The Science Awards presented to Lebanon and Somali Ministers of Education

Üsküdar University presented its first “Science Award” to the Lebanon Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh and the Somali Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education Mr. Abdi Dahir Osman due to their global contributions to the educational and scientific studies in the world. Üsküdar University President Prof. Nevzat Tarhan shared the news that UNESCO has assigned Üsküdar University to be the center of excellence in neuroscience. Lebanon Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh stated, “Turkish brain is needed to bring peace to Middle East, Palestine and Syria. 

Lebanon Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh and the Somali Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education Mr. Abdi Dahir Osman were awarded with Üsküdar University Science Award due to their global contributions to the educational and scientific studies in the world.

Representatives from Lebanon and Somali also joined the ceremony, which was organized in Üsküdar University Main Campus, Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, along with Lebanon Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh and the Somali Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education Mr. Abdi Dahir Osman.



We make a stride that will be the medicine to the wound in Middle East 

Üsküdar University President Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, stated that he has met with beautiful people through this ceremony and that he wants to carry on with the collaborations. He continued, “There is a wound in Middle East and we make a stride that I am hoping will be the medicine to the wound.
As brothers, we have lived together for many years in this region and we lack in acting together now. I want to emphasize that as a University, we give crucial importance to the cultural democracy.
First comes the cultural democracy, then economic democracy and lastly political democracy. Within this context, I want to emphasize again the establishing the base of cultural democracy between the brother countries is essential.”

We will establish a Religion and Science Studies Research Center 

Prof. Tarhan continued as indicating that Turkey experienced a democratic experience recently and the results showed that Turkish society approved the foreign policies. He remarked, “The representational studies of Turkey led by the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have been approved by the Turkish society. Hereby, I would like to put emphasize that the Turkish society has demonstrated its democratic maturity. I am one of those who believe that the democratic soul and culture does not have any contradictions with the Islam and its culture.
This understanding has taken maybe around 70 – 80 years to be established in Turkey. I believe that we as a University obtain responsibilities to settle democratic culture in Middle East and all eastern countries.
Therefore, I think this development in Turkey is an application of the educational system. Specially, the sociological substructure plays a great role in this. We are in effort to establish a research center. A Religion and Science Studies Research Application Center, which combines positive sciences with religious sciences.
We believe this approach will stop the radical, marginal religious movements.
Individuals who solely have religious studies becomes radical. Individuals who solely have secular studies becomes self-centered and self-seeking. Given all these, having both of the schools of thought together becomes a doctrine for us.  We can do mutual studies on this.”

Center of Excellence in Neuroscience 

Prof. Tarhan mentioned that Üsküdar University is a representative of Turkey in G20 Summit every year and that next fall they will attend the summit in Argentine and attend G20/ N20 (Neuroscience 20) Summit. Prof. Tarhan gave the news for the first time that UNESCO has designated Üsküdar University to be the center of excellence in neuroscience and therefore, many doctorate students will attend Üsküdar University from various countries. Prof. Tarhan said, “This is news. This has been a gratifying news for us and I share this information for the first time here with you all.”

Memorandum of Understanding with 20 countries from 6 countries 

Prof. Tarhan shared that Üsküdar University currently has 16 thousand students and 500 of them are international students. He continued, “We want to interact with other cultures through education. Today, we will present the Science Awards to our guests of honors, the Ministers of Lebanon and Somali.  Meantime, we will sign the Memorandum of Understanding with 20 universities from Somali, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Jordan, Iraq and Libya. We hope that this will not just be on paper. It is historically important for the future generations to have universities within this cultural activity. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this cause.”
The President of International Union of Universities Prof. Mohammad Algabaide thanked Üsküdar University and Prof. Nevzat Tarhan.

Üsküdar University presented its first “Science Award” to the Lebanon Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh and the Somali Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education Mr. Abdi Dahir Osman in the ceremony.







Marwan Hamadeh: “Turkish Brain is needed in Middle East for peace.”

Lebanon Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh thanked Üsküdar University, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, faculty members and the students. He stated, “It is very important for the president to be a psychiatrist. Everything starts in the brain. This is crucial to liberate ourselves from various diseases. Liberation has to start in the brain. There is a need for a Turkish brain to establish peace in Middle East, Palestine and Syria. These are great wounds.
I come from a small country that was governed by the Ottoman Empire at the time. We all lived happily together. We own many high level universities in Lebanon and Turkey. We also have Lebanon students studying here. I hope this collaboration to continue in the future. Thank you for the award”.



Abdi Dahir Osman: “Üsküdar University is a great reflection”

Somali Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education Mr. Abdi Dahir Osman shared that he is honored to be in Üsküdar University and continued, “I am very happy as I am in a high level university.  What I have seen here is a reflection. This is a great University. This also indicated the state the of the country’s state and future. This campus and University reached to 16 thousand students in a very short time and has beaten the odds. Many universities were closed down in Middle East and were destroyed. Thank you for this award”.



Memorandum of Understanding signed

The Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with 20 universities from Somali, Lebanon, Libya, Afghanistan, Jordan and Iraq.

The ceremony has ended after family photo.



Photo Credit: Mehmet Yaman

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)