forth something. I would like to thank everyone who contributed, especially the Cyprus Turkish Businessmen Association.

Stating that important steps have been taken in the TRNC in harmony with the homeland of Turkey, Soykurt said, “As the Near East Enterprises, we have been working hard to establish the future with strong investments that will shape the future of the country. Our steps that carry our country forward in the fields of health and technology, especially in education, and our GÜNSEL are our most important sources of pride.” Near East University Hospital and Dr. Emphasizing that they serve to meet the health needs of the country with their state-of-the-art medical equipment and highly qualified medical staff at the Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital and Near East University Hospital, Soykurt said that the Near East University Yeniboğaziçi Hospital, which will be the third full-fledged hospital of the Enterprises, will be opened in the near future.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “I am receiving this award on behalf of all our academics who work day and night in laboratories, research centers and faculties and mentor these studies.”
Receiving the “Research University with the Most International Scientific Publications” award, Near East University’s Deputy Rector Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ reminded that Near East University has a very important vision in research and scientific publication, and stated that in 2021, 50.3% of the articles published by the TRNC universities scanned by international indexes such as Web of Science and Scopus will be published by Near East University.

“We increased the number of scientific articles from 143 to 1,500 in 5 years. The number of international scientific articles per faculty member has increased to 2.3,” saying Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ reminded that the scientific productivity created by this vision also showed itself in the world university rankings announced in 2021. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “We were ranked among the top 250 universities in the world in the fields of Computer Science and Engineering in Times Higher Education’s ‘World’s Best Universities’ ranking. In addition, we are in the top 500 in the world in Education, and in the top 600 in Physical Sciences; We were in the top 800 in Social Sciences, Clinical and Health and Social Sciences. In the ‘Best Universities Ranking’ published by AD Scientific Index in the first week of December, our Near East University was ranked 488th in 2022 and was shown among the top 500 universities in the world.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “I am receiving the “Research University with the Most International Scientific Publications” award on behalf of all our academics who work day and night in laboratories, research centers, faculties and mentor these studies.”