NEWS

The opening ceremony for the 2024-2025 academic year was held with great excitement at the NeoTech Campus of Istanbul Nişantaşı University. The ceremony began with a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem. In his opening speech, Dr. Levent Uysal, Founder of the Nişantaşı Education Foundation, expressed his pleasure in celebrating the 15th anniversary of the university. Uysal emphasized that the university's current success has been achieved thanks to the dedication and determination of the academic staff. Highlighting the motto “People First,” Uysal stated that the university adopts a human-centered approach to education, aiming to train students who will benefit both Turkey and the world.
Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu Çıtıpıtıoğlu, stressed that in a world shaped by global transformations such as artificial intelligence, digitalization, and sustainability, universities should be research-oriented, offer education at international standards, instill a sense of social responsibility in students, and prepare them for the real world. She also mentioned that the strong partnerships established with the business world and internship programs provide students not only with experience and vision but also with career opportunities.
In addition, our Rector drew attention to the high proportion of female academics and administrators at our university, emphasizing the importance of this issue for societal progress. She also highlighted the university’s success in publications and projects, congratulating al faculty members for their scientific research and contributions.
During the ceremony, certificates were presented to the top-ranking students of the faculties, representing trees donated to the TEMA Foundation in their names. This award aimed to celebrate the students' achievements while contributing to environmental sustainability.
Moreover, METU-IVMER Director Prof. Dr. Bilge Demirköz delivered the opening lecture titled "A Journey from Physics to Scientific Wisdom." In her lecture, Prof. Dr. Demirköz discussed the role of physics in understanding the structure of the universe and touched on the founding process of CERN. She also highlighted Turkey's progress in space research. Prof. Dr. Demirköz concluded her speech by thanking Prof. Dr. Çıtıpıtıoğlu.
At the end of the ceremony, our Rector, Prof. Dr. Çıtıpıtıoğlu, presented Prof. Dr. Bilge Demirköz with a certificate for a donation made to the TEMA Foundation.