On the third day of the Graduation Festival, 780 students graduated from 5 faculties of Near East University and received their diplomas, and threw up their caps. Speaking on behalf of international students at the ceremony, Joan Karimi Gicheru, a graduate of the Faculty of Nursing of Near East University, said, “We came from different countries but we became a family.”
On the third evening of the Graduation Festival of the 2024-2025 academic year spring semester of Near East University, 780 students who graduated from the faculties of Nursing, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering, Health Sciences and Agriculture were bid farewell with enthusiasm. Graduates received their diplomas amidst the applause of their families at the festival held at NEU Event Park. Graduates, who had the joy of graduation with the performance of DJ Ece Kanmaz, enjoyed their happiness to the fullest.
The ceremony, which started with a procession, included the opening speeches of Higher Education Planning, Supervision, Accreditation and Coordination Board (YÖDAK) President Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın, Near East Enterprises Board of Trustees Chairman Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel and Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ. YÖDAK Member Remziye Terkan and General Secretary Erdinç Akgür also attended the ceremony. Health Sciences Faculty graduate Jüniye Ergin expressed her feelings on behalf of the students who graduated from the Turkish program, while Nursing Faculty graduate Joan Karımı Gıcheru made a speech on behalf of the foreign students.
At the ceremony, Near East University’s artificial intelligence-based academic AI. Prof. DUX addressed the students and said, “Real innovation flourishes at the intersection of different fields of knowledge. The competencies you gain here have not only prepared you for the future, but also turned you into individuals who will shape that future.”
Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın: “The point we have reached in the field of higher education is an indicator of great success.”
YÖDAK President Prof. Dr. Prof. Aykut Hocanın said, “The level we have reached today in this field is not an easy success. Very important steps have been taken to develop higher education on the island and as a result of these efforts, students from approximately 150 different countries are receiving education in the TRNC today. This picture clearly shows how successful we are in the field of higher education.”
Stating that approximately 100 thousand students are receiving education at associate, undergraduate and graduate levels throughout the country, Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın said, “Our higher education system is developing every day with the goal of quality education and research. One of the most concrete examples of this is that Near East University is ranked 43rd worldwide in the “2025 World Universities Impact Ranking”. I wholeheartedly congratulate the university and all stakeholders who contributed to this success.” Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın then addressed the graduates and said, “I have full faith that you will add value to your professions and societies with the education you receive in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. I congratulate you and wish you continued success.”
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel: “You are our lifelong companions.”
Drawing attention to the fact that Near East University is not only a higher education institution but also a living space that integrates knowledge production with culture and art, Near East Enterprises Board of Trustees Chairman Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said, “We do not only produce science, we blend it with art, culture and social values.” Addressing the graduates, Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said, “You are the carriers of this multifaceted heritage. You will make a difference with your knowledge and enrich your environment with your artistic and cultural awareness.”
Emphasizing that Near East University never leaves its graduates alone, Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel said, “You are our lifelong companions. Never lose the curiosity, courage and kindness within you.”
Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “While deepening your knowledge, broaden the meaning, doubt, read, empathize.”
Drawing attention to the fact that Near East University is not only an institution that transfers knowledge, but also a place of thinking, questioning and transformation, Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “Near East University has not only been a place where lessons are taught and exams are held. It has become a place where curiosity and courage, thought and freedom, trial and error can coexist.”
Also touching on the concepts of Kronos and Kairos that defined time in Ancient Greece, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “Kronos is the time of calendars, while Kairos is the time of opportunities and transformation. Graduation is exactly this special moment. In other words, it is Kairos.”
Addressing the graduates, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “Today you are graduating. However, this is not a separation. Near East University will continue to live in your way of thinking, your decision-making style, and your behavior towards others. You were our students. Now you are our graduates. Tomorrow, you will be the spokesperson, representative, and carrier of this institution.”
We came from different countries but we became a family!
On behalf of the students who graduated from the Turkish program, Health Sciences Faculty graduate Jüniye Ergin shared her feelings by saying, “Today, we are celebrating not only a graduation, but also years of effort and the ideal of serving humanity. We thank our teachers who guided us and our families who did not spare their support.” Ergin emphasized that the strong friendships they established during their university years were one of the most valuable gains of this journey. She concluded her words by saying, “This is not the end, it is the first step of new beginnings.” Speaking on behalf of the international students, Nursing Faculty graduate Joan Karimi Gicheru, emphasizing the difficulties of the graduation journey and the importance of developing together, said “We came from different countries but we became a family. We are no longer just graduates, we are carriers of hope.”
