Dear Young People,
In our era, not only information and technology but also life and culture are changing very rapidly. Changes that took centuries in the past can take place in just a few years or a much shorter time in modern times. For this reason, one of the most effective definitions to accurately describe the era in which we live is the "age of speed". It should be one of the most important priorities of universities to keep up with this pace and to ensure that their students in particular and society in general adapt to this change. On the other hand, universities of our time should not only produce and transfer information and science but also guide how this treasure should be used correctly. Because in our era, where information technologies have been developing at a dazzling speed, what is important is no longer access to information; now, what is important is to raise individuals who know how to use the information they have properly rather than just raising knowledgeable individuals.
One of the fundamental objectives of Near East University, which was founded in 1988, is to be a dynamic institution that can constantly update itself by following and keeping up with the innovative developments of the era. When we look back, we can say that Near East University, which has become the biggest university in the TRNC, as well as one of the most prestigious universities in the region and Turkey, owes this outstanding success to its innovative and dynamic structure.
Near East University provides the best education and training environment for its distinguished students with 20 faculties, 196 undergraduate and associate degree programs, and 6 institutes offering 240 master's and doctorate programs, 3 high schools, 4 vocational schools, and 28 research centers. The scientific production and activities of Near East University are outstanding and constitute the basis of its greatness. For example, with the number of cited articles reaching 1,600 in 2021, Near East University produced 51 percent of the scientific articles produced by TRNC universities on its own.
In the "2022 World Universities Impact Ranking" list published by London-based Times Higher Education (THE), Near East University ranked 7th place in the world in terms of education quality, and it is among the top 200 universities in the "Sustainable Cities and Societies" category where cultural and artistic activity is assessed. Near East University is also included among the world's top 500 universities and ranks in the 151-175 band in "Computer Sciences", and in the 176-200 band in "Engineering" in the "2023 World University Rankings" list prepared by the London-based Times Higher Education (THE). In the same list, Near East University ranks in the 401-500 band in "Education", 501-600 band in "Clinical and Health", and 601-800 band in "Life Sciences" and "Social Sciences". Near East University is ranked top in the TRNC and is among the top 5 universities in Turkey.
In the "Best Global Universities 2022-2023" field ranking published by the US News & World Report, Near East University, in the field of engineering, is ranked top among the universities in the TRNC and among the foundation universities in Turkey. It is possible to multiply these examples with the lists published by other higher education rating institutions.
At Near East University, one of our priorities is to transform the information that we produce into value by adhering to the principle of “University 4.0”! The projects we have carried out with the spirit of "Entrepreneurial University" come to life as a result of this priority. Our aim here is to put the theoretical knowledge produced through R&D studies into practice and to ensure that our students receive education by seeing, touching, and feeling.
Our electric car "GÜNSEL", which we completed and launched in February 2020, is the best example of this. Our preparations for mass production for the B9 and J9 models of GÜNSEL, developed by Turkish engineers and designers within the body of the Near East University with 10 years of work and 1.2 million hours of effort continue. 13 fully functional prototypes of B9, the first model of our GÜNSEL, were tested by thousands of our citizens and received full marks. This success is our greatest source of pride, showing our strength in the field of engineering, which is also reflected in the global university rankings.
GÜNSEL is also important in terms of showing the Near East University's power in putting into practice the science, information, and projects that it produces rather than being merely theoretical. Located on the Near East University Campus, the GÜNSEL Electric Vehicle Factory will function as a second school, where students studying automotive engineering and automotive technology, machinery, computer, information systems, and software engineering can have the opportunity to acquire education and experience synchronously. On the other hand, through courses that GÜNSEL professionals have started to teach in our Engineering Faculty, our students will also be able to benefit from the practical experience and knowledge accumulation of these professionals.
The respirators, disinfectants, and surgical masks produced by Near East University during the Coronavirus Pandemic, and projects such as the nasal spray developed to stop the spread of Covid-19 are also indicators reflecting how fast Near East University responds to the conditions of the day. As a requirement of the principle of producing science for the benefit of society, this shows that Near East University has the dynamism to take action when the need arises.
Experienced and competent academic staff, including our Nobel laureate professors, facilities such as the university hospital, dental hospital, animal hospital, supercomputer, innovation center, laboratory and research centers, and GÜNSEL automobile factory show why Near East University has become the most important academic university in the region.
Near East University carries out worldwide renowned projects on robotics technology studies, solar energy projects, artificial vascular and ear studies, and wearable health technology. By providing support to global research studies such as the European Nuclear Research Center CERN's "Big Bang" and "God Particle" theory, the experiment of the century, and the "Let's Conquer Cancer" project through its Supercomputer that ranks 11th among world universities with its processing speed, Near East University continues to develop its vision.
However, academic success is not the only goal we focus on because a university is not just about learning and teaching. University is also life itself! With this perspective, we consider it our fundamental objective to provide our students with the opportunity to enhance their sociocultural and artistic aspects. In this context, our facilities such as the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, Cyprus Car Museum, Herbarium and Natural History Museum, National History Museum, Maritime Museum, Knife and Sword Museum, and Sports Tower, art workshops, concert halls, sports hall, and many more provide our students with opportunities to discover their full potentials.
As Near East University, we make the effort to not only to be a "school" where you will have a profession, but also to create a culture and accumulation that you will be proud to be a part of. Moreover, the culture of the Near East has a global influence, not only in the TRNC and Turkey but also in 143 countries from where we accept students. As a Near Easterner, you will also be one step closer to global citizenship with the opportunity to get to know different cultures of the world. We welcome you to join us in order to graduate as a world citizen, who is academically well-equipped, ready to produce with the applied training in the field, who understands business life with the projects we develop with the principle of "entrepreneurial university", and who is capable of turning culture and art into an important part of his/her life, who is familiar with world cultures, and willing to share with us the pride of being a “Near Easterner".
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat GÜNSEL
Chairman of the Board of Trustees