500 students graduating from the 17 faculties and Graduate Education Institute of Near East University, which is among the world’s top 500 universities, received their diplomas and took their first steps into their new lives.
Near East University, ranked among the world’s top 500 universities, sent off its 2025-2026 Academic Year Fall Semester graduates with magnificent ceremonies held at the Near East University Atatürk Culture and Congress Center. In the graduation ceremonies, held in two sessions, 500 graduates who completed their undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies received their diplomas and joyfully threw their caps into the air.
In the first session of the graduation ceremonies, students graduating from the Atatürk Faculty of Education, Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Literature, Nursing, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sports Sciences, and Faculty of Tourism, as well as the Graduate Education Institute, celebrated their graduation with their families. In the second session of the ceremony, students graduating from the Faculties of Dentistry, Law, Communication, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Architecture, Engineering, Medicine, Artificial Intelligence and Informatics, and Agriculture, as well as the Graduate Education Institute, received their diplomas.
The ceremony, which began with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, included a musical recital by İlyas Abdulline and İrada Melikova from the Music Education Department of the Atatürk Faculty of Education, adding artistic moments to the event. The opening speech was given by the Rector of Near East University, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ. Lila Cemgunal, a graduate of the Psychology Department of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Berfin Gül, a graduate of the Food Engineering Department of the Faculty of Agriculture, expressed their feelings on behalf of the Turkish program graduates, while Afraa Mubarek Gadelseed Salih, a graduate of the Faculty of Law, and Monjolaoluwa Enıayooluwa, a graduate of the Faculty of Nursing gave a speech on behalf of the international students.
The first session of the ceremonies was attended by the Rector of Kyrenia University, Prof. Dr. Ilkay Salihoğlu, and the Rector of International Final University, Prof. Dr. Orhan Gemikonaklı, also attended.
At the ceremony, AI. Prof. DUX, an AI-based academician from Near East University, addressed the students first. AI. Prof. DUX said, “Near East University will always be proud of you. Carry this pride with humility, and balance your ambition with kindness. Keep your curiosity alive, maintain high standards, and continue on your path with an open heart to learning. Congratulations, Graduates of 2025, move forward with confidence and shape the future with solid objectives.”
Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “Let your imagination be courageous, and your conscience your compass.”
Beginning his speech, titled “The Rubicon Has Been Crossed,” by referring to significant turning points in different periods of history, the Rector of Near East University, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, stated that today’s world is also passing through a similar threshold. Saying, “Today, we too are in a time when the rhythm is changing.”, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ stated that we are living in a global atmosphere where, on the one hand, everything seems to be going well, but on the other hand, nothing feels completely stable. Referring to the rapid changes in the classical structure of scientific production, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ noted that research processes have accelerated with the introduction of artificial intelligence and robotic systems, and these systems are transforming into self-learning structures.
Continuing his speech, addressing the graduates, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ stated that Near East University is closely following and correctly interpreting this transformation. He reminded that the university is among the top 500 universities in the world in international rankings and is positioned as the 43rd most influential university in the world in terms of social impact. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said that these achievements are a result, and the real goal is to make this position sustainable and to advance it further. He emphasized that diplomas are not the key to a fixed profession, but the key to a rapidly changing world. Şanlıdağ said, “Times when the rhythm is disrupted are also times when new rhythms are born. May your path be clear. May your imagination be courageous, and your conscience your compass.”
We now have a shared identity!
Lila Cemgunal, a graduate of the Psychology Department of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Near East University, stated that they have taken a step towards a new beginning with graduation, saying, “Regardless of which faculty we graduated from, we now have a shared identity. We are graduates of Near East University. We will have different paths, different goals, and different responsibilities ahead of us. However, I believe that in addition to the academic knowledge we gained here, our ability to think critically, empathize, and uphold ethical values will guide us.”
“As Food Engineering students, we encountered not only classes and exams here, but also a great responsibility,” said Berfin Gül, a graduate of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food Engineering. “We learned that the knowledge we produce and the decisions we make will one day directly affect people’s health. We have learned that food is not just a product, it is a matter of labor, trust, and sustainability. Today, as we graduate, we continue on our path with the awareness of the responsibility our profession carries.”
Let us be professionals who lead with kindness and question injustice!
Afraa Mubarek Gadelseed Salih, a graduate of the Faculty of Law, stated that their university education wasn’t limited to theoretical knowledge alone, and said “We learned how to think, how to question, how to fail and try again. Our university education taught us independence, responsibility, and at times, humility. The world we step into needs knowledge, but more importantly, it needs honesty, empathy, resilience, and courage. Let’s become professionals who lead with kindness, question injustice, value cooperation over competition, and never forget where we started.”
Monjolaoluwa Enıayooluwa, a graduate of the Faculty of Nursing, also added, “These gowns we wear represent much more than a ceremony. They symbolize the sleepless nights, the challenges we overcame, and the growth we experienced together. We have come a long way, and I am proud to stand alongside such resilient and determined individuals. I also thank our families and loved ones who supported us throughout this journey.”
