Faculty of Communication feels the great honor and pride of raising students having the broad range of knowledge and skills required to fulfill their professions successfully. Students, who met the graduation requirements at the end of the fall semester of the academic year 2019-2020, received their diplomas with a glorious ceremony held at the Orange Hall of the Faculty.

The graduation ceremony was realized with the participation of Near East University vice Rector Professor Mustafa KURT, Faculty of Communication Dean Professor Ayhan BIBER, institute directors, department chairpersons, faculty members, students and their parents.

The graduation ceremony began with a commemorative stand in silence for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük, TRNC Founding President Rauf R. Denktaş and all martyrs and followed by national anthem. Then, the participants experienced joyful and unforgettable moments with the music recital performed by Ilyas Abdullin from the Music Teaching Department of Atatürk Faculty of Education.

The opening remarks of the graduation ceremony were delivered by NEU vice Rector Professor Mustafa KURT, Faculty of Communication Dean Professor Ayhan BIBER, Kübra Nur Akpınar on behalf of Turkish-speaking graduates, and Franklin I. Nwosu on behalf of English-speaking students.

Near East University adds not only education but also experience...
Speaking on behalf of her term graduate fellows, Public Relations and Advertising Department graduate Kübra Nur Akpınar stated that Near East University provided the students not only with contemporary professional knowledge, skills and ethics but also with great experiences required to address the needs of the relevant sector.

“Upon our graduation, we feel the comfort and confidence of the completions of exams, homework and projects, we are also aware of the weight and responsibility of being a graduate of the Faculty of Communication of Near East University, which is the educational ground of many successful professionals working all around the world. In fact, for us, the university was not just a place where we could go and study, it was a learning process. These periods were the times that we felt the aspiration and excitement to prove what we learned while increasing our knowledge with the activities organized by the faculty where we had experienced and accumulated very good memories. Near East University has provided us not only with quality education but also great experience. I would like to take this opportunity and thank all of our valuable teaching staff for their devotion, patience and intensive efforts in educating and raising us” said she.

He talked about the importance of receiving education at the Faculty of Communication...
In his opening remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Communication, Prof. Dr. Ayhan BIBER underlined that graduations are an important stage in our life process and that nothing comes to an end when the education period is over.

"Dear Colleagues, your students, whom you provided with professional knowledge and skills that cover all dimensions of communication processes, are here in front of you as graduates. No doubt that you have raised them well and you are proud of them. I would like to express that I am extremely proud of being here with you, our students and their esteemed parents.

Dear graduates, you are closing a page and opening a new one in your life. Graduation is not a full stop, not an end point; it's just a comma. You will see that nothing comes to an end when the education period is over. Your school, your faculty will continue to have a distinguished place in your life. Every end has a new beginning. The success that crowned always points to a new beginning. In this regard, today we are experiencing the excitement and enthusiasm of celebrating not an end but a new beginning. This process continues by expanding like rings formed by a stone that you had thrown into the water four or five years ago. All the difficulties, sadness and sorrows you experienced throughout your education process will turn into a beautiful memory and story in your life. As a person, who has gone through all these processes, I say that; wherever you go; the cities you lived, the schools you studied and graduated come after you. It is never possible to give off, to leave, and to ignore.

Faculty of Communication of NEU with its quality education exceeding the standards set by national and international bodies has achieved to stand out as a leading institution in all domains of communication. It is a privilege to be a student receiving education at the Faculty of Communication of Near East University which is closely associated with literature, cinema, language and art. No doubt that all professions including doctors, engineers, lawyers are important. However, the components that make life valuable, livable and even bearable are the literature, cinema, art, poetry, and the ties we establish with others” said he.

Teachers always have a bond of affection with their students...
Touching upon the significance of permanent relationship based on love or shared beliefs and experiences, Prof. Dr. BIBER pointed out that teachers always had a bond of affection with their students.

"And we are the ones who believe that we are forever responsible for those with whom we have established bonds of affection. Whenever you have a trouble or difficulty, we want you to call and inform us. Always keep in mind that we are a family. We are ready to share your challenges. It is a privilege to be a graduate of the Near East University. I hope, this privilege will encourage you to be good and loyal individuals to your family, the society you live in, your country and nation. This is not a farewell. Our ties will be vibrant. As a graduate of the Near East University, every new accomplishment you achieve in your working life will make us happier and cheer us up as well. Facing challenges with strength, determination and confidence is what matters, and you are capable to do it. Congrats! I wish you continuous success” noted he.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa KURT: "Whatever you do, trust yourselves, always try to come up with new ideas going beyond the known...
Highlighting the importance of making a difference and creating a multiplying effect on whatever they do, Near East University vice Rector Professor Mustafa KURT advised the students to trust themselves and try to come up with new ideas going beyond the known.

“Dear graduates don't have any doubt; Near East University has raised you in the best way. You are well-equipped with professional knowledge, skills, ethics and experience required to achieve a good career. Be sure of your future success and trust yourselves. Always try to make a difference and be a step ahead of the others by coming up with new ideas going beyond the known. As a graduate of Near East University, you are capable to achieve this” noted he.

NEU vice Rector Professor Mustafa KURT also shared data regarding NEU’s accomplishments as of 2019.
"Near East University with her educational, research and scientific accumulation use her energy to contribute to the economic, social, psychological and cultural development of the society in local and global scale. Since its establishment, Near East University has developed with a dazzling pace and become the largest education, research, culture and art center of the region. Near East University stands forefront as an internationally known prestigious university. The greatness of Near East University is not physical at all. The greatness of a university is always assessed by taking into consideration the science that it produces and therefore the number of scientific articles published as well as the scientific activities carried out. As of 2019, Near East University faculty members participated in many international congresses and presented 864 articles. Almost 1300 articles of faculty members of Near East University were published by prestigious journals scanned by Web of Science and Scopus, the largest abstract and citation databases of peer-reviewed literature covering tens of thousands research topics across all scientific disciplines. While participating in 813 international academic activities, Near East University has organized 1142 academic events. These numbers are statistically significant as their mean corresponds to 3-4 academic events per day” said he.

Comparing the number of articles that corresponds to more than 2 (> 2) for per faculty member of Near East University with the number of articles that corresponds to 1.80 for per faculty member working at 10 research universities in Turkey, NEU vice Rector Professor KURT underlined that Near East University faculty members had demonstrated a performance at a leading university level.

Drawing attention to the rapid changes in the field of science, technology and in other relevant fields, Professor Mustafa KURT expressed his views: "Within the frame of certain rules, academic methods, reasoning and ethics, our university has always mobilized all her possibilities and built up all mechanisms required to be a model educational institution. We live in an era driven by smart systems. We live in an era that we don't know what is going to happen and how it is going to be concluded. In this new era, communication is very important as it is at the core of the actions. We can actually say a lot when defining communication: however, what I want to emphasize is the information gap that makes communication essential. What is important is to be able to take the advantage of that information gap. I wish all our students success throughout their lives. Always be yourselves. Whatever you do, trust yourselves, always try to come up with new ideas going beyond the known, don't act as everyone does, try to make a difference by bringing your own talents forefront. From now on, to boost and brighten your knowledge and skills are in your hands. I wish you all continued success".

Diplomas were presented to the graduated students...
Following the speeches, Near East University vice Rector Professor Mustafa KURT presented their diplomas to the top placed graduates. Then, the other graduates were presented their diplomas respectively. Then the graduation cake was cut. Upon receiving their diplomas, the graduates experienced the joy of graduation by throwing their caps..