Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "Our education quality and contributions to society are appreciated worldwide"

With the announcement of the YKS results, the excitement of started in the candidates and their families. Candidates continue their research to choose the right department and university to guide their careers. President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan gave vital tips to the candidates about how to manage the preference marathon process in the healthiest way.

Suggestions for a Healthy Selection Process

Underlining that a university that aims to raise good students should be sensitive to social problems, where scientific and critical thinking are at the forefront, where ethical values are in the first place, and which should have the principles of equality, reliability and rationality, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan drew attention to digitalization. Tarhan stated that "Today, there is a rapid change in the world with digitalization. If we read this change correctly and take the right position, and it will carry us to the targeted places. If we take the wrong position, we lose. We need to have a serious competitive advantage here. Right now, digital transformation is inevitable. Therefore, we need to talk about how we can make it work for us. We need to determine our digital roadmap. Today, we are trying to represent our country in the best way with Üsküdar University and all our science and application partners in digitalization and catching up with trends."

Pioneer in Technology and Health...

Stating that as Üsküdar University, they offer an education that emphasizes techno-entrepreneurship by combining technology with health, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said the following about his studies in this field: "Our students have the opportunity to receive education from an academic staff that includes a scientist with a schizophrenia drug patent, a member of the UN Narcotics Control Board, a member of the UN Environment Committee, and faculty members who have a say in many different fields in Political Psychology research. Moreover, our graduates of health sciences undergraduate and associate degree programs, especially our Faculty of Medicine, have the opportunity to have strong employment opportunities thanks to the application and science partnership of NPİSTANBUL Hospital and the cooperation of Üsküdar Dental Hospital."

First Place in Türkiye and International Achievements

According to the Impact Ranking 2024 results of Times Higher Education (THE), the world university ranking agency, Üsküdar University was deemed worthy of receiving all 17 labels applied for. Tarhan said that "This result is a proof of the efforts of our university in line with the sustainable development goals.

Üsküdar University ranked first in Türkiye in the "Overall Rankings" category among foundation universities with 17 goal labels (SDGs). This success is an indication that the quality of our education and our contributions to society are appreciated worldwide."

Stating that Üsküdar University has managed to be among the top 500 universities in the world with 17 evaluations it has been entitled to receive, Tarhan expressed that "This is an indication of how ambitious and competitive our university is in the international arena."

Türkiye's Firsts and Positive Psychology...

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "We set out as Türkiye's first university with the theme of behavioral sciences, engineering and health," and Tarhan that They were the first university to base ‘Positive Psychology’ not only in Türkiye but also in the world and to open it as a credit course. Noting that they regularly organize congresses in this field, Tarhan emphasized the importance of social and emotional skills. Tarhan stated that "21st Century skills are known as innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability. What we emphasize is that not only academic and technical but also social and emotional skills should be transferred to students. For this reason, we have been giving the Human Values Awards every year since 2016. We give the Positive Psychology course, which is also known as the Science of Kindness, to all students as a rectorate course."

Stating that as Üsküdar University, they are the university of firsts and have achieved many firsts, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan made the following evaluations: "We have achieved many firsts since our establishment. We established Türkiye's first Institute for Sufi Studies. Our students are developing under the same roof with a science center that focuses on human values and raising qualified people. Again, in addition to Türkiye's first Forensic Sciences Undergraduate Program, we offer departments and programs for the professions of the future, where they can receive multidisciplinary education."

TRGENMER Project and Space Travel

Noting that they have carried out sustainable projects in different fields with all academic units to turn ideas into products, Tarhan said that they attach importance to artificial intelligence and stem cell studies, and that they carried out Türkiye's first artificial intelligence event. Tarhan said that "We continue our work with the R&D focuses we have adopted in many areas such as neuromodulation and genetic treatments, autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, stem cell – CRISPR research and personalized treatment. To give a few examples, TRGENMER, which works in the field of gene technology, is the academic unit that produces the highest rate of projects for TÜBİTAK in the field of CRISPR technology in Türkiye. One of the 13 projects announced to go to space within the scope of the National Space Program was the 'Message (Microgravity Associated Genetics) Science Mission' developed by Dr. Cihan Taştan and his team at TRGENMER."

The Significance of the MESSAGE Experiment

Explaining that studies on the samples brought by Türkiye's first astronaut Alper Gezerci from the International Space Station (ISS) continue in the TRGENMER laboratory and significant progress has been made, Tarhan stated that understanding the effects of microgravity environments on biological systems is critical for future space missions and biomedical research.

Tarhan stated that "Such research has great potential not only for space research, but also for the treatment and prevention of diseases on Earth. Understanding the effects of microgravity on gene expression could lead to the development of new treatment methods, especially for critical health issues such as the immune system and cancer. Therefore, the MESSAGE experiment and similar studies can be groundbreaking in the field of health sciences and biotechnology."

High school students reach their dreams with Üsküdar...

Noting that the ninth Science and Idea Festival, organized for high school students was held in cooperation with Üsküdar University and Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, Tarhan stated that "Since our establishment, we have been encouraging our students to become scientists with breakthroughs in their fields. With the Science and Ideas Festival, we have established a platform where high school students can show their ideas and inventions and instill a project culture in them. You know, there is now a concept of 'reaching the best version of yourself' You've all heard that. Now even this concept is obsolete. We are now talking about the concept of 'transcending oneself'. The bigger goals you set for yourself, the more likely you will be to increase your self-confidence so that you will not compare yourself to others. Remember, your closest competitor should be yourself. We designed the Science and Ideas Festival to give young people this feeling."

Üsküdar University's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Vision

Explaining Üsküdar University's vision of entrepreneurship and innovation, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the importance the university attaches to the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Tarhan said that "We organize various projects and programs to instill the spirit of entrepreneurship in our students and to encourage them to produce innovative ideas. As a university that supports techno-entrepreneurship, we provide the necessary resources and support for our students to implement their innovative projects."

"Which university" with a career test

Drawing attention to the importance of "Career Tests" in directing people to the right professions in making decisions, Tarhan stated that "There is a career test on the website of Üsküdar University that helps to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the person. This test gives results about which or which of the artistic, academic, social and verbal fields the person is successful in. Although verbal, numerical or equally weighted scores are currently determined, it is also useful to apply to the career scale."

My first choice is Üsküdar...

Emphasizing that as Üsküdar University, they keep their scholarship opportunities rich and that they care about it, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that in addition to 50% and 25% ÖSYM scholarships, they offer 35% scholarship to the first choice of candidates who make their first choice in all paid quotas, and on the other hand, they offer an additional 25% scholarship to candidates who make all of their first 5 choices to Üsküdar University. President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan invited all candidates and their families to Üsküdar University to participate in the preference days that continue between 16 July and 04 August.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)